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 Unconventional path to the Bar:

• Taz Aldeek switched from commercial law to criminal advocacy after volunteering with the Witness Service
• Overcoming imposter syndrome: Winning a Lincoln’s Inn scholarship helped shift his mindset—he now sees self-doubt as a sign of growth
• Training at the CPS: Gained strong courtroom experience while balancing creative pursuits like content creation and entrepreneurship
• Founded LegisLab: A community platform to help aspiring barristers navigate Bar training and pupillage prep
• Digital skills are essential: Success now hinges on filtering quality information and networking strategically
• Social media as a legal asset: Personal branding can attract opportunities—authenticity is key
• The Bar is possible for parents: Encourages mums to consider the employed Bar for flexibility and balance
• Pro-AI, with caution: Uses AI daily and sees huge potential in legal work—but says humans must always make the final call
• Adaptability is everything: Legal professionals must embrace change or risk being left behind.

Taz’s route to becoming a barrister wasn’t linear. He began his legal career in commercial law, drawn in by financial security. But he soon realised it wasn’t for him.

“I went to work for a commercial law firm—hated it to be honest. Found myself just looking at the clock all the time. That was kind of a good indicator that this wasn't for me.”

Everything changed when he began volunteering with the Witness Service. “I just loved what I saw. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a criminal barrister.”

2. “Imposter syndrome is a natural symptom of moving into a new space.”

Taz spent five years applying for pupillage and eventually chose the Crown Prosecution Service for two reasons: practical experience and work-life balance.

“I knew I wanted to be a criminal barrister. Half of crime is prosecuting… I was going to get amazing foundations.” But it was also about maintaining his creative and entrepreneurial projects: “Being a lawyer is one hat that I wear… The CPS gives me enough time to breathe life into those other hats.”

Through LegisLab, Taz aims to simplify and demystify the journey to the Bar: “The goal was... to offer an online platform, community-based, for aspiring barristers.”

The project tackles two major challenges: “One is the low pass rate of the Bar course… The other is the abstract, piecemeal nature of pupillage preparation.” They also run monthly free advocacy sessions and bring in speakers from underrepresented areas like tax and maritime law.

While traditional strengths like advocacy and analysis still matter, Taz believes success now also depends on digital-era skills: “In the era of information... it’s identifying valuable information from noise.”

Networking is another must-have: “The modern aspiring lawyer… needs to look at the landscape in a very strategic way, like a chessboard.”

For Taz, building a personal brand is a smart, strategic move: “A growing your own name is facilitating a way for you to attract business—whether it's for the firm, yourself, or chambers.”

He recommends starting with the platforms you enjoy: “Do content that you actually care about… not just for the sake of trying to grow.”

He acknowledges the vulnerability required: “You can never become a master if you're not willing to look like a joker… In the beginning, when you do something, you're not great at it.”

7. “You can absolutely have a career at the Bar as a mother.”

Taz addressed gender equality at the Bar: “You just need to find the right home for you.”

He advises aspiring barristers with caregiving responsibilities to “speak to members of chambers” and also consider the employed Bar: “Everyone forgets about the employed Bar… I meet a lot of mums who work for the local council.”

Taz is a strong advocate for using AI tools, especially in his work as a content creator and founder. “It assists with script structure, voiceovers, CRM… the day-to-day grind of life.”

He sees even more potential in legal work: “From legal research to case reviews to drafting speeches… that 20% you keep can make a big difference.”

But he also offered a word of caution: “The last check is always being done by a human actor… It’s a balancing act.”

Taz believes we’re at a turning point for the profession: “There’s always scaremongering around change. But whether or not you get on board, that train’s going—and it’s moving out the station.”

His advice? “Start learning the skill. It will separate you from the pack… and when the day comes, you’ll be looked to as oracles of AI.”

Taz Aldeek represents a new kind of barrister: ambitious, multi-talented, and unafraid to challenge tradition. His journey is proof that success at the Bar doesn’t require you to fit a mould. It just requires the courage to start.

“You don’t have to be just one thing,” he says. “And you shouldn’t be.”