Biographies
Elham Saudi
Associate Director, Rare
Elham has designed and runs Rare’s Articles programme. Each participant enjoys six one-on-one sessions with Elham. Sessions see participants challenged to enhance their knowledge of and ability to talk about complex commercial, economic and political issues in a confident manner. In addition, Elham, together with Melissa, runs eight group sessions hosted by each of our partner firms, giving candidates the opportunity to share ideas, learn from each other and improve their confidence.
Elham graduated from Oxford in 2000 with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and then trained as a lawyer, spending seven years at top City law firm Slaughter and May, where she worked on the financing of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium deal and advised clients including 3i Group plc, COLT Telecom Group and Diageo plc. She spent a year and a half on secondment at Uría Menéndez in Madrid and has also worked on developing Slaughter and May’s practice in the Middle East.
Elham Saudi is co-founder and director of Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL), a non-governmental organisation incorporate with the aim of promoting human rights by defending justice and promoting the rule of law in Libya. In her role as director of LFJL, Elham has worked on both fact finding in connection with investigations into alleged human rights abuses in Libya in the period since 15 February 2011 as well as providing advice to a number of European governments and international bodies as well as the National Transitional Council in Libya. She has also led LFJL’s innovative Destoori programme, directed at creating a sense of ownership in Libya’s new constitution, educating people on the fundamentals of constitution building ad canvassing opinion on the issue.
Elham has appeared on Channel 4, BBC, and Radio 4 and, most recently, was a speaker at the Hay Festival Beirut.
Melissa Andrewes
Associate Director, Rare
Melissa joined Rare in 2013 from BPP, where she was a freelance lecturer in Corporate Transactions. Prior to BPP, Melissa was part of the management team at the University of Law. She set up the Graduate Diploma in Law course at the Moorgate Centre of the University of Law and managed yearly cohorts of up to 300 GDL students, from admission to final results.
During her time at the University, she worked with various law firms to focus on what they were looking for in future trainees. She gave coaching and careers advice to many students.
Melissa practised commercial law at Slaughter and May (1997–2003) and Clifford Chance (2003–2005). She holds a degree in Modern Languages from Oxford University. She is SHL Level 2 qualified.
Since joining Rare, Melissa has set up the Discuss programme for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Andrew Lilley
Director, Rare
Andrew Lilley, a former Managing Partner of Travers Smith, has become a mentor for Rare, working exclusively with Articles and Discuss candidates. Andrew began his career as a trainee at Freshfields, later moving to Travers Smith, where he was an employment lawyer for nearly twenty years. Now, he teaches at BPP and mentors Rare candidates.
Magdalene Bayim-Adomako
Consultant, Rare
Magdalene started her career in the legal profession at Clifford Chance as a trainee after graduating from Leeds University, and completing her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law.
She qualified as a solicitor in 1991 into the Banking department of Clifford Chance before becoming in-house Counsel at UBS AG, and then joining Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a senior associate. She later went on to spend 13 years at White & Case and became the head of their banking practice.
Progressing further in the finance sector, Magdalene was promoted to co-head of White & Case bank finance in London in 2008, eventually taking over as leader of the London practice. She was named one of The Lawyer magazine’s Hot 100 lawyers of 2008 in finance and identified as “one of a rising generation of female banking stars”.
Throughout her career, Magdalene has had a strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity issues. “A long-time admirer of Rare’s work”, Magdalene joined Rare as a consultant and has been appointed to lead Step Up, Rare’s intensive four-week social mobility programme, focusing on developing the skills of exceptional students in order to help them gain access to the legal profession.
Dorothy Henderson
Consultant, Rare
Dorothy Henderson joined the leading City law firm Travers Smith in 1987 and became a partner in 1993. She became the Head of the Employment department, which she set up herself in 1992. She was also Head of Graduate Recruitment from 2000-2003 and was on the firm's GR panel from 1996-2010.
Dorothy’s practice covered all areas of Employment law including Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation. As well as being a regular speaker at client seminars and external conferences, Dorothy has made appearances on BBC Radio and TV and was listed as a recommended Employment Lawyer by The Legal 500.
Dorothy left private practice in 2010 and now sits as a part-time Judge in the Employment Tribunal and also in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal. She also does voluntary work as a school governor and with her old college, Newnham, Cambridge.
Carly Gilberg
Senior Manager, Rare
Carly read Law with French at the University of Sheffield, before studying the Legal Practice Course at BPP. She joined Barlow Lyde & Gilberg (now Clyde & Co) as a trainee solicitor and qualified into the Banking group. She joined Allen & Overy in 2006 as an associate specialising in leveraged finance. Carly then managed the graduate recruitment team at Herbert Smith Freehills for almost seven years and joined Rare as a Senior Manager responsible for our law programmes in 2017.
Julianna Barnaby
Coach, Rare
Julianna Barnaby joined Rare as a candidate and successfully secured a training contract at Travers Smith. She worked at the firm for three years, qualifying as an associate in the Tax department.
She is currently a freelance travel writer and content strategist. She has written for a number of publications including SUITCASE Magazine, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, Professional Spa & Wellness, Rough Guides and Business Traveller. She also writes her own online publication, The Discoveries Of.
Julianna graduated with an English Language and Literature degree at the University of Oxford in 2007.
Julianna regularly helps out with law mock interviews at Rare and has helped a number of candidates secure vacation schemes and training contracts.