Rising legal eagle with heavy metal penchant

By day she is a lawyer. Not just any lawyer – Kathryn, 38, is the youngest female managing partner in the region.

In Kathryn’s official photograph at Gordon Brown Law Firm she looks every inch the high-flying professional.

But when the likes of hard rock legends Motorhead visit town, Kathryn lets her hair down.

“I love Motorhead,” she said. “Going to that type of concert is a release from dayto- day life at work.

‘‘Some people like to cook or spend time in the garden. I like loud rock music. It’s good to lose yourself in something.”

With titles such as Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, Eat the Rich and Born to Raise Hell, Motorhead’s no-nonsense tunes could hardly be further away from the world where Kathryn is making a big noise.

Perhaps the 1997 release Protect the Innocent is more appropriate for her line of work.

Just ten years into her career, Kathryn is taking over the reins from Gordon Brown himself, who remains a wellrespected figure on the commercial property scene, handling several of the firm’s clients personally. He established the full service legal practice in 1981.

Kathryn will now lead the 75-strong business, which operates from Newcastle and Chester le Street offices, on an ambitious growth strategy, as she sets her sights on expanding each of its departments.

Over the next 12 months, she aims to develop and nurture the next generation of young legal talent with an increase in apprenticeships.

“It’s a huge honour and I’d be lying if I said that I don’t feel pressure. But I thrive on that to be honest,” she said.

“The founding generation is stepping aside to allow the firm to develop a fresh new outlook on how it delivers its service offering, especially in process-driven areas, and so that each and every individual within the business has the opportunity to benefit personally in our future.

‘‘However, the old heads remain to give the benefit of experience where it is necessary.

“The law industry is changing fast and I am afraid to say that firms failing to adapt to the times will fall by the wayside.

“Far too often some people in our profession haven’t put their clients at the centre of what they do. There has to be a change of thinking, but some solicitors just don’t seem to get that.

“I believe that the best way to go about things is to apply a business-led approach. The people we help are our customers.

Without them there is no business,” she said.

After beginning her legal career at Alderson Dodds Solicitors in Blyth, Kathryn’s first qualified role was with Dickinson Dees, before joining Gordon Brown’s residential conveyancing department in 2007.

Since joining Gordon Brown, Kathryn has built on the firm’s reputation within the sector for quality service established by the eponymous founder, and long-standing employees Allan Maxwell and Geoff Hall.

The latter is her partner.

They used to work in different offices but now sit at opposite desks, which prompts Kathryn to move into a private meeting room so that she can take my call in private. I can assure Geoff that everything she said about him was nice.

Gordon Brown also has nothing but good things to say about his successor.

“The whole legal sector has gone through challenging times in recent years, making this the ideal opportunity to bring in a fresh perspective and energy to push on and grow the practice,” he said.

“The way in which Kathryn and Geoff have led our conveyancing team through its recent staggering growth, becoming known and respected nationally, shows that she is the right person to take the company forward.

“She is an inspirational young modern businesswoman who is universally respected, not only for her technical expertise as a lawyer, but for her directness, courtesy and consideration to all who cross her path.

“Her passion for customer service, and for creating the opportunity for the next generation of legal talent to develop and grow with the business, makes her ideally suited to the job.”