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For Social Mobility Day, we sat down with Iskander Fernandez, partner in Kennedys' London office, to talk about his background and progression into law. Iskander leads the white collar crime and investigations team and is one of the senior sponsors for the EMBRACE, Kennedys’ cultural and ethnic diversity network.
Iskander, let’s start from the beginning. Where did you grow up?
I was born in Yemen to a Yemeni mother and a Portuguese father, the latter who left home to make his life in the world; ending up in Yemen, where he met my mother.
I went to school in Yemen until the age of seven, when my parents finally decided to move to the UK as my dad's business meant he was in Europe more than he was in Yemen.
I remember we left Yemen in 1985 and landed in Heathrow Airport on a cold January evening. Coming from a very hot climate, it was very much a shock to the system! Things couldn't be more polar opposite.
At the time, I only spoke a few words of English and started school in a place where I looked different, couldn’t understand the language and knew no one. I felt overwhelmed and was very homesick. Although we spoke Arabic at home, my dad would stick us in front of the TV as that was the easiest way to learn English.
We initially lived in Streatham for a couple of years, which I absolutely hated because it wasn't diverse by any stretch of the imagination. I was picked on because of the colour of my skin, which is the first time I even noticed that. It simply wasn't the most welcoming of areas to move to as an immigrant at the time.
We moved to central London two years later; to the Edgware Road area, which was far more vibrant and diverse in terms of the population. It was from that moment, in 1987, that I came to the realisation that this is now home. My entire schooling was completed here, primary school, secondary state school, whilst my parents continued to work in their business.
How did you find the transition to university and a law degree?
I absolutely loved it. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I got on with people, made friends very quickly, and just generally enjoyed my time there despite still living at home and commuting in and out.
The trap that many students studying law at the time fell into was that the only option was to practice in a Magic Circle or Silver Circle firm. Hundreds of applications for training contracts were sent to those firms.
I fell into the same trap and criminal law was definitely never something that I considered. But after many rejections, the drive remained that I needed to secure a training contract. I ended up applying to a firm based in Uxbridge and managed to secure a training contract with them. During one of my seats, I sat with the criminal team for six months, and I really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that I wasn’t stuck behind my desk endlessly looking at paperwork, and I enjoyed the interactions with people, going to court, going to the police station, etc. And that’s how I got into criminal law.
After a few years of working at the firm, one of the partners who had become my mentor said to me: “Look, if you want to really progress your career, this place is too small to allow you to achieve that". Another mentor told me not to be scared of change and to take the leap; the parachute would always open. I therefore decided to leave that firm and moved to the city.
As soon as I entered the profession, I knew I wanted to become a partner by the age of 40. I don’t know why 40, but that’s something I wanted to achieve at that milestone.
Did you face any challenges during your career because of your background?
Without a shadow of a doubt, it did hold me back initially. My name was unusual, especially my first name. I would be invited for interviews and be the only brown person in the room. I wasn't cut from the same cloth as others, I didn’t have parents who were lawyers or bankers. But I think it wasn’t just that I looked different, it was also that I hadn’t gone to Oxbridge. The market was still stuck in its ways back then.
The only way to overcome that is to demonstrate your ability to do the job. I used that as a motivating factor. I think it's a given that if you're a good lawyer, you're going to get very far but that’s not to say I didn’t face partners who were very much stuck in the dark ages. A few people couldn’t pronounce my name and asked if they could shorten it or give me a nickname. So I drew a line in the sand on that issue. I had no desire to dilute who I was.
Did you ever have to change the way you are to fit in?
Throughout my career, I have built relationships through my work and reputation. I am not very good at pretending to be someone else, so I am not going to go on any golf trips or talk about golf. I'm not a rugby person, either. Or cricket! (It isn't a sport!)
I have never changed or diluted my values, however, being true to myself as a very junior member was the biggest challenge. When you’re young, you can easily go with the flow in order to impress; I wouldn’t go to all the boozy lunches or to the pub. I would also have to explain to firms how Eid works and that when I was fasting, I may have to leave at slightly different times. But firms were usually accommodating, and I have been able to remain true to my religious and cultural values whilst making sure my work was never impacted.
What would you say to upcoming talent?
Stay true to yourself and your values, but also try to learn and absorb as much as possible. Take part in conversations, listen and expose yourself to learn as much about what it is like to work at a law firm as you can.
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