International Women’s Day 2021 – A chat with Amanda Melton
The second of our interviews to mark International Women’s Day 2021 is with Amanda Melton, PC group head and partner in the Family Law Team.
Read on to find out who and what has influenced Amanda in her live and what challenges she has faced as a women in the legal profession:
Who is your most significant female role model and what have they taught you?
I always modelled myself on a particularly strong female lawyer in my last firm and thought I would like to be her. Now I am happy being myself and recognise that in fact you do not need a role model – it is all about being content with who you are and knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
What has been you greatest challenge as a woman in the legal profession?
To be honest I consider myself very lucky as I have never really encountered any significant challenges as a female lawyer – that may be because there is a higher percentage of women doing family law than most other areas of law.
What do you think is the most effective thing IBB does to support female lawyers?
I think the best way to promote and support female lawyers is to see them in leadership roles – this shows that IBB is a firm where you can achieve as a woman and that there is no bar to what you can achieve, particularly as we have a female Managing Partner.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
I was given a great deal of support by one particular person within my career and I recall him telling me that if I wanted something to change, I needed to go to him with a plan and a path to achieving that plan not to expect someone else to create the plan for you.
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self, just starting out?
I wish I had been more confident when was younger but it is difficult to achieve that confidence without suffering some ups and downs.
What are you most proud of in your career to date.
Just getting to where I am – I never imagined I would be in the role I am today and I am so proud I made it to this stage. I never set out to achieve this – each time I took a step forward it was a small step and I never thought there would be a next one.
Define your ‘superpower’ and tell us what actual superpower you would choose if you could?
To be eternally nice to everyone – that is my recurring new years’ resolution – to be a nicer person. It would be lovely if it just happened and I did not have to make that resolution anymore!
What is the one key issue that you would ‘Choose to Challenge’ ?
Cruelty to animals and preservation of the countryside are my passions for real change.
