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Charity Mafuba talks to Rachel Spink, Employment Lawyer and Partner at Gunnercooke LLP, and Founder of the Female Lawyers’ Club about her legal career and why she founded the Female Lawyers Club.
Rachel, can you please tell us about your career journey?
My parents encouraged my two sisters and I to go into law. Both were teachers and repeatedly warned us against following in their footsteps, calling it a “thankless profession.” We were studious, loved reading, and my dad had a simple philosophy for career success: Find a job you like that pays the most for the least work. Now, I’m fairly certain law doesn’t meet the last criterion, but it wasn’t bad advice overall—and perhaps unsurprisingly, two out of the three of us became lawyers.
My first taste of the legal world came through a work experience placement at a high street firm while I was still at school. I was very quiet and barely spoke to anyone, but I do remember shadowing a solicitor at the magistrates’ court. He was representing someone accused of a minor offence, and I remember thinking, this looks like fun.
Fast forward a few years, and I’d left university without a clear plan. I ended up in an excruciatingly dull temp job at Birmingham City Council, manually inputting data for housing benefit claimants. One of my colleagues was smart, funny, and articulate, but clearly miserable. One day, as I walked past his desk, he grabbed my arm, looked me in the eye with the desperation of a condemned man, and said quietly: DON’T get stuck here!
Wow. Message received.
I realised if I didn’t get my act together, I’d end up in a job I didn’t enjoy, just like him. That was my wake-up call. I sent out a pile of speculative letters (emails weren’t really a thing yet) to law firms applying for paralegal roles.
After a brief stint at a law firm where I essentially ran menial errands for the managing partner and her family, I finally landed a job in Birmingham City Centre in 2001. This was my first taste of real legal work—defending personal injury claims for insurance companies. This was a brilliant job as I gained real experience, including court advocacy and attending High Court hearings with Counsel. I loved it.
The turning point came when my boss, John, took me to London for a conference with Counsel at Temple. At least, I think it was a conference—I honestly can’t remember the reason we were there now. What I do remember is John telling me stories of his early legal career in London, delivering briefs to barristers in Temple, tied with pink ribbon.
At the end of the day, we sat in a pub in the heart of Temple, drinking beer as the late afternoon sun streamed through the window. The place was filled with lawyers, and I was completely enchanted. Temple, with its centuries-old buildings and cobbled streets, felt like a film set—steeped in history, tradition, and the very essence of the legal profession.
In that moment, I knew I wanted to be part of this world. I turned to John and asked if he’d train me to become a solicitor. Thankfully, he saw something in me—whether it was aptitude, enthusiasm, or sheer persistence—and he agreed. I then worked as a trainee solicitor by day and did the Legal Practice Course at night school – this was the only way I could afford to do it. It was tough spending my evenings and weekends studying when my friends were out having fun, but I knew I was working towards something meaningful that would set me up in good stead for the rest of my life, and so I stuck with it.
That was over 20 years ago. I gradually worked my way through the ranks – to qualified solicitor, senior associate and legal director. I also got married and had two children along the way. It wasn’t easy juggling children and a career, but I managed: my husband helped a lot, and I worked part time for a few years. In 2019, I decided to take the leap and become a self-employed consultant solicitor at Gunnercooke LLP, a fee share law firm. I wanted to be able to work flexibly (i.e. not have to be in a city centre at 9am every day) which would enable me to fit legal work around my young family. It’s been a great move for me, and I haven’t looked back.
I’m now a Partner at Gunnercooke LLP and have (mostly) loved my career. I have been particularly grateful to do employment law which I’ve loved since the beginning. But I’ll never forget that moment in Temple—the sense of wonder, the feeling that I was stepping into something bigger than myself.
What led you to form Female Lawyers’ Club?
After 20 years in law, I had a realisation: too many brilliant female lawyers were leaving the profession or struggling to progress—not because they weren’t talented enough, but because the system wasn’t built for them to succeed on their terms.
