Alexandra Marks

Google "women in a man’s world" and you come up with a picture of a woman on a tractor. This stereotype was quickly demolished by Alexandra Marks, a top solicitor by profession and committed humanitarian, whose distinguished career inspired all who heard her speak.

After being motivated to become involved with justice as a child, she studied law at Oxford (although her science A-levels had made her unaccustomed to essay writing) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was whilst she was a student that she became a member of Amnesty International. She has now been involved with Amnesty for 25 years.

Choosing not to become a barrister, she became a solicitor at Linklaters, subsequently becoming a partner, and Master of the Worshipful Company of Solicitors.

Despite her own achievements, she acknowledges that there are vast inequalities between women and men at partner level, to the extent that sometimes 84% of partners are men.   This is the case even though currently 60% of entrants to the legal profession are female.  She believes this imbalance could perhaps be partly solved by positive discrimination.

Aiming to overcome inequality and injustice worldwide, she became Director of Amnesty International. Her work helps the victims of human rights abuses everywhere, and she is truly an inspirational woman in leadership.

Her top tip: practise your handshake for job interviews! As a woman it is especially important to avoid the “weak grip” syndrome (but avoid overcompensating with aggressively enthusiastic shaking, especially when extending your hand to visiting ambassadors who may attempt to kiss it! Broken noses heal, international relations don’t).

Isobel, Year 12