For three teenage girls from Ukraine and Turkmenistan, the chance to see inside a London law firm did not come easily. Two came from a country at war, and the third could not cross the border.
Valeriia, 17, and Kate, 15, both from Ukraine, spent four days in London this week as guests of London firm SteelRose. They shadowed solicitors, heard from lawyers about their career paths and visited the Law Society and courts to see the profession beyond the office. Bahar, from Turkmenistan, had hoped to join them. When visa restrictions kept her at home, she took part remotely, joining sessions from thousands of miles away.
All three are part of Future Empowered Minds (FEM), an international leadership programme run by the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation, which supports young women through education, sport and leadership opportunities. FEM aims to equip teenage girls with the skills, confidence and connections to pursue their ambitions.
For SteelRose, the partnership is personal. Founding Partner Zu Tohtayeva is originally from Turkmenistan, Bahar’s home country, and knows how hard it can be to find a way into the profession without connections or a clear path.
Tohtayeva said: ‘I know how far London can feel from home. Nobody handed me a map into this profession – I found my way one door at a time. These girls have faced war, displacement and borders that will not open, yet they continue to find a way forward. Every one of us at SteelRose has come to this country from somewhere else. We know first-hand what it means to build a life and a career in a new country, and how much difference one open door can make. Now it is our turn to hold that door open for the next generation.’
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