Obiter had somewhat of a sporty holiday this month, taking a week off to watch the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. But Meghan Pemberton, a paralegal at criminal defence firm Edward Fail Bradshaw & Waterson, took the meaning of ‘sporty holiday’ to another level - taking a week off to compete in the 2022 European Touch Championships.

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Pemberton: 'My firm has been really great at allowing me to manage my time'

For those unfamiliar with the sport, Touch is described as a minimal contact version of rugby. ‘But it can still be quite physical as a game,’ said Pemberton, who has occasionally gone to work with a broken finger.

Pemberton was part of the England squad competing in the Mixed Open category. The team made it all the way to the final on 6 August in what sounds like a thrilling game. According to the England Touch website, England matched Wales blow-for-blow during the 40 minutes, tying 8-8 at the hooter (Pemberton scored in the second half). England narrowly missed out on victory, the score 9-10 after extra time.

But Pemberton did her firm proud. Senior partner Paul Harris tweeted:

How does she find the time to juggle two demanding roles? ‘My firm, including my boss Shila Keshvari, have been really great at allowing me to manage my time… making sure I have enough time to train.’

Pemberton shows no signs of slowing down. After winning silver on the Saturday, she returned to work on Monday. At the end of the month, she’ll be competing in nationals, where she hopes to get selected again to play for England (another European tournament takes place next year). She will also begin her training contract.

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The England squad competing in the Mixed Open category reached the final of the European Touch Championships

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