Danny’s story

I grew up in a former mining village between Wakefield and Barnsley, with few opportunities. It’s an underprivileged community where many people leave school at 16 and find work in factories, warehouses, or in manual labour.

My parents split when I was young but I still spent a lot of time with my father and his parents. We didn’t have much money and I faced several issues, mainly related to growing up in a less fortunate environment. However, I have always had a close bond with my family, especially my siblings.

When I was a kid, our family’s financial circumstances often affected how I presented myself. I sometimes made up stories to fit in; sometimes I’d avoid situations entirely, I was acutely aware of things other kids enjoyed that I didn’t: holidays abroad, days out and branded clothes. Despite this, I always had a wide circle of friends and didn’t have trouble socialising.

I always assumed I would have to do manual work at a young age to get what other people already had, but as I got older and with family support, I realised I had other opportunities.

Despite growing up in a challenging environment, I always worked hard at school and achieved good grades. I felt driven to use my disadvantages as fuel to excel in a career.

I didn’t want to follow the norm and so after GSCEs I opted to attend New College Pontefract to continue my education and find out what careers might suit me.

Two of the subjects I chose were law and criminology, I come from an area where the lack of money and opportunities leads to a lot of petty crime. Offenders often came from families suffering from a variety of challenges. I was curious to understand why people acted the way they did and what factors drove people to become who they are.

During my studies, I realised law isn’t just about ‘right and wrong’ or prosecuting and defending suspects. There was much more to it, including commercial aspects of law.

I was proud to achieve two A* and Distinction, but after my A levels, further education wasn’t for me, not just because of the costs involved but also because I felt university wasn’t for people like me.

I was interested in pursuing law as a career, but I thought that was only possible for those from more affluent families. How would I get work experience at a law firm, or even in an office environment? I didn’t know anyone in that world or how I’d go about it.

I knew about apprenticeships but had always assumed they were a route into a trade. I learned more about them when attending apprenticeship fairs at college, where various law firms came to present. This was an exciting development.

I then attended law fairs to learn more and began researching the different apprenticeships offered by local firms. I’d recommend that anyone at school considering a legal career, but who has ruled out going to university, attend as many law fairs as possible.

This was when I was 100% set on an apprenticeship and ruled out university. If I wasn’t successful initially, I’d keep trying each year until I obtained a spot. A relative found Gordons’ details online and showed me the website and application process.

I researched various other firms that offered apprenticeships, but Gordons seemed to be a place that took pride in providing the opportunity of a legal career for people from less privileged backgrounds. I made my choice, applied and was delighted to be selected.

I am still really enjoying my apprenticeship. I have first-hand experience with clients, manage my own case load with supervision from those around me, and work on large projects with my colleagues. I also often attend law fairs as a representative of Gordons to encourage students from less affluent backgrounds. I was in their position once.

If I had to do it all again, I would do it all again: an apprenticeship was the best option for me. I’ve gained hands-on experience whilst studying and working towards a legal qualification without taking on tuition debt. There’s no stigma about where you’re from, where you went to school, or your social circumstances.

My background doesn’t define me but it has helped me become who I am today. I’m still faithful to my roots. My best friends are those who grew up alongside me in similar circumstances, and we can look back proudly on where we’ve come from and what we’ve achieved.