From an early age, Sonay was always told she talked too much — so much so that her granny suggested she become a lawyer. Before all of that, whilst family and friends were still the only ones being treated to Sonay’s public speaking skills, James started hosting his own radio show whilst at university. On a whim, he joined a friend’s radio show and quickly found himself drawn into the world of radio, eventually being elected to the committee running the station.
We’ve both always been passionate about standing up for others. Sonay’s journey began in her third year of university when she was elected course rep and successfully secured extra printing credits for her fellow students. This experience sparked a lifelong commitment to advocacy, ensuring that people’s voices are heard. She began speaking at conferences, panels, and careers events, helping others understand what it’s like to study law and navigate the legal profession whilst pursuing a career in law. James meanwhile literally tried stand up comedy but stand up and RSD really do not mix. His journey also led him to support others, especially in the workplace, where he took on mentoring roles, ran training sessions, and organised "lunch and learn" events, helping to create an environment of continuous learning and inclusion.
After entering the legal profession, Sonay struggled with anxiety and depression. Rather than staying silent, she chose to speak openly about her experiences to break the stigma surrounding mental health. Her role as the Wellness Representative for the Surrey Junior Lawyers’ Division gave her the opportunity to share her journey, including her diagnosis of ADHD and autism. James, meanwhile, continued his passion for engaging audiences after university by making regular radio appearances and even trying his hand at stand-up comedy, exploring new ways to connect with people.
Sonay expanded her advocacy by joining LawCare, a mental health charity for the legal profession, where she spoke at webinars and wrote articles on burnout, imposter syndrome, ADHD, and autism. With some webinars drawing over 300 attendees, her platform grew, and she also became involved with Neurodiversity in Business, speaking at Barclays Eagle Labs and on podcasts.
At the same time, James continued his focus on creating inclusive spaces at work by participating in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) panels. His experience in radio, stand-up, and mentoring helped shape his approach to advocating for inclusion and equality in the workplace.
A significant highlight came in October 2023 when Sonay delivered her TEDx talk titled “Embracing ADHD and Autism Isn’t a Burden, It’s a Gift,” which has been viewed by almost 10,000 people. This moment solidified her message of acceptance and challenged stereotypes around neurodiversity. Our shared passion for public speaking has taken us to podcasts, educational institutions, and large webinars, but our focus remains on using our voices to foster connection, understanding, and support.
Recently, we have taken our shared passion further by hosting the Divergently Married podcast together, where we discuss neurodiversity and relationships. We also speak to organisations about how to become more neuroinclusive. You can see a video we recorded for TEKSystems for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 here.
We believe in the power of sharing personal stories to foster understanding. Our work is deeply personal, and we both speak openly about our experiences with mental health, ADHD, and autism. Through webinars, conferences, and bespoke training sessions, we are committed to helping teams, law firms, and education providers embrace mental health and neurodiversity.
We can deliver talks and training for your team, organisation, or education provider on autism and ADHD, battling anxiety and depression, overcoming imposter syndrome and burnout, and unique career journeys. We can deliver talks either together or separately and are happy to discuss creating a bespoke session based on your needs. Contact us to discuss more.
We are also available to appear on podcasts and radio shows.