insideKENT Magazine Issue 66 - September 2017 | Page 40

“REAL-LIFE”
Elle Woods
MEET RACHEL EASTON, 22, A CORPORATE PARALEGAL AND SOON
TO BE TRAINEE SOLICITOR AT OUTSET, A LEGAL AND BUSINESS
SERVICES GROUP BASED IN KENT.
How long have you been in
your job for?
On 22nd August, it will be my
one-year anniversary at Outset.
Who or what inspired you to
take up a legal career?
My dad inspired me. Not because
he was in the legal profession but
it was down to the employment
issues going on at his printing
firm when I was in college. I had
a sense of wanting to protect and
defend him and the company
that he had grown. From there I
fell into corporate law when I
joined Outset.
What are the most common
reactions people have when
they find out you work as a
paralegal?
• Law students: “Well done! It’s a
tough world out there!”
• Family: “Oh hey! So now you’ve
finished/half way through/ju st
started your legal career I have
this legal problem that I need
advice on…” or “You are a
fountain of knowledge.”
• Some people: “You defend
murderers?” – this being the
equivalent to selling your soul
to the devil.
40
• Elle’s father in Legally
Blonde: “Law school is for
people who are boring and ugly
and serious.”
• A small percentage of other
people: “So, you’re basically a
glorified secretary.”
assignment-based and
hands-on approached
to understanding
business and
marketing. This
allowed me to attain a
triple distinction star,
equivalent to three A’s
at A-Level.
• “I know where to go if I am ever
in trouble”.
I was told that I should never
underestimate these people…
they are like a boomerang, they
really do come back.
• Myself: Once I started
university I believed
that the people around
me had a head start. I
came from a
comprehensive school,
first one in my family
to go to university let
alone study law, but
looking back I achieved
so much.
Four points emphasised in
Legally Blonde that stood out
to me:
1. Never get your hair wet after
a perm
2. Determination is never a
bad thing
3. It is always good to stand out
from those around you
4. Focus on your strengths, they
are unique to you so use them
to your advantage
What are some of the biggest
challenges you have faced in
your career so far?
• Education: I did a BTEC rather
than A-levels and looking back
that was the best decision I could
have made. At the time, my
academic strengths were in
coursework and the college
curriculum provided a more
What inspirational message would you give to a young Rachel?
I found this a tough question to answer because every step I have taken
in life has led me to where I am today. I worked hard and got to where
I am because of that. However, after watching Legally Blonde it
reemphasised that if I could go back and tell myself something it would
be something along the lines of this: “Trust yourself, be yourself, you’ve
got this and know you’re good enough, don’t let anyone put you off
doing what you really want to do.”
Find and share more stories on inspirational women like Rachel Easton
by using the hash tag #BeLikeElleWoods. Legally Blonde The Musical
launches its UK Tour 15th September at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley.
Tickets on sale now.
www.churchilltheatre.co.uk