A Conversation with...Lubna Shuja Vice President of the Law Society of England and Wales

Sitting down with Lubna Shuja, the Vice President of the Law Society of England and Wales, I immediately feel like I am chatting to an old friend. Within minutes, we’ve already agreed that Lubna will make her way to Edinburgh for an in-person visit once restrictions have eased.

Even with Lubna’s impressive catalogue of experience, she radiates humbleness and is easy to speak to. She has worked hard at her legal career, coming from a working-class background to her current prominent position. But Lubna didn’t always dream of a career in law. “Law was never something I considered to be quite honest with you!” She reminisces that there were no role-models or lawyers to look up to, so she hadn’t had much exposure to the legal industry.

Lubna’s family were incredibly supportive of her education. Her parents had emphasised that education and financial independence were important. So, after achieving her A-levels, gaining better grades than her teachers expected, Lubna had planned to study a degree in English. “I figured I would do an English degree as that was what I enjoyed.” It was also a sector her two cousins had forged successful careers in as journalists, people she could look up to as role models.