Paula spent eight years at a nearby firm before realising she could aim higher. A recruiter’s call prompted a reality-check: if she was worth fighting for only when she resigned, it was time to look elsewhere. A coffee with long-time mentor Joe Spring convinced her that Steele Raymond matched ambition with genuine support.
On day one Paula worried about a longer commute and the school run, but colleagues simply said, “Sort the hours that work – we need your brain, not your timestamp.” Within a short time after her arrival she co-wrote technical tax updates for the website, has since spoken at client-development breakfasts and, when she asked to follow up a new contact, was told: “Go and do it. … This is for you to drive forward as much as we want to drive it forward with you”.
The Estate Planning and Tax group is a tight, highly experienced group, with Paula and fellow Senior Associate Michelle steering its direction. They run informal lunch and learn sessions for other internal teams, field quick-fire tax questions and are both studying for the Chartered Tax Adviser qualification to deepen the team’s expertise. Different communication styles mean clients can choose the tone that suits them, broadening the team’s reach.
Leadership backs professional ambition with action: Paula’s CTA enrolment was green-lit straight away and senior partners involved her in a strategy discussion about how the practice could grow around her strengths as well as Michelle’s. When personnel changed, support from the top down kept momentum high and encouraged the team to refine, not retreat.
“If you feel boxed-in, look for a firm that buys into you as a person,” Paula says. “Here I’m trusted to drive relationships and develop the service in my own style – that confidence is priceless.”
