“As my job focussed on social welfare law, I decided to do some more shadowing, this time in the Social Entitlement Chamber. Again, I really enjoyed it, and thought ‘I still want a judicial role and I can do this’. Then the opportunity came up to be a disability panel member in the chamber. I decided to go for it to build up my confidence, experience and knowledge. I was successful and six months into this role, the selection process started for fee-paid judges in the tribunal. I heard a rumour that if you are from a black or minority ethnic background (BME) you have to take a test several times to pass, but I am proof that this is not true and I tell as many people as I can.