Dyslexia Awareness Week | “You can achieve anything you set your mind to”

Richard Main MBE left school with barely any qualifications, unaware that he had severe dyslexia. Now a practising barrister, Richard says he owes his career to the University of South Wales, where he was able to start his journey into law, and become an advocate for others with learning difficulties.

At secondary school, Richard was considered the ‘class clown’ – his way of masking the fact that he was struggling – with teachers telling him that he wasn’t working hard enough.

“I lived in a council house in a deprived area of Essex, and left school without any real qualifications,” said Richard, who is now a trustee of the USW Students' Union. “I later realised that making people laugh had been my coping strategy to hide what was really going on.”

Richard then started working in sales jobs, including at a car dealership. But he says that being made redundant in 2004 was the wake-up call he needed.

“Losing my job made me think, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?” he said. “I started looking at jobs that I thought I’d be quite good at, and set my sights on becoming a barrister. There was just the small matter of needing a Law degree!”

During the same year, Richard’s mum Jackie had been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, and, after recognising many of the same traits in her son, she encouraged him to get tested.

Richard came to an open day at USW’s predecessor institution, the University of Glamorgan, which offered an Access to Higher Education course – the ideal route for those without traditional qualifications such as A levels to begin their degree.

“I have such fond memories of visiting the university for the first time. Being from Essex, I’d never seen valleys before, and couldn’t believe how beautiful the scenery was,” said Richard. “I was really impressed by everything the place had to offer, and I was excited to get started.

“I was 24 when I enrolled, and lived in student accommodation with a load of 18-year-old boys, which was a little daunting at first but turned out to be great fun.

“Before I’d even started my lectures, I sought out the Student Services team and told them that my mum was dyslexic, and there was a possibility that I was too. They were awesome; they got me an assessment straight away, and looked at what equipment I needed.

“I still have the educational psychologist’s report from my assessment, and, although I was 24, it states that I had the reading and comprehension age of a six-year-old, with the verbal ability of a 24-year-old, so there was a huge disparity between what I could do in person and what I could actually put down on paper.

“Once I’d been diagnosed, I was given a laptop and a notetaker would come to my lectures. The team effectively built a package around me that enabled me to study. The team were so supportive and became great friends – so much so that I’d pop in to see them for a coffee and a chat every week throughout my degree.”

During his time at USW, Richard threw himself into as many extra-curricular activities as he could, including reinstating the University’s Law Society and organising mooting competitions – simulated court hearings where students act as lawyers, helping develop skills in legal research and arguing a legal problem in front of a judge.

He graduated in 2008 with a 2:1-class degree in Law, received the Professors’ Contribution Award, and was one step closer to his dream of becoming a barrister.

“Enrolling at BPP Law School to do my barrister training was a surreal experience,” said Richard. “In a class of 12, at least six of my classmates came from prestigious universities like Oxford and Cambridge, and then there was little old me.

“It was a tough year. The law school knew about my learning difficulties, but I didn’t feel that I got the support I did at university. I also didn’t feel confident enough to challenge them to get the support I needed.

“I was a duck out of water in that environment – some of my cohort would have gone on to become Law Lords. They were incredibly intelligent people, and I didn’t want to admit that I had severe learning difficulties.”

Despite his experience on the course, Richard managed to get the pass he needed and was called to the Bar – but he was yet to face his toughest challenge.

“I’d received my wig and gown, and celebrated qualifying with a nice dinner, but before I could start practising as a barrister, I needed to get my pupillage – a mandatory on-the-job training period where I would work under the supervision of experienced barristers – to develop the practical skills I needed.

“Pupillage is an extremely competitive process; Chambers receive around 3,000 applications every year, so it’s a monumental challenge to get through the paperwork stage to the interview stage.

“Even though I’d done my mandatory education, my written skills were not anywhere near where they needed to be, especially compared to others applying for pupillage. So, unsurprisingly, I didn’t even receive responses to my applications for the first couple of years.”

To gain as much courtroom and drafting experience as he could, Richard started working as an advocate for the Home Office, representing the Government at immigration tribunals and covering thousands of appeals, ranging from protection, to deportation, to human rights cases.

After 13 years in the role, with a decade of experience in court and improved writing skills, Richard decided to apply for pupillage again – and, earlier this year, was offered a place at Rowchester Chambers in Birmingham.

“I’m so grateful to my chambers,” said Richard. “I’m a first-generation lawyer in my family who has come from a very different background to your average barrister, and they’ve taken a chance on me. They are proud to employ barristers from ethnic minority communities and those with disabilities – including neurodiverse abilities – so it feels like the perfect fit.”

Another major part of Richard’s life is his role as Chair of Trustees for The Cascade Foundation – a charity he established with his mum and brother in 2013, to support those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

The Cascade Foundation has helped more than 12,500 people across the country and further afield, helping people to access the support they need, gain qualifications and, if necessary, break the cycle of offending, with many going on to start their own businesses after leaving prison.

The charity’s remarkable work has led to mentions in the House of Commons, participation in parliamentary committees, and Jackie receiving an OBE in 2018, with Richard receiving an MBE in 2020.

“Time and time again, we’ve seen people from disadvantaged backgrounds living with undiagnosed dyslexia and being told that they’re ‘thick’ and won’t amount to anything,” said Richard.

“Having been there myself, it is incredibly rewarding to see the difference that a helping hand can make in transforming lives. I’m also a school governor, acting as a link between the SEN (special educational needs) department and the trustees, and will continue to spread the word that, even if you’re dyslexic, you can still achieve whatever you set your mind to.

“Without the support of USW, I would never have known that I have learning difficulties. I am so grateful to them for being able to undertake this amazing journey.”

If you are a USW student who has dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty, the Disability Advice Team can provide advice and guidance on how to access support and adjustments at university.