Dar es Salaam-based law firm Rex Advocates recently announced the promotion of some of its lawyers at various levels. One of those elevated, Nancy Tarimo, was formerly a senior associate and has now been promoted to partner. 

Tarimo, a woman in her 30s, has garnered over eight years of professional experience working on banking and financial services, labour and employment matters, immigration law and other  areas of corporate commercial law. The elated lawyer said she feels very humbled and grateful for the promotion, which she described as a huge opportunity.

"I am mindful of the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of me with this new role. But I am also excited about this opportunity for both my professional and personal growth," Tarimo told Africa Legal.

She says she ventured into law because it offers a “practical and hands-on career”. "With legal knowledge, one can make a difference in people’s lives, and/or clients’ businesses," she explained, adding that, with law, one can develop a range of multi-faceted and transferable skills. 

"It is one of the few disciplines out there that offers the opportunity to develop such a broad skill set. I saw that many lawyers become experts not only in an area of law but also in the larger industry that they serve," commented Tarimo

"This is also the reason why I chose to practise corporate commercial law – because it is versatile. Being in this field has exposed me to different areas of the law. This in turn has allowed me to develop an array of skills when it comes to handling different kinds of legal assignments and transactions," the lawyer said.

However, away from official duties, Tarimo is a wife, mother, and a family-oriented person. 

Rather than her domestic roles conflicting with her career, she said she has not only found a way to manage everything, but has also turned it into a motivation to strive for excellence. "My family is my key motivator and reason to be and do better in all I take on," she emphasised.

Speaking on the myriad challenges she encountered on the way to success, Tarimo mentioned that the friction of deadlines and work can be difficult to manage as there is always a very demanding assignment or transaction with tight deadlines. 

Explaining how she handles this, Tarimo said she manages the client’s expectations from the onset of every assignment. "I always ensure that the client is kept updated and that they know that we are putting our best efforts into their matters to deliver quality and professional work."

Addressing young female lawyers who are eager to climb the ladder of success like her, Tarimo stressed the importance of hard work. "...Hard work pays. They should remain focused, consistent, and determined in whatever it is they are doing or pursuing, always remaining positive and putting their best foot forward," she advised.

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