ILC ARTICLE

New Generation: Liam Hall

5th July 2023

Tell us about your role, and what aspect of it has surprised you most?

I am currently dividing my time between the Multi Track team as a Legal Advisor and the Commerical team for my non-contentious seat as part of my training contract. I am only a short while into my training contract but have been supported very well so far; the team has made sure to consider my input where possible but has also made sure I understood the reasoning behind decisions that might have been above my current level of understanding. It is surprising that those people dealing with the high volume, high cost work of negotiating with sources also have the time to make sure that I am brought up to speed.

Working closely with the Commercial team has introduced me to a different side of the firm. I have worked in personal injury for a number of years at Carpenters Group but being given the chance to interact with our sources and understand what the team does to make sure we always have a good influx of new clients has been eye-opening. I am amazed at the lengths they all go to to make sure that clients can find their way to Carpenters Group after they’ve been involved in such a traumatising event.

Working with the serious injury team in the past has helped me understand that a person’s claim might not end on settlement, with clients keeping their Case Managers and using their compensation for care needs for the rest of their life. Similarly, the Commercial team has proven to me that just as a claim continues post-settlement, the claims process has been well underway before their legal representative becomes involved.

What has been your proudest professional achievement, and why? 

I think up to now, securing my training contract is my proudest professional achievement.

I understand how difficult it is for lawyers to take that next step in their career and to be given the opportunity to do it here at Carpenters Group is fantastic. I pride myself on putting myself in situations that may be above my experience and for this to be recognised with progression makes me so proud. Before the training contract, I was proud to do well in my LPC whilst working full-time and prior to that, getting the opportunity to run my own caseload in the Multi-Track team.

I am still just as proud of my previous achievements, regardless of when they happened. Every decision I have made has got me to where I am today and for that I am grateful.  

How do you see your role changing in the coming 5-10 years?

I see a lot of change coming in the next few years. If all goes well, I hope to qualify as a Solicitor in February 2024. That will definitely open up all different pathways to me across the industry and at Carpenters Group.

Carpenters Group has always been focused on progression and I am happy to be evidence of that. In five years I have gone from being an admin assistant in the Serious Injury team to a fee earner in the Multi-Track team.

I expect my level of experience will only grow as I spend more time with my colleagues who always make sure they are availalble to pass on their knowledge. As my knowledge grows I hope to apply myself to more complex matters and in turn, encourage new lawyers in the same way that I was.

What do you see as the industry’s greatest strength, and its greatest weakness?

I’m a firm believer that the greatest strength in this industry has always been its people and their ability to deal with changing circumstances in the face of adversity. Personal injury has always been a challenging industry and that in turn has attracted a number of different people to work in it. They are willing to go the extra mile and are always empathetic to their clients – they have an understanding of what these clients are going through and try their best to make sure that the level of service they give is bespoke to their clients’ needs.

This enthusiasm has been challenged in the past 18 months but I believe that those in the industry have chosen to stay with the understanding that they can continue to help their clients at the same high level they have always done. That is their own greatest strength.

I’m sure many claimant lawyers will agree with me that the unclear landscape brought in with the recent Civil Liability Act is the greatest weakness. The current issues with the Official Injury Claims Portal and its linked with professionals firms’ own A2A processes has meant that claimants are suffering from unncessecary delays to their claim, only made worse with the reduced damages for the same injuries they would have suffered pre-OIC. It has been clear from the recent figures that many claimants are still choosing to instruct legal representation, particularly from firms that deal with a high volume of claims who would benefit from a proper link to case management systems. Until the A2A issues have been resolved, the OIC portal will remain to be the industry’s biggest weakness.

What does job satisfaction look like to you?

Making sure that I can achieve the best result for my clients, helping them through what is likely to be one of the most traumatic experiences they will have in their lives.