Mid-career Joe Spring swapped a busy Thames Valley practice for Dorset’s calmer pace and quality of life. Life was comfortable until a call from Steele Raymond’s Jenny Rogerson landed. The partners wanted to transform the firm’s existing wills and probate practice into a private client offering on a par with leading specialist commercial teams. This was, in Joe’s words, “the closest I’ll get to running my own firm without having to set up on my own”. She joined, certain that the role would let her build her vision while keeping the collaborative support of an established practice.
Working alongside supportive partners, Joe refocused the team on sophisticated, specialist matters that matched their expertise. By refining processes, adjusting pricing to reflect technical skill and recruiting where needed, she positioned the team to handle high-value work. Within a year, the unit was profitable and colleagues were surpassing new benchmarks aligned with their professional strengths.
After laying the initial foundations, Joe and fellow partner Louise Maidment redesigned the private-client service, creating a focused, specialist structure that brings estate planning, will drafting, probate and disputes expertise together under one roof. The result is an integrated offering that embodies Steele Raymond’s commitment to deep technical skill, seamless collaboration and standout client service. Joe sums it up simply: “To give expert advice you need experts, and we have them.”
Steele Raymond’s culture is founded on a bedrock of openness. The floor is physically and mentally open: “Nobody knows everything” is the ground rule, so questions are encouraged at any time. This openness enables good communication and shared experience, connecting all members of the team and driving them forward as a cohesive unit. Difficult matters are surfaced in informal reviews; if a relationship isn’t working the file moves, without blame.
Every matter benefits from having the right level of expertise, with lawyers and support team members working together across files to provide the absolute best service to the client. Collaboration is constant – anyone can propose an improvement, the team tests it immediately, and the best ideas become standard practice, all to enhance the client experience.
At Steele Raymond, delivering top-tier, focused advice goes hand in hand with a genuinely supportive culture – what we promise is exactly what you’ll experience.
Joe’s own bar for new hires is simple: people who love what they do and want to keep learning. Those who fit keep the atmosphere open, decent and collaborative.
Joe’s journey shows what happens when a firm trusts your judgment. If you’re looking to join a private-client team where you’ll have genuine influence, backed by partners who provide resource, challenge and respect in equal measure, Steele Raymond could be the right fit. Bring your expertise and your ideas – you’ll find the support to make them happen.
