Dana Savu
Legal Services Administrator
Dana Savu - She/Her
Legal Services Administrator
Dana Savu is the founder of the online community group @ADHDLegal on Instagram, creating a safe space for legal professionals and students within the legal industry. Dana created this page after being diagnosed with ADHD upon completion of her Postgraduate studies, and found herself not knowing who to turn to for advice or support. She tried to research the statistics relating to how many legal professionals have ADHD in the UK and found very little, so decided to set up her page and community with the hope of connecting other ADHDers.
Please tell us more about your career
I got into the legal industry with great difficulty. I’ve never really had any noteworthy GCSE, A Level or University grades; always been somewhere around the middle. I’m a first generation immigrant and legal professional, so navigating the path has been challenging. After graduating from my Masters degree I got diagnosed with ADHD which resulted in a mini life crisis trying to rediscover who I am. This resulted in me creating ADHDLegal on Instagram; a community page for ADHD legal professionals in a similar boat to me to learn and communicate. Since, I have been able to secure my first legal job and connect with other ADHDers across the globe! My late diagnosis has resulted in finding out a lot about myself and the community. My career path has been filled with challenges, uncertainty and excitement, but I’m hopeful for the future.
How has being Neurodivergent shaped the direction of your career?
As a recently diagnosed ADHDer, it has allowed me to reflect and better understand why I have chosen a legal career, such as having a strong sense of justice and problem solving skills. This has enabled me to work with my strengths where possible and reshape how I ‘fit’ into the legal industry in attempt of breaking societal moulds.
What advice would you give to another Neurodivergent woman navigating their way through life?
My main advice would be, that you are not alone. Surround yourself with a strong supportive network and speak with other women in similar situations. Ask questions and build a bank of knowledge to use as tools to be able to support yourself and others using your amazing strengths to navigate life. Neurodiversity is definitely something that deserves to be championed. We are redefining the ‘normal’ and we deserve to be heard.
