Alumni of the month – July 2014

Dr Marcia Persaud
BA (Hons) Business Studies, 1992

Dr Marcia Persaud has led a varied and extensive career at the top of the healthcare and legal industries, teaching at postgraduate level in both fields. She is currently a Barrister at 1 Gray's Inn Square Chambers following six years at Albany Chambers and is also a qualified Public Access Barrister.

The LSBU Alumni Association caught up with Marcia at the recently-held House of Lords alumni reception, where she had a chance to reflect on her remarkable career to date: “LSBU was the turning point in my life, being the main catalyst in both my professional and academic careers. Had I not attended LSBU and gained my degree my life would have been different.”

Marcia’s lifelong passion for public service, learning and justice began with a successful clinical career at University College London (UCL) Hospital London where, apart from her regular practice, she was a Clinical Research Fellow. During this period, Marcia decided to enrol on the Business Studies course at LSBU (then known as South Bank Polytechnic) to improve on her academic qualifications and enhance her own personal development.

She credits LSBU with helping her to escape the “clinical capsule” of thoughts, processes and outcomes to which she felt confined. With South Bank Polytechnic ranked in the UK’s top five polytechnics at the time, Marcia was drawn to this course which widened her understanding of the political, environmental, social and technological issues outside of the medical sphere: “I loved attending my evening classes as they provided me with an outlet to expand my conversation with like-minded people. The lecturers ensured that the sessions were interesting, relevant and could be easily assimilated into practical situations.”

As well as broadening her professional horizons, Marcia’s time at LSBU gave her the confidence to fulfil her potential. She became increasingly aware of rights, wrongs and responsibilities within society, leading to a successful career transformation to care for legal clients as opposed to clinical ones. In her current role as Barrister, Marcia now balances her time by preparing cases for trial, meeting witnesses, attending court and even re-enacting road traffic accidents with model cars on the carpet at home.

Marcia is still engaged clinically and was on the Board of Governors – UCL NHS Foundation Trust Hospitals: “I thoroughly enjoy my jobs and professions in Medicine and Law. It is a great privilege and achievement to be able to perform both clinical and legal work. My aspiration now is to provide the best legal representation for clients and advocacy at court, as well as delivering a high standard of clinical care and to be a safe clinical practitioner.”