The U.K. legal industry has taken great strides to try to improve the working environment for its transgender workforce in recent years. But for Clifford Chance junior legal support secretary Tate Smith, the journey to being able to bring his full self to work has not been an easy one.

Tate knows all too well the prejudices that trans people can face at work. While working at another professional services organisation, Tate decided to transition a couple of years ago, aged 19, having had to move out of his family home to do so. Despite an initially positive reaction to Tate’s decision from his management team, the situation soon soured.