I saw it everywhere. Women taking on more than their fair share of the workload whilst getting overlooked for promotions. Women knowing that they were being paid less than their male colleagues. Talented women deciding that working in the law was incompatible with having children and leaving the profession for good.
I knew something had to change. Women need more than just career advice—we need a community. A place to ask the real questions, share experiences, and get the support and strategies to not only stay in the legal profession but thrive in it. That’s why I created Female Lawyers’ Club—to provide the mentorship, connections, advice and support I wished I’d had earlier in my journey.
Can you please tell us about Female Lawyers’ Club?
Female Lawyers’ Club is an online membership and community designed to help female lawyers succeed in their careers without burning out.
We offer expert-led masterclasses, online networking sessions, and a private messaging group where members can connect, share challenges, and get advice.
One of my key priorities when creating Female Lawyers’ Club was accessibility. Many female lawyers have children or caring responsibilities, and attending in-person networking events or training sessions often isn’t practical. That’s why the Club is mostly online (although we do have a few in person social events)—so members can access support and training without having to leave the house. Whether it’s joining a lunchtime masterclass, catching up on resources in their own time, or reaching out to the community for help, they can fit it into their schedule in a way that works for them.
But Female Lawyers’ Club isn’t just about career development—it’s about connection. Law can be a lonely career, especially for women working remotely. This is a space where female lawyers can support each other, learn from each other, and finally feel like they have a community that gets it.
The Female Lawyers’ Club mission is “to provide support, inspiration and friendship to help female lawyers everywhere achieve their full potential”
What are some of the ways in which you have achieved this mission?
Although Female Lawyers’ Club is still in its early days, we’re already making an impact by providing female lawyers with the support, knowledge, and confidence to advance in their careers—without having to mould themselves into clones of corporate, macho lawyers. Instead, we encourage our members to recognise and leverage their own strengths, rather than feeling like they have to fit into an outdated stereotype of what success in law looks like.
The legal profession has traditionally rewarded a particular kind of lawyer—one who is aggressive, constantly available, and willing to put work above all else. But that model doesn’t work for everyone, nor should it have to. We help female lawyers identify what they bring to the table—whether that’s emotional intelligence, strong client relationships, strategic thinking, or technical expertise—and use those strengths to succeed on their terms.
One of the biggest barriers women face in the legal profession isn’t a lack of talent or ambition—it’s the invisible expectations placed on them. Women are more likely to be asked (or feel pressured) to take on non-promotable work, such as organising firm social events, mentoring junior colleagues, or leading pro bono initiatives—tasks that, while valuable, don’t typically lead to pay rises or promotions. These patriarchal structures hold women back, and part of my mission is to spread awareness of these issues so that female lawyers can navigate them strategically.
We do this through Female Lawyers’ Club in a few key ways:
- By giving practical support
We offer expert-led masterclasses, networking sessions and social events, helping members develop the skills they need to take control of their careers. - By offering a safe and supportive community
Law can be isolating, especially for women in fee-share firms, remote roles, or returning from maternity leave. One member described Female Lawyers’ Club as “a powerful network tool and definitely my safe space.” Another said, “I find it invaluable to be able to discuss issues that affect us as female lawyers in a safe space, and having a tribe to celebrate successes with is a joy!” - By challenging outdated norms
Through my weekly blog and LinkedIn posts, I regularly highlight the systemic issues that hold female lawyers back—whether it’s the gender pay gap, confidence gaps in salary negotiations, or the unspoken biases in law firm culture. By bringing these issues into the spotlight, we can start to dismantle them. I love writing my weekly blog, and have been delighted to receive many messages of support and gratitude from my fellow female lawyers, thanking me for talking about issues which are rarely spoken about, such as “when is the best time to have a baby in your legal career?”, “what to do if you make a mistake at work?” and “what to do if you’re being bullied by your supervisor?”.
I want female lawyers to know they don’t have to work themselves into exhaustion to prove their worth. They don’t have to play by outdated rules to succeed.
