A FORMER legal secretary who studied after work to become an associate is set to go “full circle” and help train her firm’s new recruits.

Rachel Houghton joined Weightmans in 1995, aged 20, with no law degree and few A-levels, but with her heart set on a law career. She is now one of the firm’s leading associates, having risen through the ranks at their India Buildings offices.

And the mother-of-two will tomorrow deliver seminars to 15 of Weightmans’ new paralegals at their in-house academy.

Mrs Houghton, 33, told LDP Legal: “I was determined to become a legal executive, which took four years. Then I thought I want more – I want to go as far as I can.”

On the paralegals she will meet tomorrow, she added: “I’ve been in their shoes. It’s just all about commitment, giving your all.”

After enrolling on a legal secretaries’ course in Ormskirk, Mrs Houghton landed a secretary’s job at Weightmans, in 1995. The following January, she was promoted to paralegal.

She enrolled at night school with Liverpool John Moores University to take the four-year legal executive training, after which she spent three years as an executive. Meanwhile, she continued at night school to sit the pre-legal practice course (LPC) exams.

After taking a year out to start a family, she returned to work in September, 2003, and started a two-year LPC, which was the final stage before qualifying as a solicitor. She was awarded the Law Society’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2005.

And 12 years after taking her on, Weightmans promoted her to associate last August. She now manages a team of 11 fee earners in the traffic department.

Mrs Houghton added: “If you’re determined, you can do it. And, to be honest, I’ve worked here for 13 years and Weightmans is a really good place to work.

“Throughout all of this, Weightmans have supported me. You couldn’t do this without the support of the firm.”

Weightmans partner Charlie Jones added: “Rachel’s achievement is substantial in two major respects. Working full time in an office, and having to go to study for exams is something that many are unable to combine. Further, she has done this latterly while bringing up a young family, just to add to the pressure.

“It has been a long road, but what an achievement, and one that Weightmans are very proud of, as Rachel should be.”

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