Hello Folarin – tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi, I am 21-year-old student, and I have just finished my second year study of law at the University of Nottingham. I am currently completing a 6-week internship at Pallas Partners, which I acquired through The Brokerage. I love to read and play sports such as basketball and rugby. I like football too but I am not very good! I also play the piano and I am currently learning how to play the bass guitar. When I have time, I work in a summer school to provide activities and support for children who are less fortunate.
Which aspects of your role at Pallas have you found most interesting?
One of the aspects of my role that I have found interesting is the diversity of the cases that I have worked on. I have seen real embodiment of the common legal phrase that no “two cases are the same”. I have also been able to apply the skills and knowledge that I have learned at university to real world situations. We are often told at university that an individual will have to use evidence to prove their claim or defence. I have never really thought how this would work in practice; however, now that I have practical experience of acquiring relevant evidence to prove a crucial point, it makes sense.
Do you have any advice for those who would like to experience an internship?
First of all, you can do it. Don’t allow yourself to feel inadequate or compare yourself to other individuals that have an internship as that will only serve as a distraction or a deterrence from applying. Be confident in yourself and your experiences. For example, before I gained this internship, I had limited corporate experience, yet I was able to demonstrate that the experience that I had was valid and conducive in developing skills that are needed in a corporate environment.
Do not rush an application; make sure you spend time checking it and always tailor your CV to the company. I would also suggest that you make sure you want to work for the company that you have applied to as you will be spending a good percentage of your summer working for them. Ask for help, even if it is a simple as getting a friend to proofread or reaching out on LinkedIn for help with preparing for an interview. The help is out there, you just have to make use of it. Lastly, do not take rejections personally, rather use it as a learning curve. If you can, ask for feedback from interviewers as way to improve.
How has The Brokerage assisted with your personal and professional development?
The Brokerage has been helpful in providing an insight into the commercial world and how it works. For example, I went to an insurance masterclass which gave me the opportunity to visit Lloyds of London, which really changed my originally myopic view on what insurance is. In addition, The Brokerage has provided classes that help with the application process for internships and also conducted a mock interview in preparation for another interview. I have also attended several networking events and have been able to gain an insight into other careers that are available to me besides law.
What are some of your career goals?
First of all, one of my career goals is to become a successful commercial solicitor, and this experience has most definitely reinforced my desire to do so. However, that is not the primary goal. I have a desire to pursue an entrepreneurial pathway, hopefully relating to one of my favourite hobbies, which is sport. I specifically want to become a sports agent. I do believe that a background as a qualified solicitor will help, due to my understanding of contracts and my ability to negotiate. I also want to be able to support social mobility foundations that aim to educate individuals on the opportunities that are available.
What is your proudest moment?
My proudest moment has to be when I received my year 12 results for the second time. Initially I wanted to become a doctor and thus took the required A-levels to apply for medicine. I realised very quickly that medicine was not what I wanted to do as I really did not enjoy the subjects and was struggling to understand the content. As a result, I failed year 12, and thus could not progress to year 13. I decided to move schools, completely change my A-Level subjects and start all over again. As a result of my hard work, I ended up with 3 A grades at the end of year 12, which was a complete turnaround from the previous year. This proved to me that I was more than capable to become whoever I wanted to be, as long as I put in the effort.
Who or what inspires you?
I wouldn’t say that I have a specific person role model that inspires me, however, I am motivated by my family. As a first-generation immigrant, I have seen how hard my parents have worked to ensure that I have everything I need and that I have the facilities to be able have a good education and succeed in life. Therefore, it would be my dream to be able to retire them fully and be able to return the favour for all their sacrifices. I would also like to support my younger brother, especially when he is at university.
Tell us more about your experience as a law student at The University of Nottingham.
I am enjoying being a law student. The University of Nottingham’s law school do a brilliant job of engaging the analytical minds of students in lecture seminars and tutorials. My first year was slightly difficult due to lockdown impositions as result of Covid. However, the key to overcoming this was establishing a consistent routine that ensured that I was proactive and productive. In my second year, I became a member of an IMS (Intramural sport) rugby team. Through that society I was able to meet and make new friends. Nottingham also has an amazing social life with a variety of activities suited to everyone.