#AccelerateAction, this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme, is a global call to recognise strategies, resources, and actions that drive women’s progress and to actively support their implementation. IWD remains an important opportunity for amplifying the focus on gender equality.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Tyndall is proud to spotlight women from different professions across Tyndall, including Tara Woulfe, our In-House Legal Counsel.
What is your current role?
I am Tyndall’s In-House Legal Counsel, and I am part of both the Operations team at Tyndall and the Office of Corporate & Legal Affairs on UCC’s main campus. The Tyndall Legal team deals with a variety of legal queries on different topics and is involved in the review of all contracts involving Tyndall. These include commercial contracts with external companies for fully funded research and Consortium Agreements involving numerous other research institutions and universities.
What path led you here?
I studied Law & German at UCC. After training and working with a law firm in Cork, I moved in-house for a large pharmaceutical and medical device company. At the time, it was still relatively unusual to work in-house as a solicitor, but I took the leap and never looked back. I was based in a large innovation centre working with scientists and engineers, so I was out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it – their passion for what they were doing was infectious. It helped me see things from a different (non-legal) perspective, which I believe was of great benefit. From there, my next stop was Tyndall – it seemed like a natural progression, having worked in research already in a commercial setting, and it was great to come back to UCC.
Did you have a role model who influenced your career choice?
I didn’t have a specific role model who influenced me to pursue a career in law, but I had plenty of strong role models in my family who supported and encouraged me along the way. My mom was a great role model in terms of balancing work and home life. I believe you need role models at every stage of your career, and mentorship programmes are a great way of providing this. It can feel overwhelming at times for women trying to balance work and family life – it’s invaluable to have the opportunity to speak to someone who has been there, can share their experiences, and offer advice.
What could be done to support women in leadership and #AccerateAction?
I think a lot of positive steps are being taken in terms of mentorship and leadership programmes, but there needs to be more follow-through and investment. We need to see more women in leadership roles at the top of organisations.
For real and positive change to happen – and to happen quickly – women need to be able to influence policies from the top down. Internal champions who can provide mentoring, encouragement, and highlight opportunities would also be of immense value.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would say to follow your interests and not rush to figure out what it is you want to do straight away. Take every opportunity that comes your way if it interests you – who knows where it could lead! Don’t be afraid to ask for support and make suggestions in whatever role you are in. If you don’t feel like you can do that, ask yourself why. Everyone should feel supported and valued in their role, and if you don’t, move on!
