Carol Hopwood
Carpenters Group’s Head of Serious and Catastrophic Injury, Carol Hopwood, discusses the challenges and experiences within the injury sector, and her collaboration with APIL.
Q
Since being appointed Head of Serious and Catastrophic Injury at Carpenters Group in 2018, how has the company grown, and what do you feel you have brought to the table?
A
I am fortunate to have joined such an established and experienced team of lawyers and assistants. In the last 12 months we have grown in head count, introduced new processes that have improved our ability to accurately forecast and deliver results. We have introduced sub specialities within the team to ensure that the right people are dealing with the right cases, and there is a continued focus on how we can continually improve. As well as technical expertise, we understand the importance of a positive client experience and the five-star reviews that the team consistently receive are testament to our focus on the client. Training and development are also key, and we take a proactive approach to succession planning, encouraging the younger members of the team to embrace the opportunities for progression that they have here.
Q
It takes a certain kind of passion and commitment to accumulate the wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge of Serious and Catastrophic Injuries that you have amassed over your career, what has driven your dedication?
A
It’s simple. I love what I do and so dedication naturally flows from that. I take great satisfaction from knowing that our legal expertise can help achieve the best results for our clients. We support our clients and their families through the most difficult of times. It is challenging on many levels, but we are driven to achieve the best possible outcomes. Being part of a process with the ultimate objective of assisting an injured client with their journey to being the best that they can be post-accident, and knowing that they are being properly compensated for their losses as far as money can, is what drives all of us in the team. During my career I have been fortunate enough to have guidance and support from some of the best legal brains in the sector and I see it very much as part of my role to ensure that we are cascading that knowledge and experience to the next generation of lawyers.
30 Carpenters Group Supplement
Q A
What are your key challenges in strengthening the Carpenters Group name in 2020?
We work in a highly competitive area of law and are aware that our results and service levels are critical, and so that has been our priority. We have historically chosen not to advertise or use social media as a platform to broadcast our achievements, preferring instead to channel our efforts into assisting organisations and charities that are directly aligned with the serious injury work that we do. We will be building further on this in 2020.
Q A
What are the main benefits of your collaboration with APIL?
APIL is the voice of its members and is very proactive in fighting against the changes that we believe dilutes or prevents access to justice. My view is that without the work of APIL and other organisations like it, there would have been an even greater erosion of access to justice. The accreditation schemes, training, APIL assistance and expert database are all valuable resources for us.
Q
APIL underpins a culture, which believes that injured people can often be the most vulnerable in society and helping them can make a tangible difference to their lives. Do you think that standards in personal injury law and process are being driven up by these criteria?
A
The vulnerability of injured people at their time of greatest need should not be underestimated. It is very much our responsibility as personal injury lawyers and APIL members to ensure that those vulnerabilities, either pre-existing or accident related, are identified early and that every aspect of the litigation journey considers that vulnerability. A good personal injury lawyer should take a holistic approach to each case ensuring that all needs are identified and a bespoke service provided. We may arrange referral for a benefits check, signpost to a relevant support group or charity or even help to educate friends and family about the
