Profile: Susan Murray

What made you pursue a career as a solicitor?

I enjoyed both arts and science subjects at school and it was difficult to choose a degree course. Law appealed as a subject completely new to me. It was also important to me to achieve a qualification with a fairly clear career path. I was lucky to find my way in-house right from the outset, in a job which has evolved and challenged me over the years, alongside people I count as friends.

Why did you decide to become so closely involved with the Society’s work?

I stood for Council because I wanted to understand much more about the workings of the Society and contribute to the profession with an in-house lawyer’s perspective and experience. It also seemed like a natural progression from being involved in senior management in my role as union representative. I now have a far better understanding of the wide range of legal practices in Scotland, the challenges that all practitioners face and what we are doing to meet these.

What are the main issues that you think the Society has to address at the moment?

We need to support members in tackling the gender imbalances within the profession, at all career stages. The fact that large numbers of women are continuing to leave the profession mid-career is a situation which we recognise will be unsustainable for the profession in the long term.

What’s your top tip for new lawyers?

Find your niche and don’t stop until you have found a place where you are genuinely happy in your work – you deserve to be somewhere where you feel valued and well treated.