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About me

I knew I wanted to be an Employment Lawyer in 2012, when I studied the module during my law degree as a mature student with the Open University. I volunteered at my local Citizens Advice bureaux at the time and it was the employment issues that fascinated me the most, mainly because employment matters are very much about people and how they interact with each other, which I find extremely interesting.

Employment law is constantly evolving, extremely varied and no two days are ever the same. One day I can be advising an individual client on the terms and effect of a settlement agreement between them and their employer, the next, drafting a defence to an Employment Tribunal Claim for a large international corporation.

I joined Harrison Clark Rickerbys in 2015 and have worked, studied and trained in this dynamic and varied area of law ever since, qualifying as a Solicitor in 2020.

I work mainly for employer clients, in particular, the firm’s largest client, a major international airline, but I also assist local authorities, NHS Trusts, and various SME companies. I also assist individuals looking for advice on problems they are experiencing with their employers, offering advice on their employment rights and outlining the options available to them.

I believe in fairness and equality in the workplace and have a passion for helping people. I am friendly, personable and very practical in my approach and always strive to achieve the best possible outcome for my clients. The challenges my clients face become my challenges and I offer practical advice and emotional support, working hard to come up with effective solutions to the issues they face. I love being part of the wider Employment team as we are all so passionate about what we do.

I also like helping people outside of my job and volunteer with local organisations whenever I can. I’m very sociable and when I’m not at work, I like to spend time with my  family and friends, whether that’s at home, out exploring the beautiful UK countryside or travelling further afield. I like being outdoors and enjoy cooking, swimming, walking, camping and travelling and have recently discovered and embraced the wonderful benefits of mindfulness and Yoga.

Expert advice for volunteers who help others

Like every other worker in 2020, the volunteer advisers of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) have been through the wringer with the trials of isolation and remote working. But as a 20,000 strong network of unpaid workers who give their spare time willingly, often around other jobs, the effects often feel more severe. Earlier this year the CAB, via a volunteer, approached Harrison Clark Rickerbys for assistance in supporting staff. Advisers and staff overwhelmingly wanted a webinar in employment law and Heidi Cooper, an employment and immigration solicitor, stepped up to the plate to deliver online training for all CAB staff in Hereford and Worcester. She said: “The Citizens Advice Bureau provide an extremely valuable service, supporting those who often don’t know where to turn for advice. With the strain of Covid-19 on many people’s jobs, the volunteers were receiving more employment questions than ever before, and in a complex and evolving area of law, it is important to stay up to date. “I was more than happy to give a little time to those who give a lot and I am looking forward to running another session for them (specifically on redundancy) in September/October time, towards the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, when redundancies will, sadly, be very relevant.” And according to Gwen Fraser, Volunteer Operations and Training Manager for CAB, who acknowledged that “at this time, it is more important than ever for us to be able to respond to our volunteers' wants and needs”, Heidi’s input was exactly the tonic required: “Heidi delivered that webinar in spades yesterday. She is so incredibly enthusiastic about her role and her sheer delight in her chosen area of law was like a breath of fresh air to all of us struggling with trying to fathom out how to advise our clients facing redundancies, discrimination, apparently unfair practices and the fallout from the pandemic. An extremely complex area of law! Her presentation slides were excellent, to the point and pitched at just the right level for advisers with no legal background. She spoke fluently and knowledgeably and gave thorough and detailed answers to questions from the group at exactly the right level for the educated layman. I have been overwhelmed with positive feedback from the attendees, including one from a professional online trainer saying it was one of the best online sessions they had ever been on, alongside other comments about the training being 'useful', 'brilliant' and 'extremely helpful'. It was a thoroughly professional and useful session delivered in such a friendly and engaging manner that I hope you will allow Heidi to do another session for us soon.”  
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