A career as a legal practitioner

Nobubele Khumalo (NK) never latched on to her father's dream of her being a doctor. Even through she was good at sciences, didnt really enjoy them and the thought of doing something she didnt enjoy for the rest of her life led her to explore other options resulting in her being a lawyer. She discusses her career journey with Phakama CareerTALKS host, Gracious Nyathi (GN).

GN: Hello everyone Nobubele, it's good to have you here on Phakama CareerTALKS.

NK: Hi Gracious, It's good to be here. Thank you for the invitation! I'm excited to be doing this.

GN: May you kindly give us a background of who Nobubele Khumalo is.

NK: I am a legal practitioner, aged 26, currently based in the UK. I was born and bred in Bulawayo and then moved to South Africa where I completed my LLB at the University of Pretoria. My move to the UK came through an opportunity that came up when I was in my 3rd year of university. I moved to the UK in January 2019 after completing my degree in 2018, and there I obtained a MSc in Law Business and Management, and now I am working in the legal field. Work aside, I love music and conversation, so I sing and also run a weekly podcast "Just Livin Life with BK and Nobu" with my husband!

GN: oooh you are a podcaster as well, A woman of many talents I see. Like all kids you must have had a dream of what you wanted to be when you grew up. What was your dream?

NK: I try to diversify the portfolio, lol. Funny enough, too, I actually don't remember having a dream, but when I got to high school I really enjoyed and was good at Accounting so I was convinced I wanted to be one. At Anderson High School, which is where I did my high school, students would be assigned a "combination" for their O level. So I was assigned to the Sciences, because generally top achievers were always assigned to Sciences [and my dad was obviously excited because (almost) every black parent wants a Doctor for a child lol. I never really latched onto his dream, but I didn't mind, it sounded like a good idea. I did Sciences right up to A level. In A level I realized I actually didn't enjoy the Sciences. I could do them, was good at them, but I didn't enjoy them and the thought of doing something I don't enjoy for the rest of my life didn't sit well with me. So I slowly started opening myself up to life outside of the Sciences.

GN: Did you have any role models or people you looked up to? How did they shape your career aspirations while growing up?

NK: Yes! My dad! And no, he is not a lawyer, he is in fact a Pastor! I rate him as one of the most intelligent and insightful humans I know. Very observant, analytical and opinionated, and I think I took after him. He has an amazing work ethic and he literally extends himself fully in everything he does. So he wasn't my career inspiration in law per se but my life inspiration. I always thought, whatever I do, wherever I end up, if I work as hard and carry myself as well as he does, then I've made it! Turns out all the qualities I listed above come in handy in the legal field. Watching and learning from him has influenced how I carry myself and exert myself in my work, and strive to put my best foot forward always!

GN: At what stage in your life did you become cork sure that you wanted to become a lawyer? What made you so sure?

NK: I started toying with the idea of going into the legal field almost immediately after my A level. I had a lot of free time before results came out and I was watching a lot of series (Suits and Scandal - The Fixer especially) and I thought, this looks fun. I can do this!! I also had a great relationship with Promise Ncube, the Senior Partner at Coghlan and Welsh, and I always had deep respect for his work. Results came out and I had passed, so I went to South Africa to apply for university. When I got there I applied for Pharmacy at MEDUNSA. Then when I was applying at the University of Pretoria, I thought to apply for law and see how it would pen out. Through my connection with Promise Ncube, I landed an internship at Coghlan and Welsh. The idea was for me to see first hand what law in practice is like. To experience it and learn from shadowing lawyers there. That experience solidified my interest. UP offered me a place for LLB and MEDUNSA offered me Pharmacy. Need I say more about which one I chose!

GN: Please tell me more about shadowing the Senior people in your field of work, how is that helpful in terms of one's growth in their career ?

NK: I think it's always a great idea if one has the time and opportunity to do it. We normally have to make decisions about what field we want to study and work in at 18 years of age, based solely on book knowledge. That's quite young. So shadowing helps you see the actual work that's done in the field you want to go into. And if after a few weeks, you hate it and can't handle the work, then that's a good indication that you should probably think of something else, and the opposite is true. Apart from that, you also get experience which you can write in your CV and leverage it to get more opportunities. I would definitely recommend shadowing before making a somewhat life long decision about your career.

GN: What qualities and qualifications are necessary for someone to practice law and what options are available for someone to get into the legal field?

NK: Qualities: analytical skills and a love for reading, there's no way around the reading part because of the nature of the job . One also needs good communication and people skills are very essential as well because interaction with people is the backbone of our field. Qualifications needed differ from country to country . A common thread though is a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. In South Africa they also offer a Bachelor of Arts in Law and and a Bachelor of Commerce - Law, usually used as entry routes into LLB because the eligibility requirements for LLB are high. If one wants to then become an attorney, they have to complete practical training, known as articles. One can also become an advocate, work as a compliance officer, human resources officer, regulator, work in academia or politics - the opportunities are really endless with a law degree. It's just that we've been conditioned to think in one way

GN: So what happens when one studies in South Africa and wants to practice here in Zimbabwe I have heard quite a lot about that issue , is it true perhaps that one has to redo their studies?

NK: I have not practiced in Zimbabwe, but I can share the little knowledge I have. Yes, one has to go through conversions, and I'll explain why. The law is a unique field in that each country sets its own laws and regulations. Usually the fundamentals are similar, but each country tailors it's laws to suit it's people and context. Because of that, when a person studies in South Africa and wants to practice in Zimbabwe, or elsewhere, they will have to study, write and pass conversion exams which equip them for practicing law in Zimbabwe. This is not unique to Zimbabwe. When I moved to the UK after studying in South Africa, I also had to take some conversion courses and write exams before I could practice.

GN: Where do currently work and what is your role? How does your current role fit into your career goals?

NK: I work as a Trainee Solicitor at the Headquarters of Linklaters, a multinational law firm and member of the "Magic Circle" of elite London-Headquartered lawfirms. I am doing my articles afterwhich I will be registered as an attorney in England and Wales. This role fits into my goals in that it's a requirement for me to be registered and that's how the field is structured. I have gained experience in Banking, Energy and Infrastructure and now Mergers & Acquisitions. This goes well with my goals because I intend to one day move out of private practice and join the legal departments of large reputable corporations and lead their legal teams. Working there is as good as it gets in the legal field, worldwide, so it's the kind of exposure I need to build a name for myself.

GN: As a woman, what challenges have you faced while pursuing your career goals and how have you managed to navigated past these challenges?

NK: I have been fortunate to work at a firm that is actively trying to level the field and empower women, so it hasn't been to challenging for me. But the job is demanding so naturally as a woman you have to worry about whether you'll be able to balance a family and the job, and how that might affect the rate of growth of your career. Generally men then tend to progress faster because they don't have to take a lot of time off to care for their families. There's no easy solution to this but I think planning for the present and future can help you better structure your life, and see what adjustments you need to make.

GN: Where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years?

NK: The goal is to be the Head of Legal at a reputable corporation, also sitting on a few boards across the financial services and the energy & infrastructure fields. That would be exciting!

GN: What advice do you have for aspiring lawyers as they plan their education and career progression?

NK: Your network is your networth! Meet and connect with as many professionals as you can, even those not in the legal field. That will pay off one day. Secondly, it's never too late to change course. If you think you want to go to a certain field, read up on it, talk to people, intern - do as much as you can to learn. Finally, in all you do exert yourself fully, be diligent and excellent in all you do, it will pay off!