Advice To My Younger Self
London-based partner Chinwe Odimba-Chapman talks about the benefits of taking initiative – both for herself and for the next generation of lawyers.
I always loved the thought of becoming a technical expert in whatever choice of career I made – although I wasn’t sure what form that would take. It sounds a bit cliché, but I enjoyed debating, discussion and problem solving, so a career in law seemed a natural fit for me. I viewed it as a career track with prestige and an opportunity to achieve at the highest levels.
My first exposure to employment law was at university. It was a subject area I enjoyed, though I had always wanted to be a corporate lawyer. When I was on my training contract, I started in the finance practice before looking for my next step – something less transactional and more advisory-based. That led me into employment law, which was not at all what I expected. Because I work at a global firm, employment law affords me the opportunity to work very holistically – one moment it’s deals, the next litigation, the next advisory.
