In the week that the Gender Recognition Act 2004 came into force, the first transsexual lawyer working at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told the Gazette of the trials and tribulations of achieving her dream - to become a female solicitor.

Maya Arputham was born Sebastian Arputham, in Malaysia. She came to the UK in 1998 and did the legal practice course in Wolverhampton before completing a training contract with London firm Selva & Co, qualifying as Sebastian.


While practising immigration and human rights law, as a man, at Noden & Co in London, Ms Arputham told her firm she was a transsexual and started hormone treatment.


She said: 'I applied for the job at the CPS before I had any surgery. The form asked what gender I considered myself and I put male to female transsexual.


'The day of my interview was the first time I had dressed as Maya during the day. I was so nervous - I thought everyone was looking at me. At the interview I felt I was being interviewed not only about whether I could do the job, but about whether I was mentally up to it because of what I was.'


She said the CPS has, with a few exceptions, been very supportive. 'The hardest period was my probation. People didn't know how to treat me. One colleague couldn't even look me in the face. I don't blame them; I may have been the same in their position.


'Criminal law was new to me, being a woman was new to me, and being watched all the time did not help. I have only once had a problem in court - reading a long summary of facts in a harassment case, the defendant shouted out: "Is that a man?" I just continued but I cried when I left court. Generally, defendants are worried about their case, not the gender of the prosecutor. It's fine so long as I remain confident.'


Ms Arputham, a pre-operative transsexual, added: 'I am proud of what I am. The law is still a conservative environment, but the world - and the legal world - are changing.'


Mary Moore, head of HR information and employee wellbeing at the CPS, said: 'The CPS human resources directorate recognises the need for practical guidance in handling all the issues connected with transsexualism and is in the process of preparing a booklet which will provide help and guidance for both the transsexual person and for colleagues and managers.'