I first set foot at St Hugh’s College on a crisp Oxford morning, my footsteps muffled by the gently mown lawn that leads up to the tall, red-brick building. It’s one of the younger Oxford colleges, founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Wordsworth, expressly to give women a place to pursue their studies at a time when higher education was almost entirely dominated by men. Walking through its gates now, it can be hard to imagine the barriers female students once faced here.
As a current student at Oxford, I have grown fond of St Hugh’s for its sense of peace, its expansive gardens, and the knowledge that it was once the preserve of pioneering women who refused to be deterred by social convention.
It was in this setting that I had the extraordinary opportunity to interview Lady Elish Angiolini LT DBE PC KC FRSE, the principal of St Hugh’s since September 2012. She is known to many for her trailblazing legal career in Scotland, and stepping into her office, I felt a slight surge of nerves. She greeted me with a warm handshake and a ready smile, offering me a seat on a comfortable chair by her desk. Looking at her, I could not help noticing an air of confidence, the kind that arises from a career spent making difficult decisions and carrying the weight of responsibility. This is, after all, the woman who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland, the first person in that role to remain in office despite a change of government, and the first woman to hold the post in a non-political capacity.
In every sense, Lady Elish has been a pioneer—just like the early female students of St Hugh’s. “I have never been scared,” she told me early in our conversation, the confidence in her voice underscoring every word. “Life throws challenges at you, and you do your best. I’ve always believed in that.”
Born in Govan, Glasgow, she was the youngest child in a family that, while loving and musical, did not escape financial hardship. She described how her father’s coal business collapsed, leaving them fearful they might lose their home. Yet she cherishes those memories—“wonderful love,” she calls it—even as an undercurrent of worry about paying the bills crept into her family life.
“In many ways, that feeling of seeing people around you struggle, or feeling a threat to your own stability,” she reflected, “makes you want to do something, to change it, if you can.”
And that, she did—starting early. At just 16, she successfully challenged the authorities to provide carpeting rather than linoleum for a blind, elderly neighbor who could barely stay warm in her high-rise flat. That small act of advocacy led to a wider policy shift, setting a precedent for more compassionate housing regulations. “I suppose I was a bit precocious,” she admitted, “but I learned quickly how powerful the law can be when it’s used to help others.”
Inspired, she pursued a law degree at the University of Strathclyde, graduating in 1982. Immediately afterward, she joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, beginning a long career that would see her work across Scotland as she prosecuted cases and shaped policy. That impetus guided her legislative feedback at Westminster, her coordination of new policies, and eventually her leadership in establishing specialized units for domestic violence, sexual crimes, and victim information services.
As she rose through the ranks, becoming the first woman appointed Regional Procurator Fiscal for Grampian, Highlands, and Islands, and eventually Solicitor General for Scotland, Lady Elish also faced the added challenge of balancing her career with family life. Her face lit up when she talked about her husband, who gave up his hairdressing salon to care for their children so that she could continue her work. “People often assume it’s the woman who has to juggle it all,” she said, “but there was a partnership there. You need that support, otherwise it’s incredibly tough.”
Her father’s death, which happened just before her graduation, was a painful memory she touched upon with poignant honesty. She wore a small orchid in his honor that day, a sign of his musical, boisterous spirit that had once filled their home. “In the midst of sorrow,” she said, “you also find courage, and that’s what helps you move forward.”
Lady Elish’s own brand of courage came to the fore in her work as Lord Advocate. She modernized Scotland’s justice system with a firm hand, whether by establishing the National Sexual Crimes Unit or advocating for specialized courts. Yet what struck me most during our conversation was her empathy: behind every reform, every policy, she saw human faces—the victims of domestic violence, the children enduring abuse, the drug-dependent individuals who kept recycling through the courts. “Real justice means trying to find solutions that change lives for the better,” she told me.
Eventually, Lady Elish chose to leave government service, thinking it was time for a fresh challenge. She spent time practicing as a QC and, like many who consider life’s next chapter, found her way here to St Hugh’s College in Oxford. “When they approached me,” she recounted with a smile, “I never imagined I’d wind up an Oxford principal. But I loved the idea of being in an academic environment — somewhere vibrant, full of ideas, full of promise.”
She stays busy mentoring students, interacting with academics from every discipline, and continuing to champion fairness and inclusivity within the college community.
Before we parted ways, I asked if she had any final words of advice for students. She gave a contemplative smile. “Work hard, be kind, and believe in yourself,” she said, without missing a beat. “And when challenges come along — don’t be scared.”