Meet the committee member: Jo Carr-West
How long have you been involved with Resolution?
I was a member as a trainee but joined as a full member shortly after I qualified, so in total about 22 years.
What committees do you sit on?
I chair the Financial Remedies Committee (formerly the Pensions, Tax and Financial Remedies Committee).
Why did you want to get involved with Resolution?
From an early point in my career I appreciated the benefits of the Code of Practice and the self-regulation that imposes on us as family lawyers. Over time, Resolution has also allowed me to meet other people who also want to make a difference in family practice and (I hope) together, we are slowly changing the tide.
How have you benefitted from being a member of Resolution?
The world of family law can feel quite lonely and combative at times. You are working with very complex and delicate matters and with clients who can be really struggling emotionally. Resolution has allowed me to meet like-minded colleagues and share ideas, techniques and thoughts on how to make family law work better for our clients and produce better outcomes for all families going through what can be a very difficult time.
What’s the one Resolution resource/service/achievement that you want everyone to know about?
Resolution Together has been a fantastic addition to the family law space in the past few years. It embraced the legal opportunities that came with no-fault divorce and it now allows clients to separate in a non-confrontational way that saves time, money and hopefully goodwill between the parties. I am proud that Hunters was one of the first firms to embrace this with our Resolve offering, and we have had very positive feedback from clients who have gone through the process.
Is there a Resolution resource not currently available that you would love to see?
At Hunters we have worked to include holistic practice and practice supervision within our team. This means that we understand that family lawyers often need more than just legal support to produce the best work. All of our team have access to supervisors outside the firm that they can speak to confidentially to provide support for all areas of their practice, be they emotional struggles, work pressures or negotiating difficult clients. I would like to see Resolution integrating this type of resource into their offer to members.
What would you say to encourage more members to become volunteers with Resolution?
I would say, just take the leap. It is a commitment, and it can take up some time. But I have consistently found that it has given me and my practice much more than I have given it, in terms of support, advice and long-lasting friendships.
Why did you choose family practice?
I was always keen to work in an area of law where you can see the difference you are making to clients every day. It is a bit of a cliché but I feel that family is an area of law where you are dealing with a client in their totality and providing support for them that is sometimes broader than strict legal advice.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
The most rewarding moments are when I can show a client, who might have arrived vulnerable and feeling hopeless, that they are strong in themselves and that there is a future for them and their family after a relationship breakdown.
What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
The hardest moments are always seeing a client struggling, often at the darkest moments in their lives, and sadly realising that there might not be any legal remedy to assist them. It can make you feel powerless, no matter how far along you might be in your career.
What do you think have been the biggest changes in family practice/the family justice system since you started out?
One of the biggest changes has been the increase in women in leadership roles in the legal sector. It has been fantastic to see so many brilliant women contributing in their unique ways to family practice and making it better for all those who experience it, especially female clients. To see Barbara Mills KC as Chair of the Bar Council is a fantastic indication of how far we have come. There is far more to do, of course, but the landscape has certainly changed.
What’s the one government policy you would like to see changed or introduced?
Family law is continuing to evolve and I would like to ensure that future change always considers, and indeed prioritises, those most vulnerable and unheard voices in family justice. By this I mean alternative family structures including cohabiting couples who currently have no legal protection, and domestic abuse victims whose abuse still isn’t adequately recognised within financial remedy proceedings.
How do you keep a good work/life balance and look after your wellbeing?
When I’m dealing with complex financial matters all day, actually just getting through the front door at home and immersing myself in my own family’s life makes all the difference. And for the moments when I need to realise that the world is a bigger place – going for a run in the countryside close to my home always helps me to reset.
What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in family practice?
I would say to not underestimate the importance of having a good bedside manner. Clients will value you if you can appreciate them and what they have been through. The best cases I have run have been when I have tried to walk in my client’s shoes and truly understand their concerns, to then help them find a way forward.
If you were not a family solicitor, what would you be doing?
It is so difficult to choose. The older I get, the more interesting careers I discover that weren’t on the careers adviser’s list at school.
Who or what inspires you?
It is probably a bit cheesy but my daughters are quite a source of inspiration. Watching them challenge themselves and come out the other side bouncing with the success of having done it, makes me realise if they can, so can I.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I have been at Hunters for over 20 years. In that time I have seen the family team grow from a small team in which I was the only associate to a team of over 20 excellent lawyers and support staff we have today. I am so proud to have been part of making that happen and to work with such excellent people every day.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I wish I could explain to my younger self that that feeling you are feeling is called imposter syndrome. It’s real, it’s pernicious and the moment you realise how silly it is, you’ll start to feel a whole world better.
Choose three words that best describe you.
This is a question I usually ask in interviews so it is funny to have the tables turned. A colleague generously described me as an ‘empathetic problem solver’ – I try my best!
What can’t you live without?
I should say my family but with a terrible dose of middle-class angst, it is my weekly sourdough order.
Jo is a partner at Hunters Law