A woman’s voice in Law

When I first stepped into the legal word, it felt like a very male dominated space. No textbook had warned me. No classroom had hinted at it. It wasn’t loud or obvious, it was in the small things. During my first-year internship in the legal world, I saw how women in a professional setting could be overlooked, their contributions shadowed or dismissed. It could be in the way they were spoken to or a silence after they spoke. The unacknowledged labour behind every polished proceeding.

And yet, even in that environment, what stood out most to me was the quiet resilience of the women who kept things running. They weren’t always in the spotlight, but they were everywhere - in the preparation, the coordination, the problem-solving. I began to see that some of the most meaningful work was happening beyond the visible podiums of authority.

Coming from a traditional, feudal-rooted family in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, I grew up surrounded by strong women, women who held their ground in silence, who led not by title but by necessity. Their leadership wasn’t always recognised in public, but it was deeply felt within our home and community. Law wasn’t the expected path for someone like me, but watching those women, I learned that influence often starts where visibility ends.

Choosing Law was not about comfort. It was about commitment. I knew I couldn’t just wish for change, I had to participate in it. To become the kind of lawyer whose presence could remind other young women: you belong here, too.

There’s a phrase I often reflect on: "'If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." - Margaret Thatcher. I say it not in bitterness but reflecting on my own experiences. 

At the University of London, I’m learning more than legal reasoning. I’m learning how to turn lived experiences into legal purpose. I’m not just building a career; I’m honouring the legacy of the women before me, and preparing space for the women who will follow.

I may not always be the loudest voice in the room, but I will be the one who carries stories, gets the work done, and helps shape a more inclusive profession. And I know now: that, too, is power.

Mariya studies Undergraduate Laws in the United Kingdom.