Alexis Nicholls

Alexis Nicholls, operations director at Lodders, is responsible for all the premises that fall under the Lodders domain and the way we operate within them. She is head of client services, facilities, environment, and health and safety, in addition to controlling the associated budgets, procurement, and people management.

It may sound like a lot to take on (and it is!), but it is a role that Alexis finds very fulfilling.

“I love knowing that what I do makes a difference, not just to the success of the business, but to the wellbeing of the great people who work here and the impact the firm is having on the planet. It’s a very rewarding role.

“One part of my job that I particularly enjoy is working on relocation projects and the process of taking a vision to a drawing, making that drawing become a reality, and then helping it to come alive. It’s challenging, and the pressure can be immense, but it’s so satisfying to know that what I’ve just achieved is a significant marker in the firm’s history.

“Renovating and opening Glensanda House is a key landmark in my career journey. I’ve opened and renovated all of our current offices over the years, but that one felt uniquely special. It was such a grand (but challenging) building to work with, in a fabulous location, and a real honour to deliver.

like a huge accomplishment.

“Whilst I’m not sure anyone would consider a global pandemic a ‘highlight’, being given the very daunting responsibility of navigating the firm through that storm will remain a significant career milestone for me.”

It is perhaps no wonder that Alexis has so many highlights during her time at Lodders, given that she has been with the firm for more than half her lifetime!

“I joined the firm as a junior secretary working for Mike Wakeling in the Litigation department at the age of 19. It was my first proper job, having travelled around the world after finishing my A-levels. I knew nothing about Lodders or law, I just needed a job.

“I think I must have seen an advert in the Stratford Herald (back in those days that’s how recruitment was done!), but I can’t remember what made me apply or why I thought I would be remotely suitable! I’d never even typed before and I certainly didn’t know what the word litigation meant, but Mike took a chance on me nonetheless and I will be forever grateful that he did.”

While her role can be very demanding, Alexis always ensures she has time for family, which is something she believes is a cornerstone of Lodders’ culture too.

“Spending time with my two daughters, Darcie and Liv, while they’re still prepared to hang out with their mum is so important to me. Much of my free time is spent at the side of an athletics track coaching and cheering on Darcie and the fabulous squad of young athletes I look after.

“As a firm, we’ve worked hard to instil the need for a healthy work-life balance and the importance of one’s wellbeing, so away from the office I can usually be found at my local health club either on the gym floor, in the pool or lying in the sauna, depending on how my day has gone.

“We appreciate our staff are individuals and it is important to offer them flexibility to work in a way that best suits them. Regulating this and maintaining balance and consistency between groups is a key part of making Lodders the fair, inclusive, and collaborative firm that it is.”