Team Story – Kerry Elson
It feels like a close-knit team, not only within our office but also across the entire Firm.
Q: Can you tell us about your role at Butcher & Barlow?
A: I’m a secretary based at the Northwich London Road office. My main responsibilities include typing, answering phones, and providing secretarial support to various departments.
Q: Do you work with a specific individual or department?
A: Currently, I work in the Private Clients department, assisting Emma Klieve. But I do lend a hand to other departments when needed.
Q: Could you describe a typical day in your role?
A: A typical day for me involves opening up new matters, typing up documents, taking file notes, and answering phone calls. I also help on reception when it gets busy and greet clients who visit the office.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I find the typing aspect of my job quite enjoyable, but maybe that’s because I’m good at it and used to it! But to be honest I like every part of what I do.
Q: Does being a legal secretary differ from being a secretary in other organisations?
A: Since this was my first job on leaving school, I can’t make a direct comparison, but I imagine the role of a secretary is generally similar across all organisations. What I would say though, which may be a bit different to other organisations or businesses, is that confidentiality is particularly crucial in the legal field because of the sensitive and often quite personal information we handle. Discretion is vital.
Q: Do you need any specific legal knowledge for your role?
A: I didn’t start with specific legal knowledge, but I’ve learned both elements of the law and various skills on the job and from my colleagues and managers, which has been really helpful.
Q: Can you give examples of the specific skills which you have learnt that are important for a secretary?
A: Time management, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, and being polite and professional with clients are crucial skills. But organisation is also key, ensuring that solicitors and partners are well-informed about their schedules is really important.
Q: Can you tell us about your journey at Butcher & Barlow and how your role has evolved?
A: I began as an office junior after leaving school and did a variety of tasks like mail collection, and I was on reception greeting clients as well. Over the years, I progressed to administrative work and eventually transitioned into a secretarial role. I’ve worked in different departments, including Residential Property, Family, and now Private Client.
Q: Have you felt well-supported during your time at the firm?
A: Absolutely. I’ve had maternity leave multiple times and was easily able to adjust my working hours, and the Firm has always been understanding and accommodating around my needs as a mother of three children!
Q: Do you collaborate with other secretaries across the Firm?
A: Yes, we frequently communicate with secretaries in different offices. Our IT systems allow us to share typing tasks online and so enables us to refer matters to other offices if we have a back log of work, or people on holiday.
Q: How would you describe the culture and work-life balance at the Firm?
A: It feels like a close-knit team, not only within our office but also across the entire Firm. We have monthly newsletters that give us insights into what everyone is doing, keeping us all up to date. It just adds that personal touch, which I really like. We also get an additional day off for our birthdays, which is great, and we have payday lunches, that we all love. It’s the little things like this that go a long way to making all of us feel valued.
Q: You’ve been with the Firm for a long time; what changes have you observed over the years?
A: When I started, we used to work with tapes and headphones for dictation. We also did handwritten chits for financial transactions. Younger members of staff wonder what we’re talking about and find it really funny. Nowadays, of course, everything is done electronically, which has made our job much easier.
Q: Do you think these technological changes have improved your job?
A: Yes, definitely. New systems and technology can be intimidating, but I’ve seen many changes during my time here and managed to get used to them all! People can often be a bit sceptical or worried if new systems or ways of working are introduced, but I’ve seen so many over the years I know they often make things better in the long run, even if they take a bit of getting used to at first.
My three words to describe Butcher & Barlow are: approachable, confidential and team.