Ellen Lennox shares her story on how Dr Sandie Okoro OBE empowered her throughout her journey to become a trainee solicitor. She reflects on how this experience highlights the importance of having female role models, as well as other key takeaways from this connection.
In 2015 while I was at school, I attended an International Women’s Day event held at the Guildhall, in the City of London, with the theme: “Make It Happen”. At that stage, I was exploring my options after school and was excited to learn about different career paths. The panel included Gabby Logan MBE, television and radio presenter, and Dr Sandie Okoro OBE, who at the time was Global General Counsel for Asset Management at HSBC – two empowering women on different career paths who discussed how they were “making it happen” as female leaders in their respective fields. Sandie’s enthusiasm, charisma and resilience had a resounding impact on me. She opened my eyes to the different routes and progressions in the legal sector. I walked away feeling empowered with my career choices, inspired to have an open mind and excited about the road ahead.
While making my own journey into law, I kept an eye out on Sandie’s progression – two different trajectories at very different stages of a legal career. Sandie made her way to the World Bank and then Standard Chartered (StanChart), where she took on the position of Group General Counsel. That progression itself is impressive and is on top of her honorary doctorates and awards; from winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at BSN's UK Diversity Legal Awards (2016) to being awarded an OBE for her services to Diversity in International Finance (2024). Meanwhile, I moved to Durham University to study history, find my independence and explore my next steps, all while feeling inspired by people like Sandie to have an open mind. During this time, I developed my interest in law and later obtained a training contract at Norton Rose Fulbright in 2019 after I graduated.
Finally, seven years after our initial encounter, and six months into my training contract, I went to StanChart on secondment. I was excited to experience being an in-house lawyer, largely due to the impression that Sandie had given about her varied and fulfilling career at different financial institutions. It was an exciting opportunity to meet new people and build my commercial experience. I was astonished that I would be working at the same institution as Sandie, coincidentally only opposite from the Guildhall where she first inspired me, and hoped our paths would cross again. I mentioned this connection to my supervisor, who encouraged me to connect with Sandie. He introduced me to her at an event at StanChart and I shared the story of how she inspired me and shaped my route into law.
The opportunity to connect and re-connect with Sandie at different stages of my career tells a quite extraordinary story about the influence that empowered women can have.
"There is much to be said about having inspiring female role models, who speak up about their own experiences and the lessons they have learned along the way. These people, like Sandie, inspire confidence in young women to make the most of opportunities and be empowered to take ownership of their career choices."
When Sandie and I met again last year, I took the opportunity to pause and reflect on my own journey, especially in light of International Women’s Day. I have since learned the value of having courage and to reach out to your connections as you never know where they may take you or what you may learn. My re-connection with Sandie reinforced the power of community and the importance of supporting your colleagues. While I am still very early on in my career, I have seen the impact that you can have by reaching out your hand to assist and support people on a similar path.
I am hugely grateful to all of the inspirational women in my life, who have shown me that I can take charge of and carve my own fulfilling career path – with commitment, hard work and resilience along the way!
