Director of legal services, Guildford
As I began training to be a lawyer, I quickly realised that it’s not for the faint of heart. The sheer amount you have to learn, the fast pace of deals, the late nights and the competitiveness of City firms can all take their toll. However, it quickly taught me to build resilience and initiative.
During my training contract I came across commercial property, which immediately piqued my interest. Unlike my other seats, I liked the more ‘tangible’ nature of it. You can see and touch the buildings and land that you’re working on, and in some cases visit the sites. I also had direct relationships with clients and got to conduct my own files, something that’s not often possible in other departments. Once I’d qualified, it felt like a no-brainer to focus on this area.
You quickly learn that you have to be a jack of all trades, being an expert on any number of sectors at once. One minute, I was advising a care home developer, the next a private equity fund, and even a film studio on purchases and disposals. It gave me a wealth of experience and knowledge I never thought I’d ever have and, ultimately, helped me understand the ‘nuts and bolts’ of being a solicitor. However, it wasn’t quite what I wanted. When working with clients on highly complex and confidential deals, there’s often an asymmetry of information, meaning they usually know more than you so you can’t fully sink your teeth into the detail.
'I’d become used to the idea that you either became partner and gave up control of your personal life, or you stop aiming for it and effectively become shelved. Contracting seemed like the perfect middle ground'
At the same time, I was also reckoning with what I wanted out of my career and just how far I wanted to progress. I’d always set myself the goal of reaching senior associate, and, in between having my two children, I achieved just that. Beyond this, becoming a partner never really appealed. It’s no secret that in big firms, work and life very quickly merge into one. After returning from maternity leave with my second child, I knew that I needed to do something different with my career and, by the end of 2023, I had found what it was.
I’d never really heard of the consultancy model before, so was certainly intrigued by what it could offer. I came across DR Solicitors and it almost sounded too good to be true. The flexibility immediately caught my attention. In bigger firms, I’d become used to the idea that you either became partner and gave up any control of your personal life, or you stop aiming for it and effectively become shelved. Contracting seemed like the perfect middle ground, allowing me to work on nuanced and legally complex cases, like that of the bigger firms, while still allowing me to balance this with my life outside work.
What surprised me most about working at DR Solicitors was that it ignited my business and entrepreneurial drive. Far from purely doing case work, I found myself as a trusted business adviser to clients. I could suddenly see the direct value we add to them, allowing me to better appreciate how our work translates into real impact. After being a consultant at DR Solicitors, I then transitioned into the role I now have as director of legal services. I oversee the day-to-day operations of the firm. My responsibilities include managing our team of consultant solicitors, client relations, risk and compliance, implementing effective processes and driving new business generation.
Consultancy has allowed me to find a much more human-centric side to law. DR Solicitors is a highly specialised practice focused on the medical sector. Patient outcomes are the focus and barometer of success, not commercial performance. This is where we add real value, freeing up their time to focus on what matters – treating patients. Healthcare and, more specifically, women’s rights in pregnancy and birth, are also areas I’m hugely passionate about and which I was able to do more of as a consultant with DR given its non-exclusive nature.
I was a trainer with a charity called Birthrights. I delivered training to NHS midwives and obstetricians about the law and human rights in pregnancy and birth. I was also a homebirth doula during my time as a consultant with DR Solicitors. The ability to juggle all of this was gratifying.
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