In this interview, we speak with Adminter Dewsbury, an Employment Rights Paralegal who first attended the Yorkshire Legal Careers Fair in 2024 and has returned this year as a representative exhibitor. Joining her is Thomas Ibbotson, Serious Injuries Solicitor at Thompsons Solicitors, who met Adminter at last year’s event and played a key role in helping her secure her current position. Together, they reflect on their experiences at the fair and the impact it has had on both students and the firm.
So to begin with, can you tell us initially about your experience at the Careers Fair last year?
Adminter: “Yeah, absolutely. I’d already been looking for work as a paralegal or legal services assistant or something of that nature. I had seen the Thompsons advert before I came here, but I wasn’t 100% sure if it was going to be right for me. But coming down here really helped, just being able to have a proper chat with people who actually work at the Thompsons, it’s so much easier than just this faceless application on my desk. It’s really great to meet everyone and also to have met Thom there.”
Have you found any similar events in Yorkshire, or is this the most useful one for you?
Adminter: “No, this is actually the only one I’d found. What I really liked, honestly, was that it’s free. I come from a very low income background, so having to pay however much to get into some of these other networking events is really prohibitive for me. So just having this be financially accessible was really important for me.
That’s wonderful. You mentioned meeting Thom here last year — could you talk me through how that came about and what came from that conversation afterwards?
Adminter: “Thom explained what the firm was all about — a trade union–motivated law firm, which really aligned with me politically. It was great to get a sense of the company’s attitude and to put a human face to it. Thom encouraged me to apply, even though I was a bit nervous. I did, had a short interview, and now I’ve got the job!”
That’s fantastic. And Thom, from your perspective, what do you get out of attending events like this — and how does that tie into this case study that we’ve spoken about?
Thom: “Absolutely. It’s about getting our message across — who we are as a firm and what we stand for in terms of social justice, standing up for workers’ rights, and finding people who are motivated by those values and want to go into law for those reasons.
We often get asked, ‘What is it about Thompsons?’ My answer is that it comes down to why you went into law in the first place. For me, it was because I wanted to help people, and Thompsons is the firm where I can do that. So, finding people who share that ethos and philosophy is really important.
I’d say we found one with Adminter last year, and she’s doing really well.”
And I think that’s what the event is all about! Anything else you want to mention?
Thom: “I’d just say that I joined as a paralegal — my second legal job — so it was an entry-level position, which is what a lot of graduates will be applying for. I’ve worked my way up since then, and for a firm that really values developing people, coming to events like this to find talent is invaluable.”
And for you Adminter, having attended this event last year and now being on the other side of the table, what’s your perspective on the experience for this year’s attendees?
Adminter: “I really enjoy doing events like this anyway, so it was a natural yes for me to attend as a representative for Thompsons. For me, a big driver is that I’m disabled, so being able to be a visible representation for other students in similar positions and worried about the big corporate world is really good. I like being that example that Thompsons will take care and look after you.”
Image provided by Thompsons Solicitors
