I’m Angela Jackman KC (Hon) and I’m a Partner and joint head of the public law and human rights department. I also work on responsible business, specifically focusing on diversity and inclusion.
I’ve always put others first, and my work for Irwin Mitchell allows me to do so. Whether it’s helping people who lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions or a young person facing difficulties accessing their educational provision.
Why did I want to work at Irwin Mitchell?
I was drawn to the fact that the department covers health and welfare, Court of Protection, education, community care, and judicial review. The team is growing all the time, and I get to work with amazing individuals who challenge the boundaries of the law.
I’ve always been interested in social welfare law and looking at the issues around equality and equity. The nature of the work I get to do at Irwin Mitchell aligns with my values, and that’s something I’ve strived for during my entire career.
My areas of specialism at Irwin Mitchell are mental capacity, education law, and general public law. I work with and support individuals who can’t make decisions about important aspects of their lives. I also work with individuals who are deprived of their liberty in care homes or hospitals.
In addition, I help families of students who are facing disputes with education providers. Often this will be special educational needs, exclusion and policy challenges.
Working at Irwin Mitchell has helped me enjoy a good mix of my interests. I’ve been able to develop further my legal practice and training delivery as well as being involved in responsible business projects - all skills I’ve been keen to grow.
Values that shaped my career
I come from a working-class family with a connection to socialism. My dad and older sister were socialists, so they were the values I was brought up with. Growing up in this environment developed my commitment to social justice.
My desire to empower people aligned with my desire to be a lawyer. It seemed like the best way to play a part in making sure people are treated fairly and have their rights protected. This is something I’ve prioritised throughout my career as a lawyer.
When I’m asked if social welfare law is my passion, I say: “No, it’s not a passion, it’s me and reflects my values.”. This is why I love the work I do at Irwin Mitchell; I’m helping make change for those whose voices aren’t always heard.
My role model
My biggest role model is my mum. She moved to the UK as part of the Windrush generation and worked really hard to make a life for her family here. It wasn’t an easy task to move to a new country, often leaving children behind for a period, find a job, and make a life for yourself whilst raising a family. It was often a hostile environment - some of my relatives still remember seeing those signs “No blacks, no Irish, no dogs.”
Looking back, I can see my mum did her very best for me. I wanted to play the piano from a young age, so my mum and dad got the money together for me to learn. It’s easy for me to see now that must have come at the expense of sacrificing other things for themselves. I was lucky enough to play seriously until I was 17 when I passed the final grade 8, and it’s something I’ll always be grateful for.
My mum also gave me so much love and nurturing. She always supported me and gave me the confidence to feel that I could do whatever I wanted to do.
I remember, when I was 14, meeting with the careers teacher during a parents’ evening. The teacher asked what I wanted to be and was taken aback when I said a lawyer. She questioned my choice, and my mum challenged her as she was outraged by the prejudicial attitude and assumption.
The backing my mum gave me that night is an example of how she would always be there to offer emotional support.
My older sister was a community advisor who helped set up the first law centre in my hometown Leicester. I was able to volunteer and saw first-hand how the resource benefitted the local community. Her work with this law centre inspired me to pursue my career in law.
The importance of mentoring
Mentoring is important if we want to make sure everyone has a fair chance in life. That’s why I’m so proud and excited to have set up a Black and minority ethnic mentoring programme with the City Law School. I’m acutely aware that sometimes Black and minority ethnic students are overlooked, but this mentoring scheme will give those students support and guidance to pursue their careers.
When I was a part-time senior lecturer at the City Law School, I was pleased to see how diverse the student population is. It made me realise that those working in law firms can think about giving opportunities to students who might not always get a chance.
I’ve been really pleased with how supportive my colleagues at Irwin Mitchell have been with the mentoring scheme. Over 30 colleagues took the time last academic year to support students and offer expert guidance, and we have the same numbers again for the current academic year. This shows how dedicated to inclusion my colleagues here are, taking time out of their busy schedules to mentor others.
One case that will stay with me
I was privileged to be the solicitor representing the family of an African-Caribbean 11-year-old boy, who’d been told he couldn’t wear his hair in cornrows at school. The unwritten part of the school’s uniform and appearance policy banned cornrows or braids for boys, and they refused to make exceptions based on cultural reasons.
I was involved in a long court battle, but along with the determined family, we were successful. The High Court found that the school’s policy was indirectly racially discriminatory because they weren’t sufficiently flexible to the cultural needs of the affected students.
The press we received afterwards was incredible. I never expected it to hit national headlines and the impact it had astonished me.
What can the legal industry do to help with diversity and inclusion?
I think the important thing to remember is that one Black or minority ethnic person can’t give all the answers. It’s such a huge question, and I’ve had life experiences that are different to others.
I’m always happy to offer my thoughts but it’s also crucial to speak to experts outside the company and to have external scrutiny. It can be important if you want to grow and effect real change because no one ever gets everything right.
Individuals and companies need to be open to learning, being challenged and being outside their comfort zone. They also need to acknowledge that if we are to change the norms, it’ll likely be at the expense of those who’ve benefited from these norms.
It can be hard at first for some employers, because a natural response may be defensiveness. If they can break down that defensive wall, be open to new suggestions and open to learning, the industry would benefit massively.
Join us
If you’d like to combine your passion and your role as a solicitor, Irwin Mitchell is the place for you. There’s lots of opportunities to progress your career and grow as an individual. Come and join our team and help us make a different.
