6. Its Only Rich People (Definitely Not Called Kylie, Katie Hopkins) Who Become Lawyers
Katie Hopkins, a television personality, sparked huge controversy a few days ago when she argued on national television that she wouldnt let her children play with anyone with a working class name. Moreover, she went on to say that working class children were unlikely to have done their homework, were less bright, and had fewer prospects than their slightly wealthier counterparts (lets be honest, the recession has even hit the middle class hard). She then went on to say that she knows of no lawyers called Kylie or Charmaine (in an attempt to sweepingly generalise that therefore all lawyers are middle class and above) and that she would not even let a child named after wine across the threshold into her home. Lawyers of all backgrounds commented on this issue, including
Legal Cheek and
Durham University Pro Bono Society, and uproar spread amongst the general public over Katie Hopkins controversial comments. But is it really true that lawyers are all rich people with posh names that helped them achieve their current status? Staggeringly, and overwhelmingly, this is one hundred percent not the case. Not only is there a huge drive at the moment from Magic Circle Law firms to recruit people of all backgrounds, working class or not, but there are according to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), forty eight Charmaines and thirty six Kylies working in the law firms it regulates. The legal profession is increasingly (and thankfully) becoming about what you know, not who you know, and who you are, not where you came from. Sorry to disappoint you Katie Hopkins, but times have changed.