We would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations, and of course our thanks, to Nicky Dawkins, who has recently received a long-service award. Nicky works as a Legal Assistant in Personal Injury. She has been with Dutton Gregory for 35 years, having started working with us in 1990. During this time of firm-wide growth, Nicky has experienced numerous office moves and changes to the team. So what else has changed in Dutton Gregory, and the legal industry?
All change for technology
One of the main changes to the world of work has of course been technology. Nicky’s first few years with Dutton Gregory predated the internet, which arrived in the public domain April 1993. This opened access to information in an unprecedented way, irrespective of time zones and geographical location. From Nicky’s perspective, the main implication for her Personal Injury work has been how we instruct medical experts. Having previously relied largely on ‘word of mouth’ and local knowledge, the Internet has enabled a much broader search of experts in their relevant field.
Another huge shift in communication came about with the use of computers and email, replacing the traditional typewriter and fax machine. Being able to create, correct and transmit documents electronically revolutionised the process – but were all the changes positive ones?
Digital vs Physical
Nicky points out that whilst the time savings brought obvious benefits, there were downsides to heightened efficiency. Firstly, the volume of work and expectation increased as fast as the time-saving technology. Secondly, the speed of email response - whilst preferable to physical mail - often means no respite on a case. We have come to expect speed in our daily interactions, and this creates a pressure of its own.
Despite the many ways we can communicate and ‘meet’ one another online, the need for face-to-face has endured. Nicky feels this is often the case in Personal Injury cases, for those who have been involved in traumatic accidents. They may feel more comfortable meeting with their trusted lawyer in person, as it builds empathy and a deeper understanding of what they have been through.
It's fascinating and a privilege for us to have this insight from someone who has been with the firm for three and a half decades. So what has kept Nicky here for so long? “The people” says Nicky, with out missing a beat… “Throughout all the changes, Dutton Gregory has always attracted lovely people”. Nicky says she considers herself lucky to have worked so long for such a progressive and caring firm. We’d say we’re the lucky ones Nicky! We’ll leave the final words to Emma Menzies, Head of Personal Injury:
“I have known Nicky for over 25 years and in that time, I have never seen her lose her calm, even in the most stressful of situations. She is totally unflappable. Nicky is brilliant at her job, incredibly efficient and utterly reliable. Her client care is second to none and without her I could not do my job. In my view she is the backbone of the Personal Injury Team and completely dedicated to Dutton Gregory.”
