Alice Kinder is the youngest ever president of Birmingham Law Society. She became a fee-share consultant at four years PQE and is a passionate advocate for social mobility in the legal sector and beyond. She shares her story with The Brief.

The fee-share model has matured in recent years, with many such law firms now also engaging trainees, paralegals and more junior lawyers. Whilst the typical image of the lawyer who becomes a consultant has historically been someone in the later stages of their career, this is changing.

Alice Kinder is a senior associate in the employment team of Bexley Beaumont, named Law Firm of the Year at the 2024 Modern Law Awards. She says, “I find that working at Bexley Beaumont combines the best parts of being in a traditional law firm and working in an inclusive and collaborative team environment with the flexibility and control that comes with self-employment.”

Discussing her vision, she says, “As I became more experienced, I began to reflect on my aspirations for the future, the core values that were important to me, and how I wanted to progress.

I concluded that I enjoyed being part of a team but wanted to take control over the growth of my practice, and Bexley Beaumont’s model has enabled me to do that.

Education

Kinder first became attracted to the idea of studying law while at school. “I saw that the law affects every aspect of your life,” she explains.

“From having a job or being in a relationship to going out shopping, law underpins everything that we do, and I was quite fascinated by this. I did history and politics at A Level, which were very much centred around strong written communication, the ability to form an argument, and critical analysis. I also enjoyed debate and public speaking, so I thought that studying law may align to my strengths and interests.”

However, her route into the profession was not straightforward. She says, “When I was in my final years of secondary school, the subject of careers was a minefield.

Nobody in my family had been to university and I had no-one to explain my options to me. I struggled to get work experience and to understand the steps I needed to take.

This was compounded by careers advice she received which discouraged her from applying to study law at university because she had not studied it before. Instead, she was advised that the preferable option was to pursue the subject she enjoyed the most at school.

Following this, she secured a place at Oxford University to study history. However, she realised that both the course and, culturally, the university were not suited to her and made the decision to leave during the first year.

She returned to her hometown to study for a law degree at the University of Birmingham – graduating with the highest mark in her year.

Upon graduation she took a job with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, working first as an Administration Officer and then part-time in the organisation’s Birmingham contact centre while studying for her LPC. Passing with distinction, she then commenced her training contract with Pinsent Masons and eventually decided her future lay in employment law – an area that had interested her from an early stage.

People-focused practice

“I first became interested in employment law from the part-time retail jobs I had as a student,” she explains. “Whenever decisions were made at work, I was always interested to know the law behind this and wanted to research my rights and those of my colleagues. This led me to choose an employment seat during my training contract where I was fortunate to gain experience of dealing with employment disputes in the retail sector.”

Kinder’s practice at Bexley Beaumont now encompasses both employers and individuals, both of whom she supports to navigate workplace challenges from recruitment through to termination.

Kinder has successfully represented clients in a wide range of cases, from resolving workplace disputes to ensuring compliance with ever-evolving employment regulations. Her ability to balance the needs of employers and employees has earned her a reputation for delivering straightforward and practical solutions that protect the interests of all parties involved.

“What I enjoy most about employment law is that it is all about people,” she continues. “Whether it is guiding an employee through a difficult situation or helping a company create a fair and inclusive work environment, the ability to empower others and have a positive influence on people’s lives is incredibly rewarding.”

As an employment lawyer, every day brings new challenges and opportunities to make a real difference. The work is always impactful whichever side of the fence you’re on.

At Bexley Beaumont, Kinder is part of a team of employment solicitors, which includes CEO Karen Bexley, plus support from the firm’s paralegals and trainee.

Although engaged as self-employed consultants, the employment team collaborate in many ways. Whilst the team are based across the country, the firm runs regular events and initiatives to maintain cohesion, provide encouragement and support, and prevent isolation.

Social mobility

In addition to her core employment work, Kinder also has an interest in workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and provides strategic advice and training to employers on these areas.

Her background and journey into the law have given her a passion for social mobility and equal opportunities, and she is currently a national social mobility ambassador for The Law Society of England and Wales. She is also chair of the social mobility subcommittee at Birmingham Law Society.

Kinder has been involved in Birmingham Law Society, the membership organisation which represents 9,000 legal professionals across Birmingham and the West Midlands, since she was a trainee, has been a member of its council since 2018, and is currently its youngest ever president in the society’s 205-year history.

Her chosen charity for her year’s tenure as president is The Social Mobility Foundation. Last year, she worked with the charity to introduce a pledge for law firms and individuals to encourage proactive steps to drive positive change.

Explaining her commitment to social mobility and inclusion in the profession, she says, “When I entered the legal profession, I recognised that there was a lot of advice and support that I would have benefited from at an earlier stage.

Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, and I have made it my mission to do something about that.

Birmingham Law Society is, she continues, running various initiatives aimed at supporting aspiring lawyers to gain the knowledge and experience they need to make informed decisions about their futures, including an annual speed networking event and a skills-focused vacation scheme, and has also run two social mobility conferences to educate employers regarding best practice.

Last year Kinder won the Rising Star category at the UK Social Mobility Awards, and earlier this year she ran the Manchester Marathon in aid of The Social Mobility Foundation.

Broader horizons

Alongside her legal practice and work with Birmingham Law Society, Kinder is a visiting lecturer. She has taught undergraduate and postgraduate law students, primarily focusing on employment law, dispute resolution, employability, and professional practice placements.

She is also a non-executive director at Manningham Housing Association. Both this and her lecturing work are, she says, possible because of the flexibility that comes with working at a consultancy firm like Bexley Beaumont – and she considers that both help her to be a better lawyer on a practical level.

She concludes, “Gaining experience as a lecturer and a non-executive director has certainly enhanced my skills as an employment lawyer. Being a lecturer has given me day-to-day experience of explaining complex topics in an easily understandable way.

“Likewise, being a non-executive director has given me a very practical understanding of managing workplace challenges on the ground. Both experiences have translated positively into the way that I am able to support and deliver advice to my clients. One of the advantages of being with Bexley Beaumont is that opportunities to diversify your skillset are open to you.”

Visit

Bexley Beaumont

Birmingham Law Society

The Social Mobility Foundation

Connect with Alice Kinder via LinkedIn