Joining us for the second episode of Season 2 is the inspirational Dana Denis Smith OBE, journalist turned lawyer, legal entrepreneur and founder of the First 100 Years and Next 100 Years projects. She joins Adrian to explore innovation, identity and inclusion in the legal profession.

This conversation unpacks Dana’s career built on change and challenge, touching on:

• How growing up under communism and training as a journalist gave her a unique perspective on voice, rights and representation;
• Why founding her legal business, Obelisk Support, while pregnant helped shape her mission to empower women through flexible, high-quality work;
• The genesis of the First 100 Years campaign, sparked by a single photo and driven by Dana’s passion for preserving women’s stories in law;
• How she’s using the Next 100 Years initiative to address modern challenges, from AI to visibility gaps, with the ultimate goal of building systemic change; and
• Why she believes the legal profession doesn’t need fewer lawyers, but better ways to connect them with people who need them most.

And finally, stay tuned to hear Dana’s reflections on character, courage and why excellence, not permission, drives her every move.