Full disclosure?
An aspiring lawyer with a background in the adult entertainment industry has turned to the message boards of Reddit for advice on whether to disclose her past career in her training contract applications.
“This is not a troll post,” wrote the Reddit user, explaining that she worked in porn for 18 months to support herself while studying for her LLB but has since left the industry.
“Should I disclose this during applications for full transparency, especially to prevent the (admittedly small) chance of it coming out later?” she writes. “Further, irrespective of whether I do or I don’t, will it likely harm my prospects of having a successful legal career?”
Regardless of its authenticity, the post has attracted around 130 responses from users offering their advice on her dilemma.
The general consensus is that this particular work experience won’t prevent the original poster from enjoying a successful legal career, with some commenters sharing surprising anecdotal experiences.
One user commented that they once worked with a lawyer who had a “pretty long” career in the porn industry, adding: “Didn’t seem to hurt their chances, and they worked for a well-known firm.” Another shared, “You’ll be fine. I have a colleague who is actively a stripper on weekends, and she’s fine”.
Many other users offered messages of support, reassuring the original poster. “For what it’s worth it wouldn’t change my opinion on hiring you if I needed a solicitor,” one wrote.
Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time an aspiring lawyer with a background in the adult entertainment industry has sought advice on Reddit’s message boards.
Last summer, Legal Cheek shared the story of a former porn star turned paralegal who apparently landed a training contract, though it’s unclear if they revealed their past career.