Jonathan
Smithers
Course studied: Law
I hope that my career path shows the benefits of volunteering, giving back to the profession, meeting new people, learning new skills, giving a perspective wider than day-to-day fee earning in a firm.
More about Jonathan
Academic background and university life
I studied a degree in law commencing in 1980 and graduating in 1983. I continued with what was then called the Law Society Finals in 1984. At that time Trent Polytechnic (NTU) was one of only six academic institutions which offered the Law Society Finals outside the College of Law.
My time at the law school was very formative in giving me both an academic background and a practical understanding of legal practice. The skills I acquired enabled me to go straight into the workplace, to continue learning throughout my articles (training contract) and to be able to practice from the moment of qualification. On reflection I think it was also very grounded. It did not claim to be a rarefied academic institution and thus attracted students from all walks of life and taught them accordingly. This was a positive advantage as it reflected real life and the variety of clients for whom I later acted.
Not all my memories should be shared on paper, I was at Trent Polytechnic between the ages of 18 and 22, thankfully before the dawn of social media. I lived in the halls of residence on the Clifton campus for the first two years and spent one or two evenings in the Student Union Bar!
I do have a very strong recollection of the collegiality between the students on the course. As I visited recently, I saw the seating area outside LT 4 and was immediately transported back to my time as a student, spending many happy hours talking with, laughing (hopefully no crying!) and forging friendships. In many ways those were as formative as the academic learning, I hope they still are for the students today. It was for me a very important part of the growing up experience of university life.
Career path
I started work as an articled clerk in a firm of solicitors a few weeks after finishing the finals, in September 1984. The firm, Cooper Burnett, was in my hometown of Tunbridge Wells. The articles were for two years, finishing in August 1986. I qualified as a solicitor and was admitted on October 15, 1986. I stayed at the firm rising through the ranks as an assistant solicitor, salaried partner, equity partner, managing partner and finally senior partner. I left in 2016 when I came to Australia to be the CEO of the Law Council of Australia.
I became involved in the Tunbridge Wells Tunbridge and District Law Society early in my career, becoming its president in 2002. I then joined the Council of Kent Law Society, becoming its President in 2006. I joined the Council of The Law Society in Wales in 2007 as the member for the Kent constituency. I became President of the Law Society in 2015/16.
Giving back
Rather than aiming for achievements, I was then and still am delighted to have the opportunity to serve the profession and the community that has in turn given me so much. I was able to volunteer to sit on many boards and committees, to offer my knowledge and to learn. By doing so I was able to rise into leadership positions, to the Presidency of the Law Society in 2015/16, coincidentally the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, which then lead onto being offered the opportunity to lead the Australian legal profession at the Law Council of Australia. That in turn lead onto my being able to transfer skills to the charity sector, being the CEO for five years of Arthritis Australia, advocating, supporting and conducting research on behalf of over 5 million Australians with arthritis. Now I am back into the professional sector at the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association (ARITA), a membership organisation advocating, providing support, and education for those working in the sector.
The world of work is now much more competitive and perhaps more commercial from an earlier stage than it was for me, although I think it is more equal, less hierarchical, perhaps less dependent on which school or university you have attended to get ahead. Having said that I hope that my career path shows the benefits of volunteering, giving back to the profession, meeting new people, learning new skills, giving a perspective wider than day-to-day fee earning in a firm. Whilst studying hard getting good results and applying yourself is essential to start with, progress in whatever path you choose will be assisted by giving something back. "The world belongs to those who show up" is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Don't just show up to work, if you are in the profession show up for the profession as well.
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STUDENT PROFILE
Christian Weaver
Barristers Training Course (BTC)https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/courses/our-students-stories/law/Nottingham-Law-School-alumni-fellow-launches-book
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STUDENT PROFILE
Jon Carter-Lang
Master of LawsUnited Kingdom
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/courses/our-students-stories/law/jon-carter-lang
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STUDENT PROFILE
Abbey Carroll
Sports LawUnited Kingdom
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/study-and-courses/courses/our-students-stories/law/abbey-carroll