News

17-07-2009 | Ritu Sethi's Interview with Asian Woman Magazine

Ritu Sethi has been running her own law practice now for 15 years. She first started her career as partner in a medium sized firm. Then, when one of the partners suddenly died, Ritu was left to pay off the firms mounting debts. That’s when she started up Sethi Partnerships. For the first three years all she did was pay off debts. As well as working as a criminal defence lawyer, Ritu is a public speaker and is often called for as a speaker to a lot of London Mayor’s conferences on Asian businesses and Asian women issues. The last one she did was for the Women’s International day in which there were about 2000 women there who had been out of work. She was also the host for a chat show called Chai with Ritu which tackled issues such as domestic violence, youth culture and the music industry. In addition Ritu is also a qualified beauty therapist and fitness instructor. Ritu claims her ethos is “that when the dream is big enough the odds don’t matter. It’s all about perseverance. I’ve always believed that you should never give up.”

How did you start out in career?
When I first started out there were very few Asian women who were lawyers. There weren’t any role models and it was a relatively new area for an Asian women. At the time, in 1994, I had just had my son who was two years old and a daughter who four months old. I was in a partnership prior to this and one of the partners died of a heart attack leaving me and the other partner with mountains of debt. My other partner wanted out so I was left holding the debts.

What has been the high point of your career?
It’s like a rollercoaster – I can’t say there was just one point that was brilliant. Obviously winning awards is always great because it reinforces what you’ve done and I think it inspires other people. Every time I’ve won an award it has given me inspiration to other people – especially other young lawyers. I’ve received emails every time I won an award from some young lawyer saying “I can’t find my first job but it’s great to see someone’s done it before.” It’s almost like being a role model for other people. I think that’s the high point – actually affecting other people.

And the low points?
The low point was the first three years setting up. I’m a criminal defence lawyer so I spend a lot of my time at police stations and courts. It was a really trying time, especially with young kids. But my husband has always been very supportive.

Away from work, how do you relax?
I’m a fitness instructor believe it or not. I trained five years ago and I still go to the gym. I’m also a beauty therapist. But apart from that my children, my husband, travelling. We’re real social people so we’re always out and about doing things and watching movies.

What are your plans for the future?
My plans seem to be diverting more and more towards my public speaking on issues to do with legal profession. A lot of the issues I talk about are making changes in the law. Fifteen years ago I’d represent someone who had racially abused an Asian. Now I go in and it’s the other way round. I represented an Indian woman the other day who racially abused a white police officer. So things have really changed.