In this instalment of Realm Talks To…, family law recruitment specialist Michaela caught up with Joanne Raisbeck, Partner and Head of Family at Hill Dickinson. During their chat, Joanne shared what she looks for in a lawyer when recruiting for her team, what she is looking to achieve in the future and her go-to karaoke song.
If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what would have been your plan B?
I always knew law was for me, so never really contemplated any other career. However, I do love writing and travelling, so the idea of combining these together, perhaps as a travel writer really does appeal to me. What could be better than exploring different cities around the world whilst at the same time meeting new people and learning about their cultures.
What do the next 12 months look like for you and your team?
My team has doubled in size over the last year but during this period we have not really had the opportunity to spend very much time together. For me therefore, the next 12 months will be about coming together, sharing knowledge, and driving forward our shared aspiration for future growth.
When it comes to recruiting, what do you look for in a lawyer?
The relationship a family lawyer has with their clients is unique and the impact a human approach can have on a vulnerable client is immeasurable.
Whilst technical excellence is of course very important, it is an individual’s ability to show respect, humility, and compassion that I consider sets apart a good family lawyer from one who is truly exceptional. These X-factor qualities are a key component of what I look for. The sensitive nature of our work can also be challenging as well as emotionally draining, making a good sense of humour and a supportive ethos towards each other essential.
At Hill Dickinson our people are at the heart of all we do – we were recently recognised as the Best Law Firm for work/life balance at the annual Legal Cheek Awards and so cultural fit, along with a passion for sharing our core values of trust, innovation, collaboration, and respect are vital.
Is there anything career-wise you’d still like to achieve?
Although in my career I have worked with some amazing lawyers on some truly fantastic cases, I still feel like I have only just started. In this sense, I hope the best moments of my career are still to come.
We are a young, ambitious team with a shared desire to grow and I would love to have a successful family law team presence across all our UK offices. I am also very lucky to work with a wonderful team of talented, driven lawyers and so it is important to me to ensure I do all I can to help them to achieve their own individual career goals and truly flourish.
What TV show are you currently bingeing?
I actually have two shows on the go at the moment. I am re-running the West Wing as the first time I watched it I was so sleep deprived with young babies I didn’t really appreciate how amazing it was. However, for those times when I just need to zone out completely, my guilty pleasure show must be Married at First Sight Australia – I love it.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
I like to joke with my teenage children that I could have been a famous singer rather than a lawyer (my singing is terrible) and I have several Prince songs I love to belt out. I think however the go to track to cause my children complete embarrassment is probably Purple Rain. I can visualise them rolling their eyes right now!
About Joanne Raisbeck
Joanne is a Partner and Head of Family at Hill Dickinson Solicitors. Joanne has been recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by the Legal 500 and is ‘Top Ranked’ by chambers. She is an expert in all areas of family law and specialises in dealing with complex and high-net-worth financial matters on divorce and in preparing pre-nuptial/post-nuptial agreements.
