Long before winning the right to participate as professionals in the UK’s legal sector, with the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919, women have been extremely active in the field of law. From Helen Taylor of 1831, the first female parliamentary candidate and a supporter of women’s suffrage, to Aneesa Ehsan of 2021, the first female partner of Proctor and Hobbs Solicitors and a great advocate for equal legal services to all individuals, women have been a prominent force in the legal world.
Having gained a reputation as “The People’s Firm”, Proctor & Hobbs, a community-based practice focused on giving back and making the best quality legal services available to everyone has shown and proven not only to be for the people but also women empowerment. Headquartered in Regent Street (London) with offices in Bradford (Yorkshire), Dublin and Pakistan; specialising in immigration law, family law, criminal defence, personal injury, prison law, civil, and commercial litigation, Proctor and Hobbs is dedicated to paving the way for more women, especially those of minority or disadvantaged communities to pursue a career in the legal profession.
At 28 years old, Aneesa Ehsan is one of the youngest and first female founding partners in the firm and the legal compliance officer for finance and administration. She manages things on the money side for the firm and strives to set up lasting and meaningful connections in the community. A good part of that is outreach and partnerships with a range of different organisations and educational institutions.
As a mother to two young children and a mentor to others in the industry, she has become a big part of why Proctor & Hobbs is so dedicated and focused on helping others succeed in the legal profession. Part of her mission and that of the firm is to work for the community’s betterment and to provide the best quality legal services to those who most often lack the resources and access to them. She states in an interview:
“We have always said that Proctor and Hobbs is about being in service to something greater than ourselves, committed to bringing lasting value to our clients and the world. This team embodies that ethos fully.”
Recounting her own experience starting, she explained how she was willing to even take a job cleaning in a law firm just to get inside and discussed the struggles and hurdles for young women to get a fair chance to prove themselves as successful lawyers. Her goal is to lift other women in the industry and give them that chance. She discusses the importance of work-life balance, one of the core tenants the firm operates on and a principle that Aneesa works hard to instil in others. She explains in an interview that:
“Work-life balance to me is having an ideal way of staying sane. It doesn’t necessarily have to be 50% here and 50% there but rather being able to know yourself. I spend long hours in the office but it is because I want to be there, I am passionate about the law. There is no requirement of leaving at certain times and at Proctor & Hobbs we encourage women to find their own safe haven in a work life balance that suits them.”
She, however, is not the only one in Proctor and Hobbs, who has mastered the art of work-life balancing. The company shows to be full of competent women adept at synergising work and personal life with emotional intelligence in this demanding sector.
Proctor & Hobbs invite and encourage their staff to become involved in the business by leading their own social media campaigns and blogs, which has seen many of the female staff have their own designated channel that they take ownership of; whether it be “Lets Litigate…with Aysha” or “Break out with Ruqy (a guide on Prison Law) or “For the love of Leases.. with Irram”, the firm is certainly ahead of the curve in involving its junior staff and trainees into becoming involved and owning a part its online presence.
Having established an unrelenting focus on giving back to the community and giving opportunities to women and individuals of the BAME community, Proctor & Hobbs have paved into securing collaborations with local charities and educational establishments in order to do its value of being the “Peoples Firm” justice.
Proctor and Hobbs led by its founding and dedicated partners, Aneesa, alongside Alan Stirling Bridger, and Ehsan Maqbool aims at reaching out to more countries. With multiple national and international offices, Proctor and Hobbs have chosen to serve as many people as possible and endeavour to increase its global presence in the Middle East.
Connect with the skillful team of Proctor & Hobbs by visiting their website and social media to see the many ways they are impacting the community and elevating women in the field of law.
