Biography
I'm a Costs Lawyer who's part of our Costs Management Team, based in our Manchester office. I deal with all aspects of costs from preparing bills, replies, negotiations and setting cases down for Provisional and Detailed Assessment to answering queries from lawyers across the firm.
I also assist lay clients with the costs process. I started out in 1988 as a Junior with a firm of solicitors in Manchester, quickly progressing to learning the ropes and dealing with cases, mainly Banking and Finance cases, with some passing off, injunctive relief and class actions. I moved to Golds Solicitors in 2003 and came to Irwin Mitchell via a merger between Irwin Mitchell and Golds. In 2013, I started work with the Costs Management Team as a Trainee Costs Draftsman.
I undertook the ACL course and successfully qualified in 2018.
What inspired you to get in to law?
I was interested in law but didn’t see a way to get into it, as I am from a working class background and I was not encouraged or given any tools to move in that direction. However, I was lucky and got a job as a Junior with a firm of solicitors and I had said, at my interview, that I was interested in learning more; my employers saw something in me and within 8 months of starting as a Junior I had moved on to train with a Legal Executive who showed me the ropes and I loved it.
Eventually, I was the one who went to Court and dealt with the majority of the applications. Things changed somewhat with the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules and my role had changed too as I had moved on to another firm and spent 11 happy years there as part of a team of civil litigators. I moved to Golds in 2003 and helped set up their Manchester office, and the rest, they say is history.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
I simply enjoy working with the inspirational people I work with, and I love a good result!
What do you like about working at Irwin Mitchell?
I love the inclusive team atmosphere; there is always someone willing to help, and just to have a sounding board is great. I do feel really proud of the work done at Irwin Mitchell, and the social responsibility shown is a great bonus.
What do you do away from the office?
I love to read, anything and everything. I am a self-confessed book worm. I also enjoy cinema, again, I enjoy a wide range of genre. I also love spending time with my family and friends and going to the theatre and restaurants. I love to travel and like to go somewhere different every year.
