CooperBurnett’s Practice Manager, Laura Mathias-Clay, joined the firm in February 2013. She came from a property company in London where she looked after HR and business development; prior to this she was a property manager.
Laura obtained a degree in Geography from the University of Portsmouth in 1996 and, more recently, achieved a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
She was initially brought onboard to look after HR but, over the past 12 months, her role has altered to include more of a focus on special projects. This year, these have included implementing the GDPR and, more recently, working towards the introduction of a new case management system across the firm.
It is set to go live on 8 October this year and is what Laura describes as a ‘huge exercise’.
“There’s a lot of work involved to hit the launch date but it will offer much more transparency in the information we can share across the firm,” she explains. “We will all be able to work more efficiently in terms of work flow and processes. In the end, while not paperless, we will be paper light.”
In terms of implementing the GDPR across the practice, Laura has been part of a committee at CooperBurnett, which includes Associate Solicitors Katie Hilsdon and Thomas Newlyn.
Laura’s role includes some IT, a little background HR work, health and safety, administration, and keeping up with regulations and compliance.
“She is an invaluable support to our Management Board; if something emerges from one of our meetings that needs doing, Laura, with her skills and experience, is usually the person we ask to do it,” says Victoria Sampson, Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial Services at CooperBurnett. “She’s exceptionally organised.”
Victoria adds that Laura is also one of the ‘go to’ people in the firm if anyone needs to talk.
Laura explains: “We all spend a lot of our life here and we get on as a team extremely well. I’m always ready with an ear if somebody needs a chat.”
She adds that it’s obvious CooperBurnett has an excellent reputation locally.
“If you mention the CooperBurnett name, people have heard of us,” Laura says. “As a firm, we are very hands on with our clients. Nothing is formulated; everything is individual and tailored to that particular client. It’s clear that whatever happens, clients always come first and that attitude filters down from the Partners to everyone in the firm.”
She continues: “The culture here and resultant information flow is very open and the Management Board encourages that.”
In addition to her other roles, Laura also supports the apprentices and young people which CooperBurnett brings into the firm.
“We are very keen on growing our own talent and many of the people here joined us when they were quite young and have developed their careers here,” she says.
When she’s not at work, Laura enjoys ballroom and Latin dancing, which she has been introduced to via her two daughters.
