LawCareersNetLIVE: my experience at County Hall

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Arriving at County Hall: feeling overwhelmed

I felt completely out of place walking into County Hall for the LawCareersNetLIVE event. I was exhausted from parenting, caring for my disabled son and juggling my law studies. Socialising was awkward, every part of me wondered whether I really belonged there. However, once I started talking to people from all walks of life, everyone admitted that they felt the same imposter syndrome. Knowing we weren’t alone brought us all huge relief – most of us felt like outsiders and admitting that, made it easier to connect.

The turning point: hearing from Ben Bruton at LawCareersNetLIVE

Everything changed when Ben Bruton, from Winston & Strawn London LLP, spoke. Until then, concepts like arbitration and global justice felt abstract. Suddenly, law wasn’t just a theory – it became a tool for fairness. His example from My Cousin Vinny, which highlighted the importance of genuine expertise, really resonated with me.

After that conversation, I started writing essays on the Outer Space Treaty, the Moon Agreement and the concept of global commons, viewing them through a new lens that emphasised the protection of vulnerable nations. Eventually, I earned distinctions in contract law, public law, international, environmental and space law modules –  subjects I’d initially disliked. However, once I grasped the material, my perspective changed. Although ‘love’ might be too strong a word, I found myself increasingly focused on justice.

My journey to justice

My path into law grew from historic abuse, lived injustice, neglect and systemic failure. As a Black woman from South London, I’ve felt overlooked more times than I can count. Instead of staying silent, I channelled that frustration into action. Over the past year, I’ve written letters to councils, media companies and big institutions that forced them to hand matters over to their legal teams. Matching my energy became a necessity because I refuse to be brushed aside.

Starting ‘Journey to Justice’

This journey inspired me to create my blog, Journey to Justice. I reached out to Ben, the person who truly brought arbitration into the spotlight for me during LawCareersNetLIVE London 2024. During our insightful session, all of us, myself included, emerged with a newfound clarity in such a short time. That ability to illuminate complex ideas is truly a gift. I also watched a movie that left me initially questioning its relevance to law, yet Ben encouraged me to trust the process, assuring me it’d all make sense in the end – and it genuinely did. It’s so important to be well versed in your field or to seek out experts who can articulate your points clearly, just like Vinny’s wife so beautifully demonstrated.

Ben responded to me without delay, graciously agreeing to be featured on my blog. My mission is to demystify the law, showing that anyone, regardless of their background, has the power to make systems hear their voice. Through this platform, I aim to share valuable resources and extend support, particularly to children who’ve often been overlooked and never had a chance to speak up.

Even though I haven’t ticked every goal since attending LawCareersNetLIVE 2024, I’ve learned to advocate for myself and others. At 40, I’m fighting for my younger self with more confidence and legal strength than ever.

Advice for future LawCareersNetLIVE attendees

If you’re thinking about applying to LawCareersNetLIVE this year, go for it. Feeling out of place is normal. Listen, ask and connect – none of us have it all figured out. Showing up matters – I attended with a corneal abrasion, teary eyed and in pain like a heartbroken teenager, but it was worth it. I left believing I deserve my seat at the table, with barrister dreams now firmly in sight.

Thank you, LawCareersNetLIVE, for revealing the bigger picture of law and justice. Thank you to Ben and every speaker for making the concepts real. For anyone from a background like mine – Black, South Londoner, survivor, mum, carer, law student –remember, you belong in those rooms, too. Your story can push institutions to respond with their very best and I hope my article and experience shows what’s possible.

 Applications are open for LawCareersNetLIVE 2025! Apply now for our exclusive legal careers conference taking place in Manchester on 28 November 2025, London on 5 December 2025 and virtually on 9 to 10 December 2025. The deadline for applications is 30 October 2025 but we encourage applicants to apply early as we’ll be making offers on a rolling basis from autumn. For more on what we’re looking for in your applications, read this LCN Says: ‘Five tips for flawless LawCareersNetLIVE applications’.

Dionne Johnson is a law student at the Open University and founder of Journey to Justice and the Check-In Well-Being Initiative.