Hello there! I'm Arooj, and here's a glimpse into my journey: I was Called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2018, supported by a prestigious scholarship from one of the Inns of Court. Following that, I qualified as a Solicitor after completing my training at Clifford Chance LLP, a renowned magic circle law firm ranked among the top 5 in the UK and top 10 globally. My professional journey took me to London, Dubai, and now, I'm back in Kenya, my home country, working as a Dispute Resolution Lawyer at one of the leading law firms in Africa.

My journey into law was far from conventional, particularly as an international student navigating the complexities of qualifying as a lawyer in England & Wales. So I initially set up this blog to share all the information I had learnt, which I wish I had access to back in the day, hoping make the lives of other aspiring lawyers easier.

Now, my goals for this blog have expanded.

In terms of the legal field: firstly, I aim to make it a comprehensive resource for all law-related discussions, serving as a one-stop destination for both legal enthusiasts and professionals. Secondly, I want to use my platform to spotlight stories of successful lawyers from diverse backgrounds. By sharing these narratives, my goal is to inspire aspiring legal professionals and emphasize that their ambitions should never be limited by arbitrary factors such as race, gender, financial position, or citizenship.

Now, while my blog has traditionally focused on the legal profession, the year 2022 brought an unexpected twist to my life. I fell sick. For 11 long months, I dealt with the uncertainty of not knowing what was wrong. I went from being an active person to someone who was in constant pain and unable to perform basic tasks, like climbing stairs. I was eventually diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases: Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and Lupus. I had to leave my job, spend a year at home, completely change my diet, and undergo physiotherpay five times a week to heal my GBS. While Lupus has no cure, I learned how to manage it.

My battle with autoimmune diseases has given me a new perspective on life inspiring me to be a voice for those facing chronic illnesses and invisible disabilities. These conditions, affecting 1 in 10 people, often receive insufficient attention in the medical field. Now, alongside my legal posts, I also aim for my blog to evolve into a space for discussions on the management of autoimmune conditions, general health, and wellness. By openly sharing my experiences battling Lupus and GBS, I aim to inspire resilience and foster a community of support, especially for those with invisible disabilities like mine.

Separate to my legal hat, I also found my true calling a few years ago whilst I was volunteering with wrongly accused death row prisoners.
This experience led me to establish my own charity, Beyond Kenyan Bars, dedicated to caring for children aged 0-4 growing in Kenyan prisons. I will be sharing my "Founder Chronicles" for those interested in setting up their own charities.

I am so happy you are here and I hope you find the content on my blog helpful. Scroll down to see a glimpse of some of the content you can find on my blog.