The Post: Managing Partner, John McKee Solicitors
The Post Holder: Chris Ross
No two days are ever the same for Managing Partner and solicitor Chris Ross.
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
I studied Law in Manchester and obtained my professional exams at Chester College of Law before completing my training in a Chester law firm. Once qualified, I joined a large national firm in Liverpool where I worked for a couple of years before my now wife and I spent 10 months travelling the world. Upon returning home to Belfast in 1998, I began working for the family firm, John McKee Solicitors in the dispute resolution team. I became a partner in 2004 and Managing Partner in 2015.
What was your favourite subject at school?
PE. I’ve always loved sport and enjoy competing in triathlons and adventure races.
How did you get into your area of work?
My dad was a former senior partner in McKee’s and I was brought up in the firm. I came here every Friday after Scouts and knew everyone in the office. Back then, it was a typical small family practice with about 30 members of staff. One of the partners at the time, John Lecky, was also the Belfast Coroner and I enjoyed speaking to him about his cases and his role in the firm. It’s always been in my blood and the more time I spent at the firm, the more my interest in practising law grew.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
You need to have obtained a law degree and your professional exams before completing a training contract to qualify as a solicitor.
In McKee’s we have a multi-jurisdictional team of lawyers which means we are able to operate in the Republic of Ireland and England as well as Northern Ireland. To be able to practice in these jurisdictions you need to have the relevant qualifications and experience, so it’s important to be aware of this when deciding where you want to practice.
What does a typical day entail?
I usually start the morning with a team meeting. We specialise in a range of practice areas including corporate and financial services, dispute resolution and real estate, so it helps to structure the day. I manage two teams on top of my Managing Partner role, so it is important that I am kept up to speed on what my colleagues are working on and provide any support and advice they might need.
After this, every day is very different and rarely goes to plan. I could be attending court hearings, client meetings or preparing new business proposals. At McKee’s we are a partner-led firm. Our clients can be confident that they will have direct contact with a partner at all times, which means they feel valued and can be confident that they are getting the very best advice. Therefore, a lot of my day can be spent providing proactive advice on ongoing disputes or issues that clients might encounter in their day to day business – it’s crucial that a solicitor is commercially minded and understands the operation of a client’s business.
Due to the nature of the business, client issues come up that will need to be given priority, so we have to be reactive and responsive. Your day can change in an instant and you need to act quickly to meet new deadlines and developments. It’s the fast-paced and exciting working environment that I really enjoy.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the Job?
As Managing Partner, a major focus for me has been building a strong, high performing team which enables us to achieve the best results for our clients. We are a people business, so our number one priority is our clients and ensuring we help them achieve a satisfying outcome. And helping a client achieve this is always the best part of the job.
The challenging aspect of my role is getting the balance right between managing client work and being Managing Partner – to ensure everyone is aligned with the strategy of the firm and that the McKees’ ship is sailing in the right direction.
Why is what you do important?
Our job is to help our clients achieve the best outcome in respect of their issue or situation, whether that is resolving a dispute, completing a transaction or providing general legal advice. For our clients, the work we carry out can have a massive impact on their business or personal life.
We’re a dynamic, progressive firm and are exploring new markets outside of Northern Ireland. We have developed strategic partnerships with other firms in Ireland, the UK and further afield and are able to offer our local clients a support network of trusted partners should they have a requirement outside of Northern Ireland. We work closely with our strategic partners. This is important, as it means we are able to ensure consistency and quality of service for our clients while at the same time offering cost effective legal expertise as opposed to the high legal fees of City firms.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
A White-Water Rafting Guide as I love the outdoors and the adrenaline rush.
Describe your ideal day off.
Relaxing on Portstewart Strand with my wife and two daughters who are 15 and 17 – soaking up the sun and surfing, followed by dinner at the Ramore in Portrush.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
You need to be passionate about what you do, set goals and work hard to achieve them. Don’t waste your time in a job you are not cut out for. Spread your wings and dream big!