International Women's Day : celebrating our staff, students and alumni

Portraits of a Global Law School celebrates the successes of staff, students and alumni and features over 30 women associated with The Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London. 

Rashida Abdulai 
United Kingdom
LLB 2002-05

Rashida always knew she wanted to become a lawyer. She believes that her ambition comes from her family’s background. Her maternal grandparents came from the Caribbean in search of better opportunities and her father moved to London from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Alongside her work in international arbitration, Rashida also runs the United Kingdom’s first inter-firm diversity network. ‘Noticed’ aims to support people from ethnic minorities coming into the legal profession, celebrating their success and promoting debate around cultural change.

Rosemary Jackson QC
United Kingdom
LLB & AKC 1977-80

While growing up in Leicestershire, Rosemary vividly remembers her father claiming she was destined to become a judge. At the time the comment seemed bizarre but it proved to be strangely prophetic. She went on to have a career at the Bar, being the first female barrister to practice in the field of construction, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006. Rosemary is also one of the judges of the Graveson Moot Final. She is always encouraged to see so many younger women now following her into the legal profession.

Dipali Sahni
United Kingdom
LLB 1996-99

While studying at King’s, Dipali was approached to organise an academic trip to Cumberland Lodge for her peers. On the final night of the weekend everyone planned a special thank you, expressing their gratitude in over 13 different languages. The gesture has stayed with Dipali and it came to symbolise a crucial aspect of her time at King’s. Although she grew up in London, coming to university marked a departure, as it was the first time she really experienced the city’s cultural diversity. She credits this influence as being invaluable to her work in New York and London, and to the friends she now has across the world.

About the exhibition 

Portraits of a Global Law School brought together over 50 alumni, students and members of staff to have their photographs taken at The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London. Eileen Perrier, a photographer who has previously worked with Tate Modern and The Photographers’ Gallery, was commissioned for the project. She shot the portraits with a Hasselblad camera, framing them in the medium’s classic aspect ratio. Everyone who sat for a portrait was also interviewed about their time at King's. The project helped to document the School's collective identity.

Read more profiles of our staff, students and alumni in our digital exhibition Portraits of a Global Law School.