In the next instalment of our blog ‘Five Minutes With’, we spent time with Helen Saunders, Head of People at Clarion Solicitors. Here’s what she had to say about the world of law firm HR…
You have advised on HR for law firms for almost a decade – what is the single biggest HR change or development you have witnessed over that time?
Very difficult to highlight only one element; there have been so many changes in the sector and wider world which continue to have an impact on businesses and the people employed within them – rising cost of living and associated salary expectations, introduction of SQE model, ‘war’ on talent, Brexit, increased mental health understanding and support, greater awareness and need for action with regard the ED&I agenda…the list goes on!
I am reluctant to refer back to the pandemic, but that period shifted so many different elements for the whole people agenda and brought lots of challenges and opportunities to the fore – obviously hybrid working, but we were already doing a fair amount of that anyway, but more significantly the change in people’s approach to what was important in their life including what they expected and required from their employer and their time at work – the culture of a business became key; how people were looked after when times were tough, how they were communicated and engaged with and what was important to a business in terms of team work and collaboration. This period crystalised the absolute key role managers play in the success of working relationships and the impact they have on the whole employee experience on a day to day basis beyond what any People Team can deliver. We have invested heavily in providing our managers with the skills to be better leaders within our firm for the benefit of everyone.
Your role also encompasses recruitment for the firm. What two pieces of interview advice would you give to a lawyer?
Research the firm well and know why you think a particular firm is the right place for you. The culture of a firm, where you can be your authentic self and do the work you want to do and in the way you want to do it, is critical….not everyone will suit every firm so take the time to prepare through asking curious questions, meeting people in the business, doing your due diligence, and think carefully about what is important to you as you start your legal career and progress through it. Your priorities at different stages will likely change. At an actual interview or assessment stage, be yourself, and demonstrate you actually want to be at that particular business.
In the 2022 ‘Best Companies’ awards, Clarion was named No.1 Law firm to work for in the UK, No.2 Large Company to work for in the UK, and No. 3 Best Company to work for in Yorkshire. Firstly, congratulations on being awarded such impressive accolades! What do you think stands Clarion apart from the rest?
Thank you for acknowledging our team’s success – we were thrilled to be named the #1 law firm in the country to work for and receive the 3* accreditation for our ‘exceptional levels’ of employee engagement. There isn’t one magic bullet that makes us stand out on its own, but rather a whole combination of factors, which ultimately come down to a fantastic group of people all constantly striving to do their best and working towards a collective goal TOGETHER. Our People strategy underpins the wider business aims and from an employee experience perspective means we are always working towards ensuring our people are well-looked after and have rewarding careers and are proud to work here. This is achieved in many ways, but includes initiatives around well-being (e.g. menopause support, having a team of trained mental health first aiders and champions, suicide awareness and resilience talks from external experts, on-site yoga); a focus on personal development through investment in a bespoke management development programme, a transparent promotions process, a mentoring programme, technical training through our HIVE programme and support for continual learning; and family friendly policies, including fertility leave, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave and maternity returner coaching to ensure we are looking after our employees through different stages of life and career.
From a broader client perspective, our lawyers at all levels are encouraged to take the time to develop strong relationships with clients to ensure they deliver the best client experience. We believe this strategy of empowering our lawyers to develop these skills provides them with great opportunities to thrive and is not all about focussing on chargeable hours, which is a fundamental difference to a lot of our competitors and therefore this approach helps us to stand out as a place to develop rewarding careers with real autonomy. The business gives all fee earners time to understand and get to know their clients. The success of this approach is demonstrated not only by the loyalty of our clients, but also by our outstanding reputation and the number of word-of-mouth referrals.
Also in 2022, it was reported by The Lawyer that Clarion is the third fastest growing law firm in Europe. That must bring with it both exciting and demanding challenges?
The leadership team within Clarion is very alive to the challenges and opportunities that come with such rapid growth and have these front of mind at all times. We are all very keen to ensure our special and ‘stand out’ culture is maintained as we continue to grow and we are constantly working hard to ensure that transparent communication is ongoing through a variety of means, such as our intranet, but more importantly through social interaction and opportunities to collaborate on client work so that teams continue to work well together across all disciplines and functions. We have a lot of touch points where we encourage the team to get together whether that be for whole company updates, sharing of knowledge sessions and social activities as well as continuously engaging in two-way feedback so we know how people are feeling so we can address issues in a timely manner and continually strive to improve.
Finally, at the end of a busy week in HR, what do you enjoy doing to relax?
I love time with my wonderful group of friends so a glass of fizz and bowl of pasta are my favourite Friday evenings and the rest of the weekend with my family enjoying time together on a dog walk are good for blowing away the cobwebs, although it can take some persuading to get the teenage boys to join us these days!