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PROFILE
Commercial mediator with a solid background in civil litigation. Energetic, empathetic and creative style with experience of wide range of disputes. Highly motivated and well prepared problem solver.
EXPERIENCE
SENIOR SOLICITOR & COMMERCIAL MEDIATOR, CLARKSON HIRST SOLICITORS, LANCASTER — 2003 - TO DATE
Accredited as a Commercial Mediator in 2006 with ADR Group. Mediated wide range of cases including employment claims, professional negligence, personal injury, landlord and tenant, commercial contract claims, boundary disputes and partnership disputes. Recent training includes time limited mediation and on-line dispute mediation. Written on mediation for the Association of North West Law Societies and delivered training to a national firm. Senior solicitor in the litigation department. Handling varied caseload of personal injury and general litigation matters. Including fatal accidents, employers’ liability, road traffic accidents,public liability claims, contractual disputes and employment matters.
HEAD OF FAST TRACK DEPARTMENT, RUSSELL JONES & WALKER SOLICITORS, MANCHESTER — 2000 - 2003
Managing solicitor of the personal injury fast track claims department. Responsible for supervision of staff with fee earning budget exceeding £1,000,000. Handling own caseload of multi track personal injury claims, predominantly employers’ liability and road traffic accident.Developed cost tracking database and implemented it firm wide. Responsible for Continuing Professional Development training in the office, writing and delivering training seminars. Recruited and trained new staff for the department.
ASSISTANT SOLICITOR, THOMPSONS SOLICITORS, LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER — 1990 - 1993 & 1995 - 2000
Completed training and qualified as a solicitor. Handling personal injury claims, predominantly employers’ liability and industrial disease cases. Represented successful claimant in House of Lords case of Knowles v Liverpool City Council[1993]. Responsible for Legal Aid compliance. Introduced cost recovery scheme for funded disbursements. Latterly head of Criminal Litigation in the office supervising one other fee earner.
TEACHER OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, MADRID — 1993 - 1995
Self employed teacher of English as a foreign language.
TRAINEE SOLICITOR, PARKERS SOLICITORS, ST HELENS 1989 - 1990
Trainee solicitor in general practice.
EDUCATION
College of Law, Chester - Solicitors’ Final Examination, 1989
University of Leicester - Law Degree class II(i) Hons, 1988
MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATIONS
Association of Northern Mediators
Senior Litigator member Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
Pro Bono mediator for LawWorks
INTERESTS
Handicap golfer, school governor, secretary of junior football club, games collector.
