WELCOME SIOBHAN
We are excited to announce that Siobhan Howard-Palmer has joined Horsfield Menzies as a Legal Director in the Employment team. I managed to sit down and ask her some questions about her career to date and here’s what she had to say:
What’s your career journey been to date?
I think the most appropriate word here is varied! I’ve worked in big international firms and small boutique firms, across the country. I’ve lived in four different cities, worked out of five different cities (including London) and also worked in-house for a global Fortune 500 company. It’s been wonderful. I’ve had the benefit of working for clients in different industries, nationally and internationally, and the experience I’ve gained, and the relationships I have built, with clients, contacts and colleagues, has been really special. I’ve also been fortunate to work in roles where my passions and interests that aren’t simply “employment lawyering” have been supported. This has allowed me to build my niche in acting for individuals specifically in relation to discrimination, become a manager at a very junior stage, build a pro bono function from scratch and develop and hone my skills and abilities as an investigator.
What’s been your career highlight?
Am I allowed to have two?!
Getting (both myself and my firm at the time) shortlisted for (and receiving) awards relating to pro bono and the pro bono function that I set up.
I started informally managing trainees at a very early stage in my career and have, throughout my roles, continued to manage and supervise. Watching these junior individuals grow, develop and become fantastic lawyers has been particularly rewarding.
What excites you about joining Horsfield Menzies?
Horsfield Menzies is a unique firm. Within it are extremely competent, experienced, fantastic individuals with a clear vision and passion for the firm’s values and ambition – to be people-focused. Everyone is in it together and although I have only been working here for a short time you can already feel the familial trust and support between colleagues, and their real care for clients and client relationships.
The fact that this isn’t just a law firm offering legal services, but it also values and offers a number of other complementary services all relating to people (e.g. tax advice, immigration, HR Consultancy, training, investigations) was a huge factor for me in choosing to come and work here. I am an experienced investigator and wanted to keep building that experience in a firm where investigations are an identified offering. I am excited to be part of a firm where the other skills and services which compliment being a good employment lawyer are recognised and developed for the benefit of clients. I believe that these additional services and skills are going to become more and more important, with the changes to employment rights and the fast-paced emergence of AI. However, I am particularly excited because my main focus alongside the lawyering will be to build an executive coaching offering, specifically for middle and senior managers/individuals, junior professionals and teams. In more recent years coaching has been recognised as a valuable service for individuals and companies alike. My experience as a manager, investigator and lawyer has given me a unique insight into the power of listening, supporting and motivating. Coaching sits so perfectly alongside the other services Horsfield Menzies offers (because it is all about retaining, supporting and growing people) it very much feels like I was destined to be here.
What do you like to do when you’re not busy lawyering?
I have a huge love of music of all genres and decades (particularly the 90s when I was learning the dances to the Spice Girls and the chords of Oasis on the guitar). I have sung in choirs/bands most of my life (including singing on a single released for Teenage Cancer Trust – my singing claim to fame) and particularly enjoy a live concert/gig, especially if I can have a dance at the same time. I also love a bit of escapism such as the theatre, the cinema, watching a local (League two!) football match or reading a good book.
Contact Siobhan HERE