United Kingdom “It’s never too late to be what youmight have been” –George Eliott. Do you have a criteria in which you judge your success in your work? I think I probably did when I was a younger lawyer. I have to be honest and say no. I do feel that, overall, I am successful in my career, but I cannot say that there’s been any sort of identifiable measurement by which I have reached that conclusion. It is not an attainment of status. It is not an attainment of awards. It is not in attainment of monetary reward. But it is more of a feeling of contentment in myself, which has come over time and become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Is there a particular creed or philosophy that informs your practise as a lawyer? “It’s never too late to be what you might have been” – George Eliott. If you select a career achievement that you are most proud of having reached, what would it be? I do not think that there is one clear achievement. I have been successful in the Supreme Court; I have been successful in the Court of Appeal. I think that maybe that is what most people would consider as being an achievement to be most proud of, like being in the directories and what have you. But for me personally, it is when the client says thank you. It is when we have reached the end of the process, whether through court or otherwise, and there is true gratitude towards what I have helped them accomplish and the future that they can now see and look forward to – which I have been a part of helping them create for themselves and their children. I am proud of that. What does this award mean to you? For me, this award is more meaningful because it is for women in law. Women continue to be highly underrepresented in most professions and in leadership roles and, indeed, it is generally women who end up having to fight that bit harder and be that bit stronger in order to achieve what they need through the divorce or separation. Even though my client base tends to be 50% men and 50% women, in my experience, it is the women who come out the other side as someone different than when they went into the process – hopefully stronger, more confident, and independent. For me, being a recipient of this award demonstrates not only that women can and do achieve but also what we are all doing to try to help create and recognise real equality not only in the legal profession but also in this jurisdiction. Chrissie Cuming Walters Partner, Keystone Law 48 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1JF, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3319 3700 Mob: +44 (0)7703 625058 www.keystonelaw.com 25
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