Welcome to the eighteenth blog post for The Lawyer Files!
Thank you, as always, for subscribing and following the journeys of tomorrow’s legal leaders. Each edition brings you honest reflections, practical insights, and inspiring stories from aspiring solicitors carving out meaningful careers in the legal profession.
✨ In this edition, we feature Suhana Sharma, a Future Trainee Solicitor at Dentons and penultimate-year law student at the University of Leeds, whose story is a compelling blend of determination, global perspective, and thoughtful leadership. From navigating the UK legal system as an international student to championing inclusivity and mentorship through the Leeds Women in Leadership Society, Suhana’s journey is shaped by initiative, resilience, and an unwavering sense of purpose.
Her route to a training contract was built from scratch — attending open days, engaging with firms directly, and learning to adapt to unfamiliar systems like psychometric testing and networking culture. Her successful vacation scheme at Dentons — where she sat in Restructuring and Insolvency and Corporate — gave her fresh insight into the intellectual depth and global scope of commercial law.
What makes Suhana stand out is her reflective mindset and her drive to uplift others. Whether through improving accessibility for underrepresented students or fostering safe, inclusive spaces on campus, she combines commercial awareness with emotional intelligence and impact-driven action.
Her reflections on balance, burnout, and the value of being a well-rounded applicant are a timely reminder that success in law isn’t just about output — it’s about alignment, authenticity, and sustainability.
Let’s dive in 🚀
- What challenges did you face as an international student trying to break into the UK legal industry, and how did you overcome them?
I think the main challenge is building connections with law firms. A lot of firms here offer programmes as early as Year 10 and Sixth Form to get students into law. So home students start making those connections really early. They know people, and when it comes time to apply for schemes, they already have personal experiences to talk about and reasons for wanting to get into commercial law and specific firms. As an international student, that’s the biggest disadvantage. You start with no network at all. To work around that, I went to open days and spoke to people from the firms directly. I’d always mention those conversations in my applications because it shows you’ve taken the time to learn about the firm. These open days are usually sponsored, and they often cover travel costs, so it’s a great chance to go to London and get a feel for the firm in person.
Another area I found really tough was writing applications and preparing for interviews, especially the psychometric tests. The Watson Glaser test, for example — I’d never seen anything like that back home. It was hard to get used to that kind of testing. But once I started looking for help online and using the resources out there, it got a bit easier.
For me, though, the hardest part overall was the mental pressure. The visa situation and the constant stress of landing a training contract was a lot to deal with. I struggled with that more than anything. That’s why I think it’s really important to have something else in your life to balance it out. Talking to other international students and knowing they were in the same boat helped me a lot.
In the end, the biggest piece of advice I’d give is to ask for help whenever you can. This whole process is tough, and trying to do it all on your own just makes it harder.
- How did your experience at Dentons during the Spring Vacation Scheme shape your understanding of the legal profession?
I think the scheme gave me a real wake-up call about what commercial law is. It is incredibly diverse. I sat in two seats. My first was in restructuring and insolvency, and my second was in corporate. Both were exceptionally different from each other. The former was more case law oriented, while corporate had absolutely no case law involved. I think it is important to understand that you should not go into law with any preconceived notions about what it actually is. It is very different from what you might expect.
Another key point is how exceptionally subjective the work can be. It is the most multidirectional way of thinking I have ever experienced. At every stage, you are challenged to approach things from a new angle. You are constantly required to find different ways of interpreting case law or legal texts to support your stance. It is a constant process of spotting nuances and identifying potential loopholes. I remember that in Restructuring and Insolvency, whenever I brought a proposed solution to my supervisor, he would often ask me to go back and try to find a completely different way of looking at the issue. It was very intellectually stimulating. It’s all about embracing the mindset that there is no single right answer. The work of lawyers would not exist if there were only one way to interpret the law.
Lastly, I think the international aspect is embedded in commercial law regardless of which City law firm you go to. Almost every deal has more than one jurisdiction involved. It is just the nature of the work. That is what makes the legal profession even more exciting. Personally, I worked on many deals at Dentons where the contracts were made in different countries but governed by English common law. It is very eye-opening to work with unfamiliar jurisdictions and liaise with lawyers from those countries.
- As President of the Leeds Women in Leadership Society, what initiatives or goals are you most passionate about?
I feel very strongly about representing women in leadership positions that are stereotypically known to be held by men. Recently, we organised a conference where we had panels on law, finance, and social media. I think many young women had questions for our panel about how to break into male-dominated professions like investment banking, and they asked about the challenges faced by women. Throughout my life, I have often heard that these careers are too “brutal” or “rough” for women, so it is important to me that women like me see others who are at the top in such industries.
