Team Story – Carol Jackson
What makes it so enjoyable is the supportive and friendly environment that I work in and the people I work with.
Q: Tell us about your role at Butcher & Barlow
A: I’m a Legal Secretary in the Family Department at the Northwich London Road office, and I’ve been with the Firm for nearly nine years.
Q: What does your day-to-day role involve?
A: My role is to support the Family Solicitor. That includes managing her diary, creating legal documents and correspondence, liaising with clients, courts and other professionals, and generally making sure everything runs smoothly.
Family law can be very fast-paced, so I try to stay one step ahead and make sure everything is organised and ready before it’s needed.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
I absolutely love working as a legal secretary. What makes it so enjoyable is the supportive and friendly environment that I work in and the people I work with. We have a fabulous team at the Northwich office and the other support staff are great to work with. We all support each other and have each other’s backs, which makes it a really positive place to work.
Q: What Skills and qualities do you need to be a legal secretary?
A: Organisation and attention to detail are really important. In family law things can move quickly and documents often need to go out urgently, so everything has to be accurate. Strong communication skills are also key because we deal with other professionals, the courts and Solicitors. Just as importantly, we work with clients who are often going through very difficult situations, so empathy and discretion are essential.
Q: Do you find the work rewarding?
A: Yes, absolutely. Cases can go on for months or even years, so when a case is finally resolved and the client gets a good outcome, it’s really satisfying. Clients are often very grateful, not just to the Solicitor but to the whole team as well. We’re usually the first person they speak to when they call, and we help support them throughout the process. It’s nice knowing you’ve made a difference.
Q: What makes working as a legal secretary different from other secretarial roles?
A: There are core administration skills that apply to any secretarial role, but in legal support you also need to understand legal terminology and processes. The documents we work with have to be precise and error-free, and we often work to strict deadlines, so it can be quite fast-paced.
Q: How would you describe the culture at Butcher & Barlow?
The culture is very supportive and team-focused. I work three days a week, which gives me a good work life balance. The Firm also makes an effort to recognise staff. For example, we have payday lunches and little treats such as gifts for National Employee Appreciation Day. At our office we also have quizzes and make sure we all eat together when it’s pay day lunch day, which makes work more enjoyable.
Q: How approachable are people across the Firm?
A: Everyone is very approachable. From the Senior Partners down. When I first started, that actually surprised me. You might think you shouldn’t ask certain questions, but there’s a real open-door culture and people are always willing to help.
Q: Has technology improved and changed the way you work?
A: In recent years we’ve introduced a really good case management system which has made a big difference. Everything is in one place, emails, legal documents, court bundles and correspondence – so it’s much easier to find what you need. It also means we can help colleagues in other offices because we can access files across the Firm. And our IT team are also brilliant, so if there’s ever a problem, they’re quick to help.
Q: Would you recommend Butcher & Barlow as a place to work?
A: Definitely. I’ve been here nearly nine years and I really enjoy it. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.
My three words to describe Butcher & Barlow are: Approachable, supportive and professional.