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Career Planning 30 years in and ‘out’ in the law M
aggie Hammond, lawyer and academic presents a reflexive account of her career … both in and ‘out’ in the law.
How it started I think with hindsight I had little choice but to join the legal profession and/or teach law. Many of my family were lawyers and those that were not, were working in education. All were political1. Some were lawyers and teachers – like me now. I grew up in a family where criminal law, crime and justice were discussed a lot. I was ‘accused’ of having developed an ‘overindulged sense of right and wrong’. They were right. I was in youth CND and the anti-league. I wanted to change the world. Childhood in law I used to read and discuss briefs, prepare cross examination questions, and take notes in court. School holidays involved a lot of sitting around in courthouses, going on errands with or for the court police sergeant, and sometimes serving tea to counsel in their private tearoom. I watched both my parents in court and many of their friends and colleagues. For these reasons, and many others, I wanted nothing other than to join the legal profession of which I knew too much. I knew I was different and would not have been accepted. Maybe not ‘bright’ enough and certainly not conventional enough to do well. Activism In my gap year (early 80s), before a modern history degree, I lived at Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp (for many cold months) to stop nuclear proliferation. My first degree followed, and involvement in student politics. We campaigned for NUS (the National Union of Students) to have a National Women’s Officer (the first was Julie Grant, who went on to be a barrister). It was part of what we called at the 12 | LegalWomen
Maggie Hammond time ‘liberation’ or ‘single issue’ politics. I spoke on lesbian and gay2 issues at the National Conference in front of thousands. The NUS held the first conferences for ‘single issue’ groups. I attended the women’s conference and lesbian and gay conference. I organised International Women’s Day events and a lesbian and a gay student activist conference at my institution. I became its first elected women’s officer. I was a pioneer. Backlash Then clause 28 hit as well as the AIDs crisis. Things started to change for our fledgling lesbian and gay community3. I was told there was a risk my grant (from my local authority) might be in breach of ‘the clause’, which prohibited the promotion of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship. I was ‘out and proud’. My intended careers (police, army or PE teacher) were fraught with risk on discovery, and I knew I could not ‘pass’ as straight. They were scary times and what ‘could’ I do next? Pride After my degree, I moved to London for work (the late 80s) in the hope that I might find work, despite my sexuality. There were difficult times for our community, with huge discussions around being ‘out’ or ‘outed’ at work (there was no employment protection for lesbians and gay men) and the risks or obligation to ‘challenge’ by ‘public displays of affection’ (also known as ‘holding hands’). I joined Lesbian and Gay Pride to be part of it. I became the first woman Chair and the first woman to lead the march through London (twice). I was less scared to be more of me, but not completely open at all times to everyone. For many of us, we were back to living different lives. ‘Lies by omission’ as we used to call it, or self-protection, by keeping work, home (and for many) their ‘pretended’ families in different places or hidden. First career I used the skills I had learnt as a student union officer to get a job at South Bank Polytechnic as it was (London South Bank University or LSBU as it is now). The job was as its first advice
