My squiggly career journey has led to a rewarding role at Co-op Legal Services

Probate Team Leader, Laura Hatton, shares her career journey working in Insurance and Funeralcare before making the switch to Co-op Legal Services.

My squiggly career

Prior to joining Co-op, I studied English at university, working part time in retail, and even as a Bartender in an 80’s themed nightclub! I joined Co-op in July 2016 as an Insurance Advisor which was my first experience in a contact centre environment, and I thrived on being in a fast-paced environment.

After just over a year, I moved over to work in the business services centre, initially starting in membership which really helped me to understand Co-op’s brilliant values and ethics. I then moved to Co-op Funeralcare as an Advisor shortly afterwards, where supporting our customers at such a difficult time in their lives was incredibly rewarding. Before long I was promoted to a Senior Advisor role, taking on more managerial responsibilities.

Making the switch to Co-op Legal Services

I saw the Probate Case Manager role advertised internally, and having worked in our Funeralcare team, I was interested to learn more about the other side of the process. While the role didn’t require previous legal experience, I still had my doubts about whether I should apply. However, I knew a colleague who had previously applied without a legal background, and they were now on track to becoming a Solicitor, so that gave me the confidence to apply.

Following an assessment and interview, I was overjoyed to be offered the job! I moved over to Co-op Legal in November 2021. After 2 weeks of intensive training, I started to take on my first cases, which was scary, however the training had fully prepared me to make that initial call. It was so rewarding to support a client who was going through the probate process for the first time, and that feeling stayed with me with every new case. My colleagues and Team Leaders were always on hand to offer support, especially when I had a tricky question or needed legal advice, and I was never made to feel silly if I didn’t understand the process.

Endless opportunities for growth

Although I’d only been in the role for 11 months, the opportunity to apply for a Team Leader position came up. I decided to apply and was successful, and I’ve now been in the role for the past 6-months. There’s so much opportunity for progression in the team, and in the future, I’d love to apply for a Senior Team Leader role.

I would encourage anyone to apply for this role if you have experience of handling cases or a background in non-retail customer service, even if you don’t have legal experience. It can be daunting, but CLS is a supportive environment that promotes individual growth and career progression.