Through Female Lawyers’ Club, we’re changing the conversation—and ensuring that more women get the pay, promotions, and professional recognition they deserve.
How is Female Lawyers’ Club “dismantling the historic pay and promotion gap in the legal profession”?
The gender pay and promotion gap in law isn’t about women not being good enough or working hard enough—it’s about longstanding systemic issues in a profession where leadership remains male-dominated. This is not a “fix the women” issue. Women don’t need fixing. But the reality is that the legal profession, like many others, evolved at a time when women weren’t part of it. As a result, many of its structures and expectations were shaped around traditional (often male) career paths—ones that don’t always reflect the realities of women’s working lives today.
At Female Lawyers’ Club, we’re tackling these issues in a way that’s both practical and empowering:
- We provide expert-led masterclasses on career progression, business development, charging your worth, and leadership skills—not because women are lacking, but because the traditional route to success in law has often overlooked the specific challenges women face.
- We foster a strong community where female lawyers can share experiences, get advice, and support one another—because too often, women in law feel isolated, particularly in fee-share firms or remote roles.
- We help shift the conversation around pay. Women aren’t paid less because they’re less capable. But the reality is, many law firms still operate in a way that disadvantages women—whether it’s opaque salary structures, unconscious bias, or the expectation that you have to “just be grateful” for what you get. We give female lawyers the knowledge, confidence, and strategies to advocate for themselves.
- We tackle burnout and workload management through resources like our Time Management for Busy Lawyers mini-course—because being overworked and exhausted is one of the biggest barriers to promotion.
The legal profession has made progress, but there’s still work to do. It’s not enough to just encourage women to “lean in” or work harder. We need more female lawyers at the top, more transparent pay structures, and a legal industry that recognises and values diverse career paths.
At Female Lawyers’ Club, we’re not just helping individual women—we’re building a movement that challenges the status quo. Because when more women rise, the entire profession benefits.
Imposter Syndrome is a persistent issue which impacts the career advancement of female lawyers.
You have created an Emergency Imposter Syndrome Rescue Kit.
Can you please tell us more about this?
Imposter syndrome is one of the biggest confidence killers for female lawyers. That feeling that you’re about to be ‘found out’, that you don’t belong, that any moment now someone is going to realise you should never have been hired. It’s something I’ve battled with in my own career, and I know I’m not alone.
So I created the Emergency Imposter Syndrome Rescue Kit as something I wish I could have given to my younger self—on those days when I felt like quitting, when I had a resignation letter ready to go (yes, I genuinely had one in my drawer at one point!). Since I can’t go back in time and reassure past me that it would all be ok, I’ve done the next best thing: I’ve created this guide for any female lawyer who’s going through this now.
It’s written in a light-hearted tone, but the message is serious. When you’re in the middle of an imposter syndrome spiral, you don’t need a lecture—you need a lifeline. The guide is designed to be printed out, filled in, and kept in a desk drawer for those moments of crisis. In it, I share simple but powerful steps to help lawyers reset their mindset in less than 30 minutes—things like breathwork to calm the nervous system, creating a ‘success file’ of positive feedback, writing down career wins, and even blasting a confidence-boosting playlist. And of course, I take any excuse to share the wisdom of Maya Angelou, whose quote (“Stand up straight and realise who you are, that you tower over your circumstances”) appears in the guide.
But ultimately, my biggest message is this: keep going. You are good enough. The law needs YOU, just as you are. You don’t have to be perfect to succeed. The more we talk about imposter syndrome, the more we take away its power. And that’s what I’m here to do—not just with this guide, but through Female Lawyers’ Club, my weekly blog, and the conversations I have on LinkedIn.
I’ve had lovely messages from lawyers who’ve used the guide and told me how much they needed to hear those words. That’s exactly why I created it—to be the reassuring big sister voice that reminds you: You’ve got this.
What does “The Successful Lawyer Course” entail?
There are many skills lawyers are taught throughout their careers—advocacy, drafting, negotiation, the list goes on.
But there are certain critical skills that aren’t taught, and without them, lawyers won’t fulfil their potential or become truly successful.