I think diversity is something I feel passionate about as well. We have an incredibly diverse committee from different backgrounds, and I believe that is key to a strong, inclusive society. Diversity cannot be endorsed if it’s not run by a group of people with varying opinions. When I was the conference director, we pushed for inclusivity — whether it was making the food inclusive for certain communities or making prayer room adjustments for Ramadan. Being an international student myself, I struggled initially to “fit in,” so my aim has always been to make everyone feel respected and comfortable.
Another important goal I believe in is definitely to build a community based on networking and mentorship. We have a mentorship programme where we connect first-year students with second- or final-year students for 12-month mentorships. This is incredible because not only do you get to talk to someone who has been in your shoes, you also get to make valuable connections. Having someone to look up to who is also easily approachable is the best thing you can have at university.
- What advice would you give to aspiring law students hoping to secure a training contract in the UK?
Firstly, be a balanced person. I made the mistake of spending most of my time on applications, missing out on other activities, and ultimately compromising my mental health. The process would be a lot kinder if you don’t have a “do or die” attitude. If you keep doing everything solely with the end goal of securing a training contract in mind, you stop enjoying the small achievements, miss out on core university experiences, and can end up feeling empty even if you do get the TC. Hobbies are a key part of the application process, not just to get ahead but also to prioritise health.
Secondly, all work experience matters. Anything you do is of value to them. I remember a trainee saying she was offered a training contract because she had worked as a florist, and she talked about how dealing with different bouquet preferences helped her develop client-focused thinking. You don’t need legal experience. It helps if you get it, but it is not essential. Do what you need to do, then translate those experiences into the skills that law firms are looking for.
Thirdly, get your applications reviewed by someone. Obviously, you can’t get every application read by someone, but at least a few in the beginning should be reviewed so you have a template to approach the rest. You would be surprised how helpful trainees and future trainees are when you reach out asking for feedback on your applications.
Lastly, aim for quality over quantity. Don’t do too few applications, but don’t do too many either. If you apply to too few, you’re putting all your eggs in one basket. If you apply to too many, the quality of your applications will suffer. I did 15 applications, and each one was carefully tailored to the specific law firm with personal references. I spent hours researching through social media, firm websites, and online platforms to build each application.
A key tip: if you can replace the name of the firm in your application with another firm’s name and it still makes sense, the application is not good enough!
- Looking ahead to your training contract in 2027, what areas of law are you most interested in specializing in?
Honestly, I haven’t decided yet. But I really enjoyed restructuring and insolvency during my seat. It was very exciting to read case judgments and be detail-oriented enough to find the little things to highlight that can change the course of the deal.
On the other hand, I have always enjoyed mergers and acquisitions, especially the competition aspect of it. I really enjoy analysing how a merger can be structured to make it less likely to come under scrutiny by the Competition Authority. I personally studied the Vodafone and Three merger in depth because it was fascinating to understand how such large entities were allowed to merge. I think it is interesting to anticipate the remedies that can be offered in exchange for regulatory approval.
But honestly, I am open to anything. I don’t have strict preferences yet, and I just want to experience as many areas as I can before making a final decision.
Suhana Sharma – https://uk.linkedin.com/in/suhana-sharma-bb9435218
Future Trainee Solicitor at Dentons | Penultimate Year Law Student at University of Leeds
Thank you for reading the nineteenth edition of The Lawyer Files.
I hope Suhana’s story has encouraged you — especially if you’re navigating the legal industry as an international student, balancing leadership with study, or questioning whether you truly “fit” into the City law world.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that clarity, consistency, and community can help you build from the ground up — even without an existing network. From open days and insight schemes to securing a training contract at Dentons, Suhana shows that meaningful progress comes from asking for help, staying adaptable, and trusting the value of your lived experiences.
Whether she’s mentoring others, leading inclusive initiatives, or developing commercial awareness across global jurisdictions, Suhana proves that great future lawyers aren’t just high-achieving — they’re thoughtful, strategic, and deeply self-aware.
🎧 Stay tuned — our podcast episode with Suhana is coming soon on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & Audible (TheLawyerFiles), where we go deeper into her experience at Dentons, what it really takes to succeed as an international student, and how she’s redefining leadership and representation through her work at the Leeds Women in Leadership Society.
We’ll also talk about her thoughts on balance, burnout, and how she’s keeping her options open while still building with intention.
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.
Until next time — stay curious, stay reflective, and keep showing up with purpose. 🎙️📚💼
— Denice Obeng 🙂
