Interview with Angela Mattoo, founder of the Warwick Future Lawyers Society

In this interview, Eleanor Teh interviews Angela Mattoo, a third year Law student at the University of Warwick and founder of the Warwick Future Female Lawyers society. 

Introducing Angela 

Hey everyone! My name is Angela and I am a third-year Law student at the University of Warwick, currently completing a year-long ‘Study Abroad’ programme at Monash University in Melbourne. I’m especially passionate about diversity and empowering women to pursue legal careers, which has prompted me to found a new society called ‘Warwick Future Female Lawyers’.  

A brief insight into your career in law 

Q1. Was there ever a moment that made you certain you wanted to pursue a career in law? 

My first real insight into a legal career was in Year 9, when I played the role of a witness in a mock trial for a criminal case at Reading Crown Court. Having previously seen the law as something quite distant and intangible, this experience helped me fully appreciate what a profound role it actually plays in our day-to-day lives. Prior to this experience, growing up in Newbury as the daughter of Indian immigrants in quite an insular community meant that, from a young age, I was always acutely aware of how certain power dynamics and hierarchies can unfortunately shape our society. At school, I loved how creative and analytical I could be through studying English and the Humanities, but I also enjoyed the logic in Maths and Science. In summary, I would say it was the combination of my inherent desire to better understand our society and the rules (formal and informal) that regulate it, as well as my own academic interests, that made me want to explore a career as versatile and evolving as law. 

Q2. Why are you interested in commercial law? How did you develop this interest? 

Coming into my first year of University, I had little legal work experience beyond one week at a local high-street firm. This drove me to make the most out of the opportunities available at Law School and through Warwick’s law societies, so that I could later make any important decisions about my career being well informed. In my first year, I was lucky enough to secure several ‘Spring Schemes’ (brief insights and work experience opportunities) at commercial law firms, and one scheme especially provided a clear insight into the work of commercial lawyers. Over the course of three days, I attended panels and workshops led by lawyers across practice areas and seniority levels at the firm. From disputes to LegalTech to learning about lawyers’ business acumen, I felt that a career in commercial law could nurture my academic interests in a tangible way through being involved in exciting business developments whilst also working in a very client-facing role. I have continued to explore this interest through participating in commercial negotiation competitions and in my role as a brand ambassador for law firms.  

Q3. How has your experience been studying abroad? How does this align with or further your aspirations? 

Studying abroad in Melbourne at Monash University this year has been a hugely rewarding experience. From the perspective of my degree, learning about the law in Australia involved understanding the social dynamics, history, and politics of the country as much as the ‘black letter’ law. During my studies, I came to appreciate how each lecture began with an introduction recognising that the land belongs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and will forever remain Indigenous land. Building on Warwick’s ‘Law in Context’ approach, the electives I studied, and the continual recognition rightfully given to ATSI people, forced me to think critically about the impact of law on marginalised communities and appreciate the disparities in how it has affected different groups in our society. Studying abroad has ultimately broadened my worldview, making me (hopefully) a better law student and, more importantly, a greater advocate for bringing about equality.  

About WFFL 

Q4. Would you please introduce WFFL, and tell us what you aim to achieve with this society? How are you achieving this goal? 

I had the idea for Warwick Future Female Lawyers (WFFL) earlier this year in July as an online initiative that would bring together and empower women at our University to pursue a legal career. From the start of my legal journey, through Spring Schemes and Open Days, I’ve realised the necessity of being in environments where our diversity is celebrated. Juggling applications alongside balancing everything else as a student is not an easy feat – I wanted to create a supportive and empowering space for women that combats toxic, competitive energy. After making WFFL’s first post, I was truly overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm it received. The direction for WFFL from that point quickly transformed into creating a fully-fledged society at Warwick, because it became so clear that Warwick needed a community like this for aspiring female lawyers. In terms of achieving this goal, we have a fantastic Executive Committee of 20 students encompassing 10 departments, working together to provide opportunities for our members to get involved with our mission and to break down whatever barriers we can to accessing the industry. 

