From private practice to Inspired Villages Group: A life-changing career move
Making a life-changing career move
I joined Inspired Villages Group two-and-a-half years ago, after I decided that time recording and billing targets in private practice wasn’t how I wanted to live my life. With a passion for learning and an appetite for new challenges, moving to an in-house role at Inspired Villages Group felt like the perfect fit. I can honestly say I’ve learned more during my time here than I did in my 16 years in private practice – and that really invigorates me.
As the General Counsel at Inspired Villages Group, I sit on the Executive Committee and oversee the entire legal function within our business. You definitely need to be agile to thrive in this dynamic team as every day brings new challenges and opportunities. I’m constantly adapting to the ever-changing needs of the business, always ready to tackle urgent matters at a moment's notice.
Leading and learning through challenges
Because of my varied role, I have the privilege of working with nearly everyone across the business. As a people-person, I consider this a real perk of the job! We have fantastic people at Inspired Villages Group, and I love getting to work with, and learn from, lots of different colleagues.
A particularly proud moment for me was leading our re-finance project last year. It was my first ever banking transaction and a very steep learning curve! I’m incredibly proud of myself and the team for getting it over the line. We were supported by some fantastic external lawyers who really helped educate me as they guided us through the process.
Embracing the unknown
I love learning – my friends say I am an eternal geek! My intellectual curiosity drives me to tackle challenges head-on. I’m not fazed by the unknown and I work well under pressure. After a career in litigation, I’m happy to put in the hard graft and never find myself getting particularly stressed. I take pride in the work I deliver and love seeing projects through to completion. Ticking things off your list always feels good, doesn’t it? And that’s what really motivates me.
One of my most memorable experiences at Inspired Villages Group was speaking at the annual ARCO conference just three months after I started. Being new to the sector, I was really thrown in the deep end – I loved it!
Pursuing personal passions
Outside of work, I’m mother to two (mostly) wonderful teenage children. I love running, good food, nice wine, reading, music, travelling and making memories. A fun fact about me? Earlier this year, my husband and I went to watch the crazy cheese rolling at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire – it was a day full of belly laughs!
A legal career that means more
Everything that happens in the world has an impact on Real Estate, that's what makes it an exciting sector to be part of. It's challenging, it's fun and it's rewarding. So if you're a curious, hard-working lawyer who's looking for a change, it doesn't get much better than working in-house at Inspired Villages Group.
Inspired to join Louise’s team? We’re currently recruiting for an Associate Legal Counsel – apply here: https://jobs.inspiredvillages.co.uk/jobs/vacancy/associate-legal-counsel--edw0082-inspired-villages-head-office-/576/description/ and enjoy being part of our challenging, fun and rewarding environment.
