Partnership First For Bushey Legal Executive Lawyer

13 May 2009 pr028.09

Jane Fisher, a Legal Executive lawyer with the Bushey branch of law firm, Philip Ross Solicitors, has become the first Legal Executive Lawyer in Hertfordshire to be made a Partner in a law firm.

Jane has been formally made a Partner in her law firm under the changes brought about by the Legal Services Act 2007. Prior to the passing of the Act Legal Executive lawyers were not allowed to take up a partnership offer in a law firm.

A property specialist, Jane began studying for her Legal Executive qualifications in 1995 achieving membership of the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) in 2003 and her Fellowship of the Institute in 2005.

A mother of two children, Jane worked part-time in the property letting business before she decided to change career in 1994, working for a small law firm in Bushey as a legal processor. . Jane started with Philip Ross Solicitors in April 2001, where she was employed to set up a dedicated remortgaging department. At the time, she had one broker providing her with work. By April 2007, she had built up the department to a staff of 17 and 250 brokers providing instructions.

She says, “The senior partner had asked me prior to the implementation of the Legal Services Act whether I would like to be a partner of the firm when the Act came into force on March 31st. I was thrilled and honoured to be asked and to be rewarded for the hard work I had put in to creating a successful department. It gives me a status with the clients and providers, a number of whom have already expressed their delight at my success.”

“My congratulation to Jane on being the first Legal Executive Partner in the Hertfordshire area. This is richly deserved,” said ILEX President, Mark Bishop. ”Partnership is not only a significant milestone for Jane, but also the Institute and its 24,000 members. We have lobbied for many years for our members to be given the recognition they deserve.

“Partnership is another indication of the growing importance of Legal Executives in the legal workplace. Many members like Jane have been performing at partner level for years and their skill and expertise can finally be acknowledged through partnership.”

Commenting on the partnership, Victoria Mellon, Head of Residential Conveyancing at Philip Ross said, “We could not be more delighted to finally be able to have Jane join the ranks of partner in our firm. Jane’s skills and job performance are equal to any of our solicitors and we believe having Jane in the role of partner will help promote our business and bring added benefit to both Jane’s own department and the firm as a whole.”

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