28/06/2022

Meet Rebekah Jones, a corporate associate who is one of Beswicks’ newest recruits. Rebekah is an exceptionally talented solicitor who is Stoke-on-Trent born and bred.

To help you get to know Rebekah, we subjected her to a brief Q&A….

Tell us a bit about yourself Rebekah

Ooh this must be the hardest general question! Well, I’m Rebekah and I have been practising M&A and commercial work for over six years now.

I was born in Stoke-on-Trent, educated in Stoke-on-Trent and now live…you guessed it…in Stoke-on-Trent. I studied both my graduate and post-graduate courses at Staffordshire University, before securing a paralegal, and then a training contract position at a local firm.

Why did you choose to go into corporate and commercial law?

Well, here’s the thing, I thought corporate/commercial would be the last thing I would practise when I had a taster of the disciplines on an elective at university! However, a few weeks into my corporate/commercial seat during my training contract, I knew it was the area for me – something just clicked.

It’s varied, fast-paced and exciting and you get to meet, liaise and collaborate with lots of different people and professionals. Corporate transactions require a cross-disciplinary approach and it’s great to work with colleagues across the firm and to pull on their expertise as and when required.

Also, no two businesses are the same, so while you might be dealing with the same legal concept or principle, the effect of its application may differ dramatically business to business.

Both disciplines keep you on your toes and you are continually learning, which in turn enhances your competency and effectiveness as a lawyer.

What’s the most satisfying thing about your job?

There’s nothing like getting a transaction over the line for a client. It can become quite intense towards completion of a corporate transaction, depending on the circumstances, and so there can be a huge sense of relief and achievement when you get there.

Most of all though I’d say I really enjoy being the ‘go to’ for clients, working with them on a consistent basis and seeing them grow. The extent of successful businesses in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Cheshire is fascinating and knowing you’ve helped or contributed towards that success (whether it be in a small or big way) is really satisfying.

What was your first job (any job, not just legal) and what big lesson did you learn from it?

My first job was helping out on a Saturday at a hairdressing salon near to where I used to live. I learned that:

1. 6am get-ups on a Saturday were not fun…..
2. there are many ways to get a coffee wrong….and
3. (most importantly) working and communicating effectively together is the key to a successful team, no matter the business type/sector.

What attracted you to join the team at Beswicks?

Beswicks has a strong reputation for housing exceptionally talented lawyers and has a strong brand locally and regionally for the provision of business legal services, attracting real quality work and connections. Their ethos of striving to build a great relationship with clients and delivering a first-class service resonated with me as this is what I strive to do day-to-day. I felt I could really fit into the team and help contribute to their continued growth and success.

The recruitment of Caroline, David and me to the already 5-strong corporate and commercial team means we now have the knowledge resource, and structure to handle matters for businesses just starting out to large, complex transactions.

Beswicks’ modern and innovative approach to working and delivery of legal services was also extremely attractive.

Do you have a secret talent?

I have double jointed thumbs but I am not sure that classes as a talent…

What do you like doing when you’re not working?

I have an energetic one-year-old who keeps me busy (as you can well imagine!) but when time allows, I enjoy music festivals and gigs, travelling, reading and generally spending time with family and close friends.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given and who gave it to you?

I can’t really think of a particular piece of advice given to me in all honesty but below are a few quotes I like to try and remember inside and outside work:

“A little kindness goes a long way.”

“This too shall pass.”

“Don’t underestimate the power of being underestimated.”

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

While I really enjoy holidaying and will continue to see the world, I am very much a home bird and so would never move too far away from family and friends. However, when I visited Barcelona I thought at the time, it would be a cool and fun place to live. The architecture is beautiful as are the views around the city, it oozes vibrancy, and the food’s fantastic!