Law At Work was established, originally in the UK, by Malcolm Mackay, a leading employment lawyer. While recognising the benefits of the traditional law firm model - professionalism, high standards - he was frustrated by its limitations, particularly high pricing and inflexibility. The nature of employment law is such that access to high quality, easy to understand advice at an early stage can avoid potentially damaging and expensive disputes. Employers, particularly those with smaller numbers of employees and limited budgets, often hesitate to take advice because of concern and uncertainty about cost. Clients need solutions but law firms tend to be rewarded according to the number of hours spent dealing with an issue. This can create a tension between the interests of the client and the law firm. Law At Work seeks to realign the service delivery and business model to create an identity of interest between client and adviser. The growing number of lawyers and HR professionals who deliver the Law At Work service around the world share this mission. Law At Work International is headquartered in Edinburgh. Its management team and board of directors include individuals with backgrounds in legal services, HR, insurance and outsourcing. Our core management team consists of:
Malcolm Mackay – Chief Executive. As indicated above, Malcolm is the visionary who developed the Law At Work concept. He has extensive experience as an employment lawyer working nationally and internationally, and a track record in challenging the status quo and innovating. Malcolm established Scotland’s first niche employment law firm before devising the Law At Work model. He believes passionately that the law should be seen as an enabler, not a disabler.
James Crill – Chairman. Formerly a senior partner in a leading Jersey law firm, James believes that the legal sector is all too often one dimensional in its offering and needs to evolve quickly to meet clients’ commercial, legalistic and logistical needs, particularly in an international dimension.
Mike Still – Board Director. Mike is a leading figure in the insurance sector. He believes there are untapped opportunities for lawyers, HR practitioners and insurance experts to collaborate. He feels that by aligning their interests, employers can be assisted in managing risk more effectively.
Frank Ross – Finance Director. Frank has held senior positions in major UK plcs and has a track record in assisting companies to exploit the potential to expand internationally. He is committed to Law At Work International’s mission to provide employers with innovative cross-border solutions.
Ben Neale – Project Director. Ben’s background is in management consultancy and outsourcing. He has worked both for niche firms and leading plcs, and been involved in a range of projects in different sectors to help clients achieve change. His objective is always to find and deliver client solutions that make a lasting difference.
Carole Thomson – General Manager. Carole has managed a range of commercial law firms both in the UK and overseas. She has a thorough knowledge of the legal services sector, understands client needs and is alert to those which traditional law firms have found it harder to meet. She is passionate about filling this gap and delivering a high quality, international offering at a cost effective price.