We spoke to ULaw’s Nicole Kalli, lecturer and former litigator, about her move from practice to teaching and what it’s really like to work in disputes
When Nicole Kalli left private practice to become a law lecturer during the pandemic, she wasn’t escaping litigation. In fact, she was doubling down on what she loved most about the job.
“I really enjoyed working with NQs and trainees,” she says. “That was always my favourite part of the role — helping them develop, watching them grow in confidence. So, when the opportunity to join The University of Law (ULaw) came up, I thought, let’s give this a go.” It’s a move that clearly worked out. Now nearly five years into her lecturing career at ULaw, Nicole hasn’t looked back. She is set to share her insights at The Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025 in a specialist session on disputes.
Before diving into academia, Nicole trained and qualified as a solicitor at a regional firm in Kent, joining its real estate litigation team on qualification. She stayed put for several years before making the switch to a central London firm, also in real estate litigation. Like many lawyers, the 2020 lockdowns prompted a period of reflection. “I was still enjoying practice,” she explains, “but the job at ULaw really stood out to me. It felt like a chance to focus on the part of the work I got the most out of.”
She joined the university in September of that year and now teaches across courses including civil dispute resolution. For Nicole, the real buzz of lecturing comes from helping students succeed. “Watching them develop their legal knowledge and apply it in a practical way, and then seeing them go on to achieve what they’ve set out to do. That’s the best part,” she says. There’s also a more personal side to the role. “I really enjoy the one-to-one support side of it too, working as an Academic Coach, helping students navigate everything else that comes with law school.”
That blend of teaching and mentoring suits her down to the ground. It also mirrors what she loved about being a litigator. “Both jobs are rewarding in different ways,” Nicole reflects. “As a solicitor, going to court or settling a case for a client and getting a great result is incredibly satisfying. But helping students reach their own goals brings a similar kind of reward.”
It’s fair to say that not everyone is sold on litigation. “It’s a bit like Marmite,” Nicole admits with a smile. “You either love it or you don’t.” For her, the attraction was immediate. It was fast-paced, dynamic and full of variety. “I loved preparing for hearings, going to court, the build-up to trial. Those were my favourite parts,” she says.
That said, she’s quick to point out that litigation isn’t all courtrooms and legal arguments. “Going to trial is just a small part of the job,” she explains. “There’s a lot of preparation, and client relationships are a huge part of it too. I really enjoyed building those relationships. At both firms I worked at, we had long-standing clients who came back to us regularly, so you’d get to know them quite well.”
Nicole’s specialism, real estate litigation, covered a broad range of work. She handled everything from landlord and tenant disputes and possession proceedings to complex, high-value property issues. That variety, and the range of clients it brought, was a major draw. “No two days were the same,” she says. “And I loved that. You’d be dealing with a neighbour dispute one day and a leasehold enfranchisement matter the next.”
With such diversity in practice, what does it take to be a good litigator? “Organisation is huge,” she says firmly. “You’re juggling multiple files and court deadlines, so you need to stay on top of it all. Prioritisation is key. And communication, keeping clients updated, managing expectations, talking to them about costs, that’s just as important. Clients really value that transparency.”
Managing expectations, it turns out, is also one of the biggest challenges. “Clients can sometimes assume that being right means they’ll win at trial,” Nicole explains. “But litigation isn’t always that straightforward. Even if a client has a strong case in principle, there are other factors to consider like costs and proportionality. Helping them understand that can be difficult, especially if you really empathise with their situation.”
And while Hollywood might suggest otherwise, litigation isn’t all fireworks and dramatic courtroom scenes. “There’s definitely a gap between what students think litigation is, often influenced by TV, and what it’s actually like day to day,” she laughs. “That’s something I try to demystify when I’m teaching.” It helps that ULaw’s courses are delivered by experienced practitioners like Nicole, who can link theory to real-life examples, she says. “When I’m teaching something like limitation periods, I don’t just explain the law,” she says. “I’ll talk about how, in practice, you’d need to diarise those dates, warn the client in advance. The practical steps you’d actually take. That context is so important.”
This practice-based approach, she believes, puts students in a strong position to hit the ground running when they enter the profession. “It’s not just about legal knowledge. It’s about how you apply it. We help students develop habits and skills that they’ll use throughout their careers.”
So, what advice does Nicole have for students considering a career in disputes? “Get as much experience as you can in different areas,” she advises. “Not just disputes. When I was interviewing, it really helped to be able to talk about the type of work I wanted to undertake.” She adds that you don’t need to have it all figured out. “You might think you want to go into one area, then discover something totally different that you love. That happened to me.”
And even if you’re sure you want to be a solicitor, she recommends doing a mini pupillage or some shadowing with barristers. “It helps you make an informed decision. You might surprise yourself.”
Nicole also stresses that experience doesn’t have to be strictly legal. “I did a lot of volunteering, and I talked about that in my interviews,” she says. “The key is having a broad range of experiences that you can draw from. It all adds up.”
She’ll be bringing these insights and more to The Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025, where she’s leading a session on disputes. Her top tip for students attending?
“Engage as much as possible,” she says. “Ask questions, get involved with the speakers. There’s so much you can gain. It’s a brilliant way to find out what you like, what you might want to explore further and what kind of work or firm could be right for you.”
And if she could give her younger self one piece of advice? “Keep your options open,” she says without hesitation. “When I started my training contract, I thought I wanted to qualify into a totally different area. But it wasn’t the right fit. Then I did my seat in real estate litigation and absolutely loved it. Land law wasn’t even my favourite subject at uni, but in practice, it clicked. So just stay open. You never know what’s going to spark your interest.”
Nicole Kalli will be speaking on the disputes session during The Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025, a virtual event over three days, starting MONDAY (31 April 2025). Apply now to attend.
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