FAMILY LAW 2 8 FAMI LY VALUE S 21 JUNE 2014


A few minutes with Jolene Hutchison…


Jolene Hutchison, 34, is a Family lawyer and Partner at Blaser Mills. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two-year-old son.


When I am asked about why I chose a career in law, my reply should probably be the cliché that “it was a desire to make a difference”. Te real truth is that


it excites me and I like a challenge. What does it take to do my day job? You need


to be able to react quickly and empathise with your clients who, more often than not, are going through a very difficult time emotionally. If you can combine your knowledge and compassion to positively help a client, it has been a good day!


Te media helps to keep Family law in the


spotlight, good or bad. Although it’s not all about high profile celebrity divorce cases being aired in public! As Head of the Family Department at Blaser Mills, my day can involve anything from discussing complex tax issues with accountants about multi-jurisdictional cases or handling a divorce revolving around who will get the Holiday Villa in France, through to researching schools and Ofsted reports for clients who disagree with their ex-partner about educational standards. Needing to stay ahead of the game does give me an excuse to keep an eye on the gossip columns though, along with my essential legal reading.


So how did I decide that Family Law was for me? To begin with, deciding on my course choices was a bit like choosing lottery numbers and as a teenager embarking on a law degree, I recall being baffled by course choices with names including words like ‘constitutional’, ‘administrative’ and ‘tort’. However, I always seemed to lean towards Family law, even though I did have loose designs on becoming a criminal solicitor, having undertaken some very exciting work experience in the Crown Court at the age of 16. Law has a reputation of being a very serious


discipline but I had to question that concept at a very early stage, when I walked into a lecture at University to find Eddie the Eagle Edwards in my class... quite a surreal moment! Tat was quickly followed by the shock realisation that three years of study was not enough and that I would have to undertake a further year’s study (diploma in legal practice) before I could start as a trainee lawyer. It was not until I had secured a training contract with Blaser Mills that I realised my real passion lay in Family Law work and that the cliché was true - I could make a difference. I have always been very driven; my goal was to


make partnership by the age of 40. Trough sheer determination, I actually achieved this at the age of 30. I have made Blaser Mills my career home. It’s about the people and not the game. One strength is that the firm has many strong females in high positions from whom I have learnt a great deal. I find that setting personal targets keeps me


motivated. I have become a master at multitasking and as a working mum, family is personally important to me and gives me an additional insight into my working life. On your progression through the firm, you spend your early career aligning yourself with everyone


Jolene (right), alongside John Chapman (left) Barrister, Pump Court Chambers


“Going from a trainee lawyer to Head of Department means my work relationships have evolved, although I’ve maintained a solid grounding and my door remains open to all”


in the firm, especially the support staff who have the practical know-how which is essential to any trainee lawyer trying to prove their worth. Going from a trainee to qualified lawyer, partner and then Head of Department means that my work relationships have evolved, although I still feel I have maintained a solid grounding and my door remains open to all. Lawyers don’t get training in management, you


learn on the job. Come to think of it, neither do we get training in marketing or business development but it is all part of today’s law firm. Lawyers aren’t just lawyers anymore and we bring that ‘can do’ attitude to all aspects of our work. No two days in the office are ever the same.


However, a typical day starts at 7.30-8am and since having my son, I always try to ensure that I am home to spend some quality time with him before sending him off to bed. Having preferred to remain close to my family, I embark on the one-hour commute between home and the office and often use that time to plan and consider cases. Tis takes me from mum to lawyer and gets me in the zone… I used to joke when I was pregnant that I would end up giving birth on the side of the motorway. I base myself in High Wycombe but I work across the network of Blaser Mills’ offices, so we can offer our services to clients at any of our six locations. PLAN B for me was to be a florist. I liked the idea


of being surrounded by amazing floral bouquets but I’m not sure I could cope with the darker side of the job; funerals… a reason why Wills and Probate law was not for me!


Jolene Hutchison is a Partner and Head of the Family Department at Blaser Mills and has specialised in family law work throughout her career. Since Jo became Head of the Family Department, Blaser Mills has been recognised as a leading law firm for Family law in the Legal 500. Jolene specialises in high net worth financial cases and complex private law children matters often involving residence and contact disputes. She also regularly advises clients in respect of entering into Pre-nuptial agreements in light of the changes brought about by the decision of the UK Supreme Court in Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42. Recent cases conducted by Jo include prenuptial agreements surrounding multi-million pound assets. Jo is a committed member of Resolution; an organisation of over 5,000 lawyers and family justice professionals who believe in a non-confrontational approach to family law.


Contact information: Jolene Hutchison, Partner & Head of the Family Department, Blaser Mills Email: jfh@blasermills.co.uk Tel: 01494 478603 Blaser Mills website: www.blasermills.co.uk


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