Meet the committee member: Kate Hamilton

How long have you been involved with Resolution

I joined Resolution in 2005, shortly after joining Russell‑Cooke as a two‑year qualified solicitor. Since that time, I have trained as a Resolution collaborative lawyer, mediator, hybrid meditator and as a Resolution Together one lawyer. I feel I have very much “grown up” under the Resolution badge.

What committee do you sit on

I have sat as a Committee member on the Specialist Accreditation Scheme for many years, and I was appointed co-chair alongside Michaela Evans of Taylor Emmett. The Specialist Accreditation Committee is an excellent committee to be part of, and when I first joined it was chaired by Peter Jones, whose leadership and humour I still greatly miss.

How have you benefitted from being a member of Resolution?

I thoroughly enjoyed my first couple of years post-qualification, but at that stage Resolution was not a huge focus. I remember going for an interview at around two years’ PQE, being asked about Resolution, and having to admit, rather uncomfortably, that I didn’t really know very much about it at all. That all changed when I joined Russell-Cooke, which is a firm where Resolution’s ethos runs firmly through the family law team. As a junior lawyer, attendance at Resolution events was not so much encouraged but firmly expected, and before long I found myself at so many events or conferences, meeting large numbers of people in the profession and discovering that the networking events were actually really enjoyable. Since then, the ethos of Resolution has genuinely shaped the way I practise. It has guided how I deal with clients, how I deal with opponents, and occasionally how I deal with myself when drafting emails late at night!

What is the one Resolution resource/service/achievement that you want everyone to know about?

The work of the committees. Until I joined a Committee, I just do not think I had fully appreciated Resolution as a policy organisation, constantly pushing family law forward at every opportunity. Looking back, that should probably have been obvious, but when I was more junior I saw Resolution mainly as a source of information, structure and support for practitioners. So much work goes on behind the scenes. The range of work – from international issues to cohabitation, children, and beyond – is all about developing the law and improving the system. Being part of that process is actually quite exciting, and the work of a Committee can genuinely make a difference.

Why did you choose family practice?

When deciding which area to qualify into, my choice came down to family law or Private Finance Initiative (PFI), which are about as different as you can get! I have to admit that my interest in PFI had quite a lot to do with the experience I had as a trainee, which involved flying to Northern Ireland every week with my supervisor to work on a hospital project. We had a great time, but I realised this was perhaps not the right reason for choosing a career path. PFI involved very little client contact and a great many lever-arch files of contracts, whereas family law was entirely the opposite. In the end, the decision was actually quite an easy one.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?

I think that working as a family lawyer is incredibly fulfilling. It can be difficult, stressful, and at times emotionally draining, but it is also interesting, challenging, and never dull. It certainly keeps the brain active. One of the most rewarding moments is when a former client gets back in touch a few years later. In most cases they are much happier and leading a settled life, and it is always nice to feel that you may have played a small part in helping them get there.

 What is the one government policy you would like to see changed or introduced?

Although it is a very topical issue at the moment, it would have to be the law relating to cohabitants. It still astounds me how many people (including some of my friends) believe in the concept of a ‘common law spouse’ and are genuinely shocked to discover that the law does not recognise this at all, often with very unfair results. I very much hope that we will see real progress in this area, and I will be watching with interest to see what happens in the next year.

How do you keep a good work/life balance and look after your wellbeing?

For me, the key has been learning how to switch off. It has definitely required learning rather than being a natural action. I remember years ago covering a colleague’s case while they were on holiday in the US. I would make a decision on the case in the morning, and a few hours later they would log on and send comments from the other side of the Atlantic. When they came back, we had a conversation about it as in reality, they hadn’t switched off and enjoyed a holiday and I had found it impossible to make proper decisions on their case. We both trusted each other and trusted the others judgement – we had a good explore of that issue! From that point onwards, we made a conscious effort as a team to support someone switching off when they are on holiday or whenever they are away of need time off. Having some time away in our team is not only allowed, it is necessary. There are times when you do need to be contacted but we have a ‘deal’ whereby any contact of anyone on holiday has to go through a partner first to check that it really is something that is needed, or that the fee earner would really want to be involved in.

What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in family practice?

If you want to progress in family law, you quickly realise that the job is not just about knowing the law. It is also about managing clients, understanding the firm or departmental figures, and ultimately bringing work in. That means building relationships from a very early stage in your career. The people you meet as a trainee or newly qualified solicitor are often the same people you will still know years later, which is one of the things that makes this area of practice so enjoyable.

If you were not a family solicitor, what would you be doing?

I have recently started doing more yoga and in turn, exploring better breathing patterns and the impact breathing has on your health (it is fascinating) so I am now thinking that I would like to be an Oxygen Advantage Breathing Instructor. I am sure it will change again in  a few years!

What are you most proud of in your career?

My friends sometimes ask why I still enjoy my job and my answer is always the same, I found the right firm. We have always had freedom to practice family law in the right way and follow whichever avenue we think will work for us and I am proud that we have been able to continue that culture and that this is at the heart of how we practice. This job is hard and being in a firm which is supportive and sensible is key to surviving.

What can’t you live without?

Probably my Remarkable tablet — particularly during mediations. When concentrating so hard it is tricky to take notes but at least I can scribble some things down and it is less impersonal then a laptop. It has become an essential tool, especially now that we are paperless. It can also read my writing (unlike anyone else) so I think it is rather impressive!