International Women’s Day with Nneka Akudolu KC: raising the ‘bar’ of equity in law

Nneka had an unorthodox entry into her law career. She left school with neither the qualifications nor intentions to progress into higher education. Ready to fly the nest and find bigger grub than Wormley in Hertfordshire could offer, Nneka set her sights on the bright lights of London and a job at Planet Hollywood.

 
The job, though fun at first, was not as glamorous as it seemed: the hours were antisocial and the night bus made for a wearying journey home. When she saw an advert in the local paper for an Access to Legal Studies course, Nneka decided it was time to change her path.

She took the course, and following completion began her LLB in Law and Politics at the University of Cardiff. Although it wasn’t all plain sailing, after a period of work experience and volunteering she saw her efforts pay off in exam success. Before she could start the new autumn term, however, a whirlwind romance in New York left her pregnant, prompting those around her to doubt her future. She refused to be deterred, and when others ventured, ‘You’re not going to be a lawyer now, are you?’, Nneka thought to herself, ‘Yes I am.’

With a two-month-old baby in tow, she returned to Cardiff in August 2000, ready to sit her exams and prepare for her final year. By this point, she knew she wanted to be a barrister, and would let nothing get in her way. She settled her daughter in a creche, knuckled down in her studies, and secured pupillage in the Temple at 5 Kings Bench Walk in 2002.

Since then, Nneka has flourished as a practicing lawyer in a career spanning more than two decades. In December 2021, she applied to take silk and become what was then called a Queen’s Counsel. The application required 36 professional referees, a good test of her career-long dedication to always treat people with kindness. And indeed, her kindness, perseverance, and toil all paid off: she was accepted, and now carries the title of King’s Counsel, or KC. She is one of only seven black women in the country who carries this title.

Naturally, we had plenty of questions for Nneka. One was about her approach to closing the door on work stress. She answered that casual TV viewing helps her switch off – and admitted to Love Island being a particular tonic! She acknowledged that some people in the industry find it hard to wind down and avoid burn out, and that there’s now a greater focus at the Bar on wellness and mitigating stress.

Another question was about whether women in the dock are treated with equity, to which Nneka gave a straight answer: ‘Sadly no.’ The male perspective has historically dominated the legal sphere, and the scales have only started tipping in recent times. Nneka has been involved in helping the judiciary overcome unconscious biases and root out old attitudes through a reverse mentoring programme in which junior barristers educate senior judges. Started last year, judges who opt into the programme report that it’s changed their way of thinking for the better. Even if dinosaur attitudes are still lurking in the dark corners of the robing room, the courtroom is becoming more enlightened.

Nneka made an interesting point about how diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have sought to level the playing field for women and men who wish to become judges. With the profession crying out for better gender diversity, progress is slowly being made to overcome obstacles that women faced in the past. This includes the challenge of returning to work after maternity leave, for which Nneka cited the importance of networking and mentoring to help retain and support new mothers in the industry.