AWARDS IN CONVERSATION WITH ... THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 BLS AWARDS
We got in touch with winners from this year’s Birmingham Law Society Awards and asked them a few questions about winning their award, their work, their goals and their experiences. The first four of these chats feature below - look out for conversations with more winners in future issues. Is there anyone that you would like to thank who has been instrumental in your success? Claire Darley and Karen Bailey have been a great support over the years and I owe a lot to them. Especially encouraging me to carry on helping victims of domestic abuse when others have discouraged. If you had to make an elevator/ twitter pitch about your day to day role what would it be? Helping families and victims get through the family Law system in one piece and feeling as though they have a support system throughout their journey.
RICHARD PORT MBE SOLICITOR OF THE YEAR
How have you celebrated your win? With family and friends, it hasn’t really sunk in but we just attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of thanksgiving so it was great to celebrate alongside the Queen.
What has the pandemic taught you? Always plan for the unexpected as you never know what can happen. Never expect the future to be a narrow trajectory, as plans can change, sometimes for the better.
Court. Too many victims are made to feel they are crying wolf or that their awful experiences don’t matter. More needs to be done rather than wishful plans. What one thing do you think lawyers need to do to be better? To listen to every client and make them feel respected and worthy of extensive support, regardless of their background or story. I have to explain to professionals which shocks me that victims of domestic abuse can come from all walks of life. Some lawyers also need to ensure that whatever client they see, top client service should a basic given and not a premium add on.
If you could create one new law, what would it be? I am a vocal advocate for tightening the laws on support victims of domestic abuse get in the Family
TROWERS & HAMLINS LLP
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AWARD Answered by Yetunde Dania, Partner Trowers & Hamlins LLP How have you celebrated your win? I took our trophy on a tour of our Birmingham office and it now sit proudly on reception for all to see and enjoy! Is there anyone that you would like to thank who has been instrumental in your success? Rebecca McCormick, Head of PR, who helped with the co-ordination of our submission. If you had to make an elevator/twitter pitch about your day to day role what would it be? I advise social housing sector and private sector landlords and their agents in relation to housing management and residential landlord and tenant non-contentious issues and disputes. My day is spent not only helping my clients achieve their objectives but also my platform to 24
significantly advance the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda in the legal profession and beyond…as well as heading up our Birmingham office! What has the pandemic taught you? To be kinder to each other and to live life to the fullest If you could create one new law what
would it be? For all types of discrimination to be abolished What one thing do you think lawyers need to do to be better? At Trowers we are working hard to improve our diversity and I’d like to see that happening across the legal sector as a whole. birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