Q5. Has there been any significant challenges since the establishment of WFFL? How did you overcome them? 

Since establishing WFFL, our Executive Committee has fortunately experienced a relatively smooth journey thanks to the dedication and hard work that everybody has continuously put in to create a strong foundation for future growth. However, as a non-SU affiliated society, one challenge we’ve faced has been engaging with freshers and students physically on campus. To tackle this, we’ve focused on continually putting out resources, collaborating on events with other established societies, and actively seeking feedback from students. By building on this momentum, we hope to keep growing so we can have an even greater impact in empowering Warwick’s Future Female Lawyers. 

Q6. What are your future plans for further promoting and improving WFFL?  

As the founding Executive Committee, the whole team is so excited to play a key role in providing the building blocks for a bright future for WFFL. Our plans this year involve establishing flagship events and opportunities across all departments, including careers, academics, events, blog, and podcast. We want to provide our members with the chance to build their skills and connect with inspiring professionals, as well as being part of a community of like-minded, ambitious women. We also hope to achieve this through future collaborations with other universities, as well as continuing to collaborate with societies on campus, to expand our reach. Everything we do is ultimately driven by our passion to create an empowering space for women at Warwick, encouraging one another to pursue our legal careers with confidence in our ability to succeed, so the long-term plan is to keep fleshing out our initiatives in terms of their scope and reach at Warwick and beyond.  

Advice on succeeding in law 

Q7. What skills are you currently developing at University to prepare for a career in law? 

My involvement in extracurriculars, leadership positions, and volunteering have enabled me to strengthen my time management, communication, and analytical skills, key traits for lawyers. Regarding time management, last year I worked as Co-Editor of Warwick Law Society’s ‘Obiter Dicta’ publication. Meeting deadlines required dedicating time weekly, and sometimes daily, to stay on track. Starting WFFL has significantly improved my communication: through listening to various perspectives and ideas of Executive Committee members, I’ve learnt to be an active listener, articulate my own views, and adapt my communication style to motivate others. My analytical skills have also grown through moots with the Law Society, which I’d recommend to any aspiring lawyer. Mooting involves practical experience in applying case law across a breadth of topics, whilst building your self-confidence by presenting arguments to your peers and the judges. This has been an invaluable experience for starting to develop strong and persuasive advocacy. 

Q8. What tips or advice do you have for first-year scheme applications? What makes an applicant stand out? 

There are two main pieces of advice I would give to make a successful first-year scheme application. Firstly, prior to starting your application, you should focus on gaining as much knowledge as you can about the firm to demonstrate you have undertaken a high level of research (which shows your interest) – whilst this knowledge can be obtained from reading the firm’s profile on websites such as Legal Cheek and Chambers, attending an open day or an in-person event will go a long way in developing your understanding of that firm’s position in the legal market, especially as you’ll see what aspects about the firm they choose to highlight. Secondly, try to insert as much of your own hobbies, interests, and personal values into your application as you can – for example, if there is a particular deal the firm has worked on that appeals to you, make sure to specifically highlight why that is. This will give the reader a clear insight into who you are as an individual, and how you fit into the work and objectives of the firm, as well as helping you personally understand that alignment yourself.  

Q9. What is one thing you wish you knew when you were a fresher at university? 

When I was a fresher, I remember being completely overwhelmed by all the opportunities at Law School and law firms. I genuinely felt like I had to apply for everything and even made a personal tracker with around 50 first-year opportunities! While it did help me keep on top of deadlines and secure a few offers, I’d recommend any fresher to prioritise enjoying their first year and settle into life at University instead of stressing over every single application (as there’s plenty of time for that in the later years!). The pressure to keep up with everyone else in such a competitive job market can understandably pull you away from building genuine connections and enjoying your time at University. Looking back, I can see that there was a lack of balance and that, whilst it is important to find time to grow professionally, that should not be at the expense of missing out on the memories and friendships in a period of our lives that is dedicated to personal growth.