Breaking barriers in law: rising to partnership
As of recent reports, women represent approximately 35% of partners in LLP firms in England and Wales. This percentage highlights ongoing challenges for gender equality at the senior levels of the legal profession, despite women constituting 52% of all practising solicitors. Coole Bevis LLP, a leading law firm in Sussex, is bucking this trend as 67% of its partners are female.
How did your career in law start?
Originally, I had no plans to enter the legal field. My goal was to join the Royal Navy as a Weapons Engineering Officer. However, a serious illness in my upper sixth year derailed those plans. Returning to my studies, I was faced with a timetable clash and found myself needing to study for a third A-level at night school if I was to progress to university. The options were limited and the only interesting one-year A-level available at a local night school was law, which I ended up enjoying immensely. The rest is history.
Why did you choose to specialise in dispute resolution?
Dispute resolution appealed to me as ‘real law.’ It’s the kind of legal work people often associate with the profession, thanks to TV dramas. I enjoy problem-solving, working with people, and the variety it offers – no two cases are the same. My husband might joke that I like a good argument, but in reality, dispute resolution has become less adversarial over time. The tone of correspondence, for example, is generally less aggressive now than when I began my career.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your career?
Thankfully, times have changed significantly since I started my career. Balancing family and work remains a significant challenge. Law is not a 9-5 job, and managing other commitments can be tough. The pandemic has helped by making flexible working and remote work more acceptable. However, women often still bear the brunt of the mental load.
Networking events are typically outside office hours, which can be hard to manage, especially when children are young. This can limit opportunities to build a network of contacts, which can impact on professional development.
Since joining Coole Bevis almost three years ago, I have found the firm to be very supportive. They genuinely understand the importance of a work/life balance (45% of the firm’s employees work flexibly or part-time) and the opportunities for career progression are not limited to those working to a traditional model.
Kelly Mills, Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution, Coole Bevis LLP
www.coolebevislaw.com
