Amanda Michaels, barrister, Hogarth Chambers

I left school with no clear idea of what I wanted to do, even though I had decided to read law. There were no lawyers in my family and I knew very little about either branch of the profession. In my final year at Durham, still rudderless, I took a course in EU law, loved it, and was lucky enough to get a scholarship to study EU law at the College of Europe in Bruges. After a wonderful year, I jumped at the opportunity to write a masters thesis for the college and combined it with a stage in the Legal Department of the European Commission in Brussels. Those experiences were what pushed me to the Bar. First, I thought I would be able to pursue my interest in intellectual property and EU law. Secondly, I realised that I would not enjoy working for a large organisation.

Jobs before Bar school

Back in London, I took a job with a law publisher to tide me over until Bar school. It taught me an invaluable skill – how to proofread. Another job application led me to write an introductory book on trade mark law (I’m now working on the fourth edition). When it came to applying for pupillage, that rather unusual background certainly helped me. The same is true today – you need to stand out from the crowd.

Flexible working at the Bar

The Bar suits me well, especially in the need to combine legal knowledge with commercial and common sense. You have to be able to put up with fluctuations in work and cash flow but I like the independence, the responsibility and the flexibility. For instance, I would recommend the Bar to women as easier to juggle with motherhood than an ordinary day job. And even after so long, and the increased reliance on ‘paper’ advocacy in civil work, I love the adrenalin rush of appearing in court.