An Interview with Solicitor of the Year - Lucy Tissington

❖ What does it mean to you to win Solicitor of the Year?

I was very happy and shocked to win the award. It meant a huge amount for me to be nominated alongside such a high standard of solicitor. I was so excited to spend a fabulous evening with my team from Family Law Group and I also took along some of my lovely paralegals that I have trained through the Paralegal Training Academy. It was a very special night, and I was over the moon to win. It made all the commutes up and down the A52 worthwhile!

❖ What changes would you like to see in the profession?

I think I need to mention the SQE. It is a divisive topic at the moment but I am unsure if the current approach is the best way to examine the next generation of solicitors. They all need our support in this hugely hard exam and process. I am part of an Education Committee within DDLS and this is so helpful to allow us to discuss and hear everyone’s thoughts on how the course and exam are working.

I also think legal aid rates need to increase to ensure access to justice. They have not increased in my whole career. This is not right and it means that less and less firms are able to offer the access to justice needed to support people at a vulnerable time of their lives. For this reason it is hugely important that legal aid is not lost and I am proud of the work that we do to maintain access to justice at Family Law Group.  

❖ Do you think there are barriers to entry in the profession?

The SQE is very new, so it is a little hard to judge at this stage, however it is huge expense placed upon young early career professionals and still feels very untried and untested. The next generation of solicitors will need to work equally, or even harder than their predecessors to pass these exams and we need to be there to support them in balancing their studies and day-job (and having a life outside work too!)

In relation to other barriers, I recently attended an Equality and Diversity event run by Derby Junior Lawyers and this was fascinating and hugely eye opening. We all need to work towards equality for everyone and again do all we can to support the next generation.

❖ Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?

In five years, I want to be regularly interacting with a large number of paralegals who have successfully qualified as family solicitors. This is such an exciting prospect and makes me focused on putting as much time and effort into each paralegal. They surprise me with their passion and determination each day.   

I also hope to still be supporting clients and hopefully making a huge difference to their lives.  Family law is not an easy area of the law to work in, emotions are really high and it can be very fast paced but I love it.  

❖ You have done a lot to make legal support more accessible and working closely with support services. What inspires you to do this kind of work, especially in Family Law?

I really enjoy working with support services - it is one of the best parts of my role. I am able to involve my paralegals and allows them networking opportunities. I love getting referrals and positive feedback from support services. I like to be able to offer a holistic service and be also able to reciprocate referrals – it is very rewarding to be able to contribute to the whole family law ecosystem in the local area. I have learnt an enormous amount from the hugely dedicated teams that work in many of the unique support services. They each have so much to offer and are vital in supporting our clients when they are really at their lowest point in life.  

❖ If you cold give some useful tips to the junior lawyers out there, what would they be?

I feel in my role I am able to help and support junior lawyers each day. I am fortunate in my role that I am able to support and mentor. I think my top tip is work hard and strive to be the best you can be. I would also suggest to network as much as possible, even if it is out of your comfort zone. I would say be kind to people, ask for help and support and to share their experiences. If they always show their passion this will shine through.  

❖ What else do you enjoy outside of the law, and helps you achieve a work/life balance?

I had to think long and hard about this question. I love travelling with my young family. This summer we were able to have croissants in Paris, meatballs in Sweden (in IKEA of course), Bacon in Denmark and Paella in Valencia. We love travel and see the world through our children’s eyes and we are very fortunate to be able to do this. 

My role is very involved and I am also President of Derby and District Law Society which takes a lot of mental energy thinking about events, planning family law courses, running charity events to raise money for Positive Social, and ensuring that the committee have fun social events. 

That said, there are definitely some well-defined boundaries. It is possible to have a good work/life balance, but it takes a lot of planning and the support of a great home network and great colleagues.  

❖ What is the funniest thing you have seen working in law?

I do remember very early on in my law career, I had a good outcome in a court case. Happy with this, I packed up my papers and walked to meet my parents for lunch. As soon as I arrived, my heart dropped. I realised I had left my client in the outer room at the court. I sprinted back there and walked them out. They did not realise what I had done, but suffice to say, I have never done it again.

Every client has their own different personality, and I have had the benefit of having many wonderful clients whom I have been able to take from the start of a recent separation to being able to call when they Decree Absolute/Final Order is through. We have worked together through their highs and lows and very often through funny times even in hard times. A smile always helps – it pays to be positive.

This award is kindly sponsored by Ropewalk Chambers