What area of law do you specialise in and why?
Psychiatric injury claims arising from issues of stress at work. This includes a range of issues from bullying, harassment and assaults in the workplace to breakdowns caused by excessive workloads as a result of inadequate support on the employers’ part.
I always wanted to specialise in an area of law where I could make a difference and help people. Our clients who have suffered psychiatric injury from their place of work have often exhausted all other communications channels including going through their employer’s internal complaints process in order to try and be heard. It is rewarding to stand up for them and seek justice for them after all that they have gone through.
What inspired you to go into a career in law?
I have always been interested in the law and helping those in need. I wanted to go into a career which I felt would be worthwhile and fulfilling which has, happily, been the reality of the job in practice.
Watching Ally McBeal as a teenager may have also had an influence!
What are the three essential skills you believe a legal professional should have?
Organisation, communication and the ability to work as a team.
Organisation is crucial when working in litigation and the important of being organised and good time management cannot be underestimated. Good communication skills are also vital as you need to build a rapport of trust and confidence with your client, together with being able to communicate well with your opponent and the Court.
No man is an island as they say and helping clients is very much a team effort and I am lucky to have a great support network in the team around me.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It may sound cliché but making a difference by helping people. Our clients have often gone through very stressful and sometimes traumatic experiences at work and it is rewarding to help those who have been left vulnerable by what has happened.
Often, they have felt unheard by their employers so we help give them a voice and seek a resolution which I hope can help them recover from their ill health and move on as best they can from what has happened.
What do you enjoy least about your job?
Coming across continued ignorance about mental health issues. Some employers have still a long way to go in their position on mental health – education and training on theses issues is crucial if employees are to ever get the support they need and require in the workplace.
What is your advice for anyone that wishes to start a legal career?
Get as much work experience as possible to make sure that this is a career you want to get into as the academic side of it is not the full picture of the job in practice.
Aside from the fact that the academic qualifications are costly, being a lawyer is also demanding and requires a great deal of dedication and passion in order to keep going with it. It is however a rewarding job and one which I would encourage others to get into.
In another life, you’d be a…
Primary School Teacher. Or Dog Walker in New York!
If you could tell your 18-year-old self one thing; what would it be?
You only live once so be brave and say ‘yes’ to take up all opportunities offered to you.
Read more about Jessica and her experience here.
Look out for our next Spotlight Q&A next month!
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