I wanted to create a course whereby I could allow junior lawyers to fast track their success by learning certain key skills now, and avoid years of pain and error! These are the skills that I have learned over the years, and which are enormously valuable in a legal career.
I’m talking about things like how to create a personal brand, so you stand out from your peers, how to network and develop business effectively, how to win on LinkedIn, how to set boundaries, how to build confidence, how to charge what you’re worth—these are the game-changing skills that enables lawyers to win in their careers. I figured it’s about time women gained an unfair advantage in their legal careers. I therefore created a course to give them exactly that.
The course is based on my CROWN framework, which focuses on five essential pillars:
Confidence – Banish imposter syndrome, recognise your strengths, and develop unshakable self-belief so you can articulate your value with ease.
Resilience – Learn how to handle stress effectively, overcome setbacks, and avoid burnout while maintaining high performance.
Ownership – Take charge of your career with clarity and intention. Set clear goals and create a plan to ensure long-term success.
Wealth – Establish healthy boundaries around your time and money. Learn how to negotiate your worth and charge what you deserve.
Network – Build strong professional relationships that support your growth. Learn how to raise your profile, win work, and build a powerful network of contacts.
The course is fully online, with short video lessons that can be completed at your own pace. Every module is accompanied by a beautifully designed workbook, giving lawyers a resource they can return to throughout their careers.
What makes The Successful Lawyer different is that it’s not just theory—it’s practical, actionable, and designed by someone who has been there. After 20+ years in law, I’ve experienced first-hand what it takes to succeed without sacrificing your wellbeing. This course is everything I wish I had known earlier in my career.
By the end of the course, lawyers will have:
✔ A clear 10-year career plan
✔ A business plan to take control of their career and financial success
✔ The confidence and resilience to navigate challenges with ease
✔ The skills to set boundaries, negotiate their worth, build an influential network and create their own pipeline of work
The course is designed to fast-track success for female lawyers who are ready to take ownership of their careers and create a future they love.
What does the future hold for the Female Lawyers’ Club?
My vision for Female Lawyers’ Club is to create a worldwide community of female lawyers—a space where women can connect, support, and inspire each other, no matter what stage they’re at in their careers.
Themis, the Goddess of Justice, features in our logo, and I can’t think of a more fitting symbol for our mission. She represents fairness, balance, and the rule of law—but also the idea that justice should be accessible to everyone, not just those who have traditionally held power. That’s exactly what we’re striving for in Female Lawyers’ Club: a legal profession where women can succeed without barriers, where gender is not a disadvantage, and where female lawyers feel empowered to take control of their careers.
One of my long-term goals is to help more women stay and thrive in the legal profession—to get promoted, to get paid what they deserve, and to have the freedom to work in a way that suits their lives. Too many talented female lawyers leave the profession because they don’t see a way to progress without sacrificing their ability to have a family or their wellbeing. I want to change that.
I also want to expand the free resources I provide—giving junior lawyers access to guidance on career progression, negotiation skills, and strategies for navigating the challenges of legal life. There’s so much career advice out there, but very little of it speaks directly to female lawyers and the realities we face. I want to fill that gap.
Beyond the community, my goal is to help drive real change in the legal profession—helping women take practical steps to close the gender pay gap, secure promotions, and step into leadership roles. This isn’t just about supporting women in isolation; we need systemic change, which means engaging with law firms, challenging traditional promotion and pay structures, and working with male allies who are committed to progress. True equality in the legal profession benefits everyone, and we all have a role to play in making it happen.
Ultimately, I want Female Lawyers’ Club to be a movement that supports and inspires female lawyers everywhere to step into their power, own their success, and create careers they truly love.
Rachel Spink
Employment Lawyer and Partner, Gunnercooke LLP
Founder of Female Lawyers’ Club
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-spink/
https://femalelawyersclub.com/
April 2025
Interviewed by Charity Mafuba
Commissioning Editor,
Solicitor-(England and Wales), New York Attorney