A brief stint in the police force was enough to convince Neil Coombes he was in the wrong job!
But a fascination with the cut and thrust of legal arguments in the criminal courts set him on course for an alternative career in the law.
Neil was born in Australia, but lived in the country only until he was two years old. He says: “My parents went out as ‘£10 Poms’ but decided to come back.
“I lived in Solihull in the West Midlands and only came to Yorkshire when I was 18 and went to Leeds University to study chemistry.”
He says: “I left school with no idea what I wanted to do – but I liked chemistry, which is wny I did that at university. After graduating, I went into research, which I hated. I was standing at a desk all day testing sterilising and cleaning agents and writing down the results. It was not very challenging and I was very disillusioned by that.
“I wanted a job which involved dealing with people, so I joined the police as a probationary constable, which was a two-year apprenticeship.
“I went on the beat and in squad cars, but I enjoyed the court work. The legal process fired my interest – giving and presenting evidence.
“The logical progression was for me to get legal qualifications. The irony is that I didn’t end up doing criminal law!”
Neil studied law at Huddersfield University, but before embarking on his legal training, he took the opportunity to return to Australia for a couple of years “to see the place properly”.
Although he was born in Adelaide, he spent most of his time in Sydney. “I travelled a bit, but not as much as I could have done,” he says.
He thought about pursuing his legal career in Australia, but given the difficulties ‘“converting” his UK qualifications decided in the event to come back Huddersfield.
“If it had been easier to convert my degree I may well have stayed out there, but it would have taken too long to get qualified,” he says. “Here, it was a one-year course. I liked the Huddersfield area and I decided it was a nice place to put down some roots. Solihull was too suburban, flat and a bit boring!”
Neil got a training contract with a law firm in Halifax and qualified as a solicitor in 1998. He began specialising in employment law following the retirement of a partner who focused on the same area. Says Neil: “I got the job by default! I have been doing it ever since. It’s good because you are dealing with people and their issues. There’s a human element to it.”
He worked for Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors for a few years before being headhunted to set up an employment law department for a law firm in Bolton – where he still visits once a week as a consultant.
Neil, who lives at Fenay Bridge, set up his sole practice six years ago. He acts for both employers and employees in disputes covering all areas of employment law.
He says: “There are a lot of discrimination claims at the moment – and a lot of disability claims, particularly involving people suffering stress where the employer has not dealt with things very well. Stress can be a serious issue. The economic climate means people are being asked to work longer hours and ignore the need for a better work-life balance. But employees are any firm’s biggest asset and if employers don’t treat them properly there will be problems.”
Neil said the introduction of employment tribunal fees in 2013 had put a lot of people off pursuing claims. Employees were still prepared to go to tribunal if they had a good case, but at the same time employers were no longer “treading on eggshells” in dealing with staff who failed to perform.
“From the employers’ perspective, it is still just as important to manage people properly and have the right procedures in place,” says Neil.
Neil said the biggest issue at present was settlement claims, whereby both parties agree not to purse an action and thereby avoid going to a tribunal.
Neil’s work focuses mainly on firms with fewer than 100 employees – mostly based in the Kirklees and Calderdale areaa, although he has received enquiries from further afield.
It’s a job that requires an analytical mind – something that Neil says he acquired with his early career in chemistry.
But it’s the “people” element he relishes. “Getting a ‘thank you’ for helping to put someone’s life back on track is very rewarding,” he says.
Neil’s wife April used to be a teacher, but now works for Neil dealing with the administrative side of the business.
Daughter Charlotte, 19, is training to be a ski instructior in France while son Tom, 12, is a pupil at King James School, Almondbury.
Away from work, Neil plays badminton for locally-based team Pheonix in the Huddersfield league. He first took up the sport when he was 10 and has played ever since at various levels.
“I do a lot of cycling,” says Neil. “I also used to do charity 10k runs – but now that I’ve turned 50 that’s not the best thing to be doing!”
Role: Self-employed solicitor
Age: 50
Family: Married to April with daughter Charlotte, 19, and son Tom, 12
Holidays: We love Greece and Scotland and I would like to go back to visit Australia
Car: BMW X1
First job: I was a paperboy getting 60p a week. When I went to Australia I worked at a fairground and then at KPMG in Syndey collecting files
Best thing about the job? Getting a result for a client who couldn’t see any solution to their problem
Worst thing about the job? Being self-employed means you never really switch off. You can’t always put your feet up on the evening or get some downtime
Business tip: Have the courage of your convictions. If you want something badly enough you will get it
Work: Legal services
Site: Fenay Bridge
Phone: 01484 303585
Email: mail@ncoombes.co.uk
Web: www.ncoombes.co.uk
