Tarisai May Chidawanyika
Tarisai May Chidawanyika is the founder of the organisation Diversity in Law and the first Zimbabwean to be registered as a solicitor in Ireland. She graduated from UCD with a degree in European Law in 2016.
1. Why did you choose to study law at UCD?
I was the first person in my family to go to university in Ireland. It was an important achievement for me and my family which meant that the university I went to had to be reflective of the hard work I had put in since moving to Ireland in 2008. UCD School of Law is highly ranked in the world and a number of successful lawyers, judges and professionals studied there. I wanted to be part of that number and I knew I would receive the supports I needed at UCD to achieve my success.
In addition, as someone from an immigrant background, UCD was the first choice for me because of the number of international students it has. It was very important to me to study at a university where I would feel a sense of belonging, especially after only having been in Ireland for a few years. The number of international students also attracted me to choose UCD because I love meeting people from different backgrounds. I knew I would make long-lasting friendships, which to date has come true. Some of my best friends are from my first days attending classes at Roebuck and across the university.
UCD was without a doubt one of my best decisions in life.
2. When did you enjoy most about student life on campus?
When I first started studying at UCD, I was very quiet, reserved and sometimes felt like a fish out of water. This is of course not unique to me as university is a big change from secondary school. In order to come out of my shell and to make the most of my experience, I joined a lot of societies to meet people. I was very impressed at the wide range of societies UCD had – something for everyone. I did modelling for the first time in my life with the UCD Fashion Show to raise money for charity which was such a fun experience. I also worked part time as a Global Guide in the Global Lounge which gave me an opportunity to be more involved in student life and experience more Irish culture through activities organised by the Global Lounge.
There were also so many financial supports available to students throughout each academic year which I was fortunate to avail of during my time as a student. This made student life more enjoyable as it alleviated many burdens and allowed me to focus on my studies.
3. How was your Erasmus experience?
My Erasmus at Utrecht University was a truly incredible experience. I had originally wanted to go to Australia but decided to stay closer to home which was the best decision ever. My Erasmus was the first opportunity I had to live away from home so this helped me to grow as a person.
During Erasmus, I met fellow UCD classmates whom I hadn’t met at UCD before because the classes are so large. This meant when I went back to UCD I had more connections and friendships which I was delighted about. I also made friends from across the globe – people whom I would not have ordinarily met.
I learnt the Dutch way of life, which is very different to Irish and Zimbabwean culture. In addition, their education system was very impressive. For example, some classes included guest speakers speaking on the intersection of their personal experiences and the Dutch legal system. This provided real-life examples of how the law affects citizens and was a big change from mainly focusing on case law.
I also had a part-time job working at the university, assisting in ways to make the university more sustainable. This experience really stood out to me, as up to that point the importance of sustainability was not something I had been fully aware of.
Overall, my time at Utrecht University gave me a different perspective on education systems and cultures. I fostered meaningful and long-lasting relationships. I was able to travel across Europe due to the low cost and location of the Netherlands. It was a period of discovery, learning and growth. This is not something I take for granted.
4. What inspires you to work towards your goals and ambitions?
My motivation mostly comes from the fact that I saw what my family had to sacrifice for me. I do not ever want their sacrifices to have been for nothing. My success is not just my success, but it belongs to my family as well.
When I was first published in the Gazette by the Law Society of Ireland, I became a sort of inspiration to so many other aspiring solicitors. I received countless letters and emails from people telling me that they feel inspired by me and also that they are proud of me. This correspondence has continued to date, which still overwhelms me at times. Regardless of the challenges, this has fuelled me to work hard so that those feeling defeated can see that with hard work and support, it can be done.
5. As a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, are you seeing positive change and progress in this area?
Thank you for considering me a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion.
This is a very difficult question to answer and is one I receive so many times.
In my own honest experience, I have seen so much progress since I first started my legal work experience in 2014. I see so many more minorities studying law and working in the legal industry. The numbers are still small but they have gone up. This is progress.
That being said, it should not just be about getting minorities in the door but also about retaining them. Unlike the UK, in Ireland, statistics relating to who is being hired and retained are not published. Without visibility on this data, it is really difficult to say with certainty how much progress has been made. I understand that due to a lot of factors such as GDPR, Ireland is still a long way from this. However, I have hope that this will become a reality as this is one of the recommendations put to the Minister of Justice by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in its 2024 report on Breaking Down Barriers.
6. How do you balance your career as a solicitor and your work with Diversity in Law?
Balancing working as a solicitor and Diversity in Law has been extremely difficult. The idea of Diversity in Law first came to me when I was travelling in Asia in 2018. To be able to transform that idea into an organisation that people talk about and respect has been an amazing feeling. In the same manner, to be able to qualify as a solicitor and do work that I enjoy has been an incredible achievement. Unfortunately, to balance these two things that are equally important to me has not been possible.
At present, my job has to take priority. I want to excel at my job and be good at what I do. The hours are very demanding, as you can imagine. At the same time, I’m constantly thinking that I have to keep Diversity in Law active as it is so important to many current and aspiring lawyers. Luckily, I now have a team of four very passionate individuals who are assisting on a voluntary basis because they believe in the vision: Alimaat Babatunde, Law Student at UCD; Iniolu Ekeolu, Trainee Solicitor (Arthur Cox); Tofunmi Omokri, Case Manager (Beam); and Grace Oladipo, Trainee Solicitor (Arthur Cox).
I am very grateful for them and excited to see what 2025 holds in store for us.
7. What has been your greatest challenge in your career to date?
Doubting. Doubting myself and my capabilities to do my work. Doubting others around me and their intentions – are they truly helping me, do they want to see me succeed?
It is something that I have been working on and I have made great progress because when you doubt, you forget your great achievements in life and block the potential achievements you can have in the future. My own personal doubts stemmed from being the only black person, and even more the only black woman, in the room in certain spaces. It can be overwhelming and can easily swallow you if you allow it to. They also stemmed from comparing myself to others – will I do as well as them if I have limited resources? Will I do as well if no-one is opening doors for me?
I’m now at a stage where I am believing in myself and what I have to offer. I am where I am because I’m good, if not better. I focus on what I can control, and that’s my own capabilities.
8. Have you had any important mentors in your life?
In terms of my life generally, my grandparents have been the most important mentors in my life. They raised me to be academic, determined and positive. Education was the most important pillar in my life growing up. Without their guidance, I would not be where I am today.
In terms of my legal career, I have an exceptional network of friends who have supported me from day one. There have been many times when I’ve been anxious about making certain decisions and they have been a great sounding board and a great source of encouragement.
All in all, the people I have surrounded myself with have helped shape me in one way or form. I admire them so much and I am truly grateful.
9. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
We have a saying in my native language, Shona, which translates to ‘Don’t forget where you’re coming from, where you are going is darkness’. While it may sound morbid, what it means is that you always have to remember who you are, what you have been through and who helped you on your path because you don’t know what lies ahead in your future. If you are successful in life, don’t forget the people who helped you get there. I consider this the best advice because so often, people forget. It is human nature. Personally, I strive every day to always remember my network of support and my trials and tribulations as this is part of my past, current and future journey. To me, this was the best advice for my life because it keeps me humble, grounded and grateful.
10. How would your closest friends describe you in three words?
Courageous. Resilient. Capable.

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