Meet Rochdale law firm’s newest recruit

Posted by on 7 May 2021

There aren’t many lawyers who have been on a full tour of duty to Iraq but Lisa Davies isn’t your typical solicitor. For the last 20 years Lisa has been a member of the Army Reserve, formerly Territorial Army, and spends every other weekend providing logistical support to recruits who are training and wanting to join.  Now she’s joined Rochdale law firm Molesworths Bright Clegg and is already putting her skills to good use helping the town’s armed forces and veteran personnel.

Lisa turned down job offers nearer to her home in Preston because she was so attracted by Rochdale’s burgeoning reputation.  She said: “I had been offered another role but when the job came up at Molesworths Bright Clegg I knew it was perfect for me.  “Using my first-hand knowledge I hope to build a strong bond with clients and families connected to the armed forces. 

“Bringing together my acumen as both an army reservist and private client solicitor and Molesworths’ commitment to the armed forces community, it’s hoped the firm will be recognised with an Armed Forces Covenant Award.  “I really like working in Rochdale and everyone is so friendly. There’s a great community spirit in the town.” 

Paul Dixon, partner at Molesworths Bright Clegg, said: “We’re incredibly excited to have Lisa join the private client team and she’s already going above and beyond for her clients. Lisa fits in very well with our ethos of putting the community first.

“We’re increasingly finding that people are willing to travel from much further afield to come to work in Rochdale. “Lisa travels in from Preston and I think that reflects Rochdale’s growing reputation.”
Lisa joined the Territorial Army, as was, in 2001 and career highlights have included a six-month deployment at Basra Air Station in Iraq and two assignments to Canada. 

The 38-year-old said: “They’ve been administrative roles rather than on the frontline but they were both a great experience. I worked as a clerk in Basra and I had an operations and deployment planning role in Canada.”  Lisa, who has risen up the ranks to become a staff sergeant, began her legal training in 2009 and, after starting a family, qualified as a solicitor in 2017.
 
When not working in the Army Reserve or as a lawyer, the 38-year-old is a mum to her six-year-old son.  “I like the variety of work and being kept busy,” she said. “As a reservist I could get deployed anywhere but the army are mindful of personnel’s family and civilian employment commitments. 
 
“One of the benefits of the Army Reserve is it gives you extra confidence that you can bring into other areas of your life, like my legal career.  “I go to the Army Reserve every other weekend and provide logistical support to recruits and the instructors who are delivering their basic military training.”  Lisa is also a qualified instructor assessor and mentor and has represented the army at skeleton bobsleigh and the county at ten pin bowling. 

Earlier this year Lisa joined Rochdale-based Molesworths Bright Clegg and is working with private clients on their wills, probate, powers of attorney and trusts. 
The company is offering a 15 per cent discount on wills and power of attorney work to servicemen and women, veterans and their families.