‘For me, the wig was the key’: how I defied family expectations to become a criminal barrister

Coming from a family of builders and roofers, a career in the law seemed unlikely. But then my elder brother ran into some difficulties…Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned in my life – certainly of those that apply to being a parent – is the need to give free rein to a child’s ambitions. My son has just turned six and, as with most kids, what he wants to be when he grows up changes with the wind: marine biologist; palaeontologist; treasure hunter; film direc