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Scottish Young Lawyers Association - PodcastsAuthor: SYLA
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Breaking Barriers: Care Experienced Voices in Law
Tuesday, 28 July, 2026
In this episode of the SYLA Podcast, we are joined by Lucy Barnes and Tracey Wright for an important conversation about care experience, social mobility and access to the legal profession. Drawing on their personal journeys, Lucy and Tracey share the challenges they faced entering the legal profession, the support that helped them succeed, and the barriers that still prevent many care experienced young people from pursuing legal careers.Lucy Barnes is a barrister at East Anglian Chambers, a TEDx speaker and a prominent advocate for care experienced people. Having grown up in care herself, Lucy is the Co-Founder of Lawyers Who Care, a pioneering organisation dedicated to supporting care experienced aspiring lawyers through mentoring, work experience opportunities and community building. She is widely recognised for her work on social mobility, trauma-informed practice and widening access to the legal profession.Tracey Wright is a care experienced criminal lawyer and former social worker. She is the driving force behind Legal Futures with Care, an initiative focused on creating opportunities, building connections and expanding access to legal careers for care experienced individuals across Scotland.Together, Lucy and Tracey discuss the realities of growing up in care, navigating education and entering a profession where role models and networks can often feel out of reach. They reflect on the importance of representation, creating inclusive workplaces and ensuring talented young people are not held back by circumstances beyond their control. This episode is essential listening for aspiring lawyers, employers, educators and anyone interested in making the legal profession more accessible and inclusive.
