First published in the Jersey Evening Post by Emily Moore.
Partner Amy Benest, an advocate at Baker & Partners, tells Emily Moore how valuing diversity can foster change within the legal sector.
AS the legal teams file into court to present their cases, Advocate Amy Benest will quite often do a quick tally to assess the gender split of those in the courtroom. And, as the partner at Baker & Partners explains, it is usual for the men in attendance to significantly outnumber the women.
"At a recent hearing, only 20% were women; while that may sound like a low figure, it is an improvement," she said.
As Amy explains, although the number of women entering the profession and qualifying as Jersey advocates has increased in recent years, this has not translated into equality at senior levels. Despite this imbalance, there was never any doubt in Amy's mind about the career path she would follow.
"I think I was bred for the role," she smiled. "My grandfather was the Viscount of the Royal Court and my father was an advocate. In fact, I made a little bit of local history when I was called to the Jersey bar in 2022, as my sister, Nina Benest, is also an advocate, and it was the first time that there had been two sisters qualified as advocates in the Island."
While not all of her siblings have pursued a legal career, she was captivated from a young age by the stories she heard from her father and grandfather. "One thing that soon became clear to me was how interesting their professional life was," she reflected. "Through their court work, they saw the more contentious side of life, and I was always fascinated by the variety of cases on which they worked."
After studying history at university, Amy completed a law conversion course and qualified as an English solicitor. In a clear demonstration of her commitment to her profession, Amy then chose to qualify locally too, which involved passing seven rigorous examinations over a two-year period on top of undertaking her day job.
"I came back to Jersey for four years after completing the conversion course and was then offered an opportunity to work for a law firm in London, which gave me incredible experience working in another jurisdiction," she said. "Later in my career, I was also able to complete a secondment in Guernsey and I strongly feel that having worked in three jurisdictions – and now being qualified in two – has been hugely beneficial in helping me to become more well-rounded as a litigator."
Working predominantly in trust and private client litigation, Amy adds that her multi-jurisdictional experience has been particularly advantageous in helping her to build a true picture of each case. "Most of my time is focused on trust litigation and, at the heart of that, there is usually a family dynamic, which is very different from, say, that of a commercial dispute," she said. "Understanding the nature of those dynamics and understanding what your client wants to achieve, then working out how to obtain that, drew me to this particular discipline. "It is always interesting to see just how many different issues come into play in any case. These factors could relate to different jurisdictions or legacy issues, such as how people want their children or businesses to thrive and develop. I like trust litigation because there are so many dynamics to these relationships and, as I am from a large family, I feel that I can understand different dynamics and tones of relationships pretty effectively. Quite often, you find that the matter does not relate solely to the issue that is discussed in court. There is a huge amount of background which can shape a case."
With a love of litigation, it was a natural choice for Amy to join Baker & Partners a year ago. "The lawyers in the firm, led by Stephen Baker, are all specialists in litigation and dispute resolution. Some of the most experienced courtroom advocates practising in the Island can be found within this office doing some of the most complex offshore cases," she said. "Since joining the firm in March 2023, it's been a rollercoaster. I have really enjoyed my time here so far, as I have been involved in some incredibly interesting work which provides a challenge every day."
"It's a dynamic and collegiate atmosphere, and we have a lot of fun. I've had a real opportunity to contribute and thrive, and I feel that I've found my tribe. I relish working for a firm where you not only have a seat at the table, but also have a voice which is wanted, valued and included."
Contributing to that feeling, she says, is the "expertise and generosity" of the senior partners, an approach which she plans to emulate to "support younger members of the team and inspire more females to consider a career in law". "I have been supported, encouraged and inspired by the team here, not least by Lynne Gregory, one of the firm's partners," Amy commented. "She, and the other partners, have been so generous with their time. I look forward to coming to work every day, knowing that I am valued and respected, and I want to continue fostering that culture and instilling those values in the team members for whom I am now responsible."
And Amy says that her journey up the legal ladder very much shapes her leadership approach. "When mentoring and supporting my colleagues, I think about the help that I would have wanted and the experience I had when I was coming up through the ranks," she said. "I learnt more when I worked closely with someone who took the time to explain their thinking and the wider context of the case. I now want to be that person for my team, so that each team member becomes the best professional they can be."
"Litigation is a team sport. Our clients are best supported when they know that whenever they speak to someone working on their case, that person understands their case and is well briefed and grounded in the matter. As a result, there is a big emphasis on training and development at Baker & Partners, as we want to make sure that everyone knows that they are valued and that they should have the confidence to contribute."
"To do that, you have to be the sounding board, inspiration and support that they need. By taking that approach to leadership, I believe that you can change the status quo and foster change in the industry. As a sector, we need to recognise the value of diversity and see how much people with different experiences and different perspectives can contribute. Once that value is recognised, the change will come."
And it is not just the team in the office who are inspiring Amy to help drive that change. "I think about my daughters, who are three and nearly eight years old, and the workplace that I would like them to enter," she explained. "I want them to be safe, confident and resilient, and I want them to be able to thrive and be happy. These may sound like quite nebulous concepts but once they have those things, there'll be no stopping them."
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