Two solicitors who were trainees just four years ago have now been promoted to full partners at the same Plymouth law firm – where five of its seven partners are now female.
Chloe Hamblin and Kearney Coffin have just become salaried partners at Curtis Whiteford Crocker (CWC) as the ages of 29 and 30 respectively.
They are perfect examples of the way the legal profession is shifting towards becoming female dominated, even if parters are still mostly male.
Since 1990 women have represented more than 60% of new entrants into the profession, but in 2007 statistics showed 72% of partners were still men.
CWC is working to change that, and both Chloe and Kearney say the firm’s emphasis on flexible working has been a major help for women wanting to rise the legal ladder.
It also makes good sense for CWC, with recruitment and retention of talent a major issues, particularly in remote locations such as Plymouth.
CWC partner Lucy Atwill said Chloe and Kearney have both worked “extremely hard” since joining the firm on training contracts.
But she also stressed it is very important for companies to promote young talent, with succession planning being a major hurdle for many firms.
“For a lot of businesses succession planning is finding someone to take them over,” she said. “We wanted to find employees that would go into management.
“And we are now among a handful of firms that have a majority of female partners.”
It was only in 1919 that the Sex Discrimination (Removal) Act made it possible for women to qualify as solicitors and barristers and Lucy said: “A century ago this would not have happened, it shows how much things have changed. And flexible working is the starting point.”
Chloe has a 17-month old son and said the ability to work a four-day week has helped her career.
Lucy, who became a salaried partner in 2012, and moved up to equity partner in 2015, has a three-year-old child and is expecting another.
She said: “Flexible working is becoming more acceptable, but there are still some firms that do not have it.”
But she stressed women can juggle career and family and said: “You can have both. It’s hard but you can if your employer understands.”
Kearney has no children but does live remotely, in Cornwall, and said the firm’s policy on flexibility extends to allowing her to work from home sometimes.
And it helps to be self-motivated. She said: “But you have to be driven to want to work in law, it’s a long time training, but if you are driven you are always going to want to do more, and we are interested in the business aspects of work.”
Both Chloe and Kearney only passed their legal practice course (LPC) in 2013 at a time when legal firms were cutting training contracts and there was a backlog of people with qualifications.
Chloe had grown up in Plymouth and completed her degree and LPC studies at the University of Plymouth University. CWC gave her work experience during her studies, but her first job was with a firm of cost lawyers, legal professionals who specialise in drafting legal costs.
Kearney is a graduate of the University of Winchester and the University of Law in Guildford, her first job after graduating wasn’t even in law – she was a GP’s administrator for a year and then got a job as a paralegal.
CWC has been one of Plymouth’s most expansive companies, in 2015 merging with Tavistock’s Browner Milne-Davidson Solicitors.
This followed the 2012 merger of Curtis Solicitors with Whiteford Crocker, re-branding as CWC, and the 2013 acquisition of “the private client work” and some staff from Trobridges Solicitors.
Michelle Handley, office manager at CWC, said: “We now have about 50 staff; seven years ago we had 18.
“We now have three branches in Plymouth, Tavistock and Torpoint and still have some growth room.”
