Best Woman in Construction Law
THERESA MOHAMMED Partner - Trowers and Hamlins LLP
I was delighted to find out that I was a finalist in my category, which was Best Woman in Construction Law. The first thing I did was read about the award itself, the other finalists and the judges, while telling my husband, colleagues and friends the good news. I was incredibly proud to be in the company of the other finalists in my category who are all accomplished lawyers in our sector and women I have come across professionally over the past few years. It was also really special to have the support of Rebecca Hartshorn of John Sisk & Son and Stephanie Canham of Trowers & Hamlins, who nominated and supported my nomination for the award. Winning this award is amazing, and is a ringing endorsement of the work I have been doing within our sector, particularly as Chair of the National Association of Women in Construction. It has encouraged and motivated me to continue working hard to further the development of women’s careers, change the perception of women in construction and to also continue my passion for sharing knowledge and best practice in my sector. My view is that as construction lawyers we need to do more than establish a successful legal practice; we also need to use our transferable skills to better the industry we are in and encourage others to work with us and remain in construction. The ability to innovate and attract talent is there, and we just need to harness our diverse skill set and put it to use outside of the day job. The awards process really pushed us to showcase what we
have been doing that is exceptional and the comments and reactions to the awards on social media have been hugely positive. It has also opened my eyes to what others are doing, much of which has not received the publicity it deserves, and how important it is to recognise efforts being made using this kind of platform. Former colleagues that I have not seen for years took the time to congratulate me on reaching the finals and just even participating has resulted in so much positive feedback. I also have been touched by comments made by client testimonials and promptly realised that, while I always encourage others to enter awards, I have never before considered entering myself. I had a great time during the judging day forum and met so many talented and passionate women from different disciplines who in my view all deserved to win! We had ample opportunity to network, share our experiences and listen to the various presentations which were all relevant to current issues in construction. There was a really collegiate atmosphere which made everyone more positive, confident and certainly helped settle the nerves before our presentations. I would certainly advise Trowers & Hamlins to support any other entrant to next year’s awards, and would suggest that other companies use this opportunity to show their support for their employees and the impressive work that is being done in construction.
THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS >> MAY 2017
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