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I started my role in the First Response Unit (FRU) in September 2015, shortly after graduating from Cardiff University in July. Whilst I was a student I worked part-time in various retail positions, and for a brief period I was a supervisor at a local skate and streetwear store.

Having worked in various customer-facing roles previously, joining a customer service-focused department like FRU seemed like the next logical step.

I live locally, and it only takes me around 15 minutes to walk in to the office. I would be lying if I said I was much of a morning person, I usually get my things ready for work the night before. This allows for that precious extra 15 minutes in bed.

The FRU team is the first point of contact for new and existing clients coming into the business. The bulk of the day’s work consists of calls from business partners and directly from clients. Most clients don’t require legal assistance, so we have to focus on helping as many injured clients to ensure they get the best service and quickly.

The most interesting aspect of working in FRU is getting to see the full spectrum of cases coming into the business. Every day provides new and interesting cases, and the next day will always provide different challenges to the last. My role involves answering questions that may be related to personal injury from small claims to catastrophic injuries, directing customer to the wills, employment law or medical negligence departments. We have employment and public liability cases too. The calls can be distressing for the caller and my role involves keeping calm and ensuring I am collecting the key information correctly to ensure a smooth process for my colleagues who work on the case.

The best part about working in FRU is the sense of reward you get from dealing with particular cases. Knowing that you’ve played a significant part in a client’s journey to recovery, and provided them with a level of service that they will remember. FRU has a reputation for being a fun department to work in. Monthly incentives and competitions help us to drive performance, as well as giving the department a lively and competitive atmosphere.

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I have been working as a Business Analyst since January 2016. Prior to this I was team manager for the Uninsured Loss Recovery team (ULR) for 7 years.

As a team manager for ULR, I oversaw both pre litigated and litigated cases with a team of 11 people in our Cardiff and Bristol offices. The meaning of pre-litigation is for both sides to try and resolve the situation within a strict time-frame, before commencing legal proceedings. It was a very challenging role, but also rewarding. Working with my team we achieved our annual targets for each of the seven years.

My role as a Business Analyst is very different. I was keen to broaden my business knowledge and thought it would be a good opportunity for me. Fortunately, I was successful and started in January 2016.

In the role I’ve gained invaluable experience and increased my commercial awareness. My work includes catching up with project managers, providing updates and discussing potential risks that could impact projects I’m working on at the time. I then meet stakeholders throughout the day, to discuss their department’s needs, gaining as much information as possible to determine the scope of the project.

One of my largest projects was for the OPL (Occupation Public Liability) department. This involved finding out what changes could be made to help the department’s claims process run more smoothly. I enjoy meeting with heads of department and team managers, working together to improve processes.

This type of project can take several months due to the complexity and sheer scale, and requires stakeholder buy-in and final sign off.

The next step is often working with IT and the MI (Management Information) teams to obtain technical solutions. Finally working with IT to ensure the requirements are signed off by the stakeholder, is developed and tested.

I love the variety, and being able to see projects through to the end. I learned a lot being a team manager however, my role as Business Analyst has given me a different view of how the business works. It means that I am involved in the whole business rather than constrained in one area. Being accountable gives me satisfaction for my personal growth, as well as the growth of the business.

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I achieved an LLB (3rd Class Honours) in 2008 and did my LPC part time whilst working at a law firm in Liverpool to gain experience.

I applied for a training contract at a large Liverpool firm but was turned down at application stage because my degree wasn’t good enough. It really knocked my confidence and I started thinking I’d never qualify as a solicitor. After researching I realised I could become a Chartered Legal Executive which has parity with Solicitors. We were never told about alternative routes into law at University, it was always drummed into us that the only route was Degree, LPC then a training contract.

I moved to NewLaw in April 2015 working on the MOJ team. Within a year I was promoted to the role of Litigator and worked my way via the CILEx to qualify as a Fellow. I cross qualified as a solicitor in October 2016 and now work in the Fast Track team. The whole process from degree completion to practising certificate took 8 years - that’s 5 years longer than conventional qualification - but I gained valuable experience and was able to fund my career, working as I progressed.

Each day varies. I normally think about my day ahead whilst travelling on the train, spending my commute prioritising what I need to do and writing it in my diary. I try to stick to my list as it’s the only way I can ensure I’m on top of things - but my planning is often overtaken by the days events.

It’s vital that a client’s case is understood fully, from both the clients perspective as well as what happened in the incident. I then work with experts to ensure my clients’ needs are met, obtaining witness and medical reports and ensuring that anything they may require in the future is included in the case I put forward on their behalf.

It can often feel like juggling plates, staying on top of litigation deadlines, hitting targets and ensuring clients are updated and responded to on a regular basis but it’s really enjoyable. You learn to expect the unexpected and be adaptable and willing to drop everything when needed. Having said that, my day is never dull and time most definitely flies.

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Jo Darlington leads the serious injury team in the Bristol office, here she talks about her life as a serious injury solicitor.

Tell us about your work...

When I first joined NewLaw I took on some established cases from a colleague who was retiring, as well as taking on new clients too.

This makes my job fascinating because every client is different and each has their own story to tell. The client is likely to require help and support at every stage of the process, which is usually over and above legal advice, which is what I am here to provide. The relationship between solicitor and client in a serious injury case is a very close one and it involves a client trusting that his or her solicitor has their best interests at heart. Unfortunately there are times when I have to deliver bad news, which I try to do face to face, and at other times I convey positive news.

My role can be emotional as well as a practical and a legal one.

How long does each case take?
A serious injury case can take between 2 to 5 years to reach a conclusion. This is because it is necessary to consider, with the assistance of medical and other experts what a client will need in terms of care and support for the rest of his or her life, and whether or not they can return to work. It can be a very long process involving rehabilitation both in hospitals and at home which can include, the help of therapists who are specialists i.e. occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, neuropsychologists and so on.

Children's cases often take longer to resolve than adult cases due to the fact that they are still growing which overlaps with the recovery process. It is vital to work out what the precise impact of the injury will be throughout the education years and beyond into working life.

How is your office organised?
The serious injury team is made up of 7 solicitors, a trainee solicitor and a paralegal with the assistance of two welfare officers who are experts in advising our clients about state benefits and associated issues, such as the Blue Badge system (to access disability parking). We are a mixed team of men and women, with the oldest being 46 (me) and the youngest at 23. The team predominantly work for clients with brain injuries and with clients that have severe orthopaedic injuries, which includes amputations, who have often been injured in a road traffic accident.

Across the team we act for many clients who have been injured in motor bike accidents. Their cases have some specific complexities which we are all familiar with.

One of the benefits of working in a team structure like this is that we can all become familiar, to a certain extent, with each other's cases. If a client rings up and their solicitor is away from the office then another team member can help them.

Do you find it hard to separate your work and personal life?
I usually pack up around 6pm and drive home listening to Eddie Mair on Radio 4. I do think about my cases outside the office (quite a lot) but make a point of not picking up emails after 7pm unless there is something specific I am looking out for.

I also do not take work with me on holiday although I have been known to talk about technical points with my husband, who happens to be a personal injury barrister. Working as a serious injuries lawyer is rewarding and interesting. I feel really fortunate to have the opportunity to do so.

Since writing and publishing this article, Jo Darlington has been promoted to Head of Brain Injury at NewLaw Scotland LLP.

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