I can’t believe it’s January. The last twelve months seem to have tobogganed along at one heck of a pace. So after the usual overindulgence of the festive period we thought it was a good time for another catch up.
This time we met up with Caitlin Pierce, Senior Paralegal in catastrophic injury at Clyde & Co on a typically wet Manchester afternoon.
January blues…?
The rain may well have been coming down in stair rods, but Caitlin’s company more than compensated! We hope you enjoy the article and hope that you all have made a great start to 2026. From the Bydand team!
It’s raining and the sky is a miserable Manchester grey as we arrive at Riva Blu located within the city’s buzzing Corn Exchange.
This is the first time I’ve set foot in here since the rebrand from Gino D’Acampo a few years back and Josh and I graciously thought we’d give it a go for our latest anniversary conversation to celebrate 10 years of Bydand Group!
Despite the inclement weather, the mood is upbeat as we shake off or brollies. Our guest is soon with us and has some exciting news to share.
Caitlin Pierce joined Clyde & Co in 2023 as a paralegal in their catastrophic injury team and has enjoyed every second since her arrival. This afternoon, she is particularly happy.
Days before, she was informed that her application for the qualification pathway at Clyde & Co has been successful and she can now look ahead to fulfilling her goal of becoming a solicitor.
Progression is important to her as with many paralegals looking to finally acquire a practicing certificate.
However, she was frustrated in the past by her lack of development. At previous firms, progression felt vague — “a lot of carrot dangling,” she says.
At Clyde & Co, it’s been refreshingly structured. “They told me exactly what I needed to do. I didn’t get it the first time, but they helped me get there.”
She credits senior figures in the team for their mentorship. “They sat with me, gave me feedback, helped me prepare. That culture of support—it makes all the difference.”
The right support is crucial in any career. However, it’s clear that the encouragement Caitlin has received is more than matched by her commitment.
Caitlin’s engaging and bubbly personality is complemented by a dedication to her work that is apparent as soon as you start talking to her. Inspired by her mother, a medical director, Caitlin has always been unabashedly career focused.
Her journey into personal injury law started five years ago, but it was when she got her first taste of complex injury work that things really started to take off for her. She was hooked from the start and now sees herself carving a successful path in this discipline.
The impactful, intricate nature of these high value cases fascinate her and it’s easy to be drawn in by her enthusiasm. Complex injury matters of this nature often involve life-changing consequences for the claimant, complex medical evidence and a detailed strategic approach.
Clyde & Co is a defendant insurance firm and so interrogates such claims on behalf of major insurers and corporates. By contrast, Caitlin started her career on the claimant side and worked in a highly respected team before starting her current role at Clyde & Co.
Didn’t she have reservations about crossing to the ‘other side’? Perhaps initially, but she queries the way defendant lawyers are sometimes regarded by their claimant cousins.
There’s a common perception that defendant insurance lawyers are the villains of personal injury, Caitlin acknowledges. However, she’s passionate about justice. At the end of the day, it’s about achieving fairness for both sides. The injured party is still very much in the mind of the defendant lawyer. “We’re not keeping money from people,” she says. “We’re making sure they get the right amount.”
That’s not to say her team won’t sniff out a dishonest claimant who may be exaggerating their injuries in order to claim an inflated amount from the insurer. In that regard, her job can often have some unexpected twists.
After an interesting discussion around the various tools and tactics deployed by the firm, the conversation inevitably turns towards Artificial Intelligence (“AI”).
Caitlin’s legal career, like countless other junior lawyers, is evolving with this burgeoning phenomenon.
As a firm, Clyde & Co has already started working with various tools and Caitlin can see their potential. “It’s great for research,” she admits, where it can be “lifesaver for paralegals,” in providing a useful jumping off point for analysis or in helping to draft a letter for example. But she’s also wary of its limitations.
She’s seen Clyde & Co begin to explore CoPilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant, but the guidance is still evolving. They’re running workshops and seeing where the products can add value. “But you still need human judgment,” Caitlin maintains. “Especially in our line of work, where we deal with vulnerable people and sensitive medical records.”
Even so, it’s difficult not to be amazed at how rapidly the ripples of AI are being felt across the legal landscape. It’s a very far cry from the early days of Westlaw and Lexcel where it was still not uncommon to make a trip or two to Manchester Law Library!
Another thing that has changed hugely is how much we attend the office. Flexibility to work from home (largely turbocharged by a global pandemic) is something young lawyers value greatly.
“Not one of us will accept a job if it’s five days in the office,” Caitlin says, speaking for herself and her other friends working in professional services. Lack of hybrid working is “a red flag.” That said, she values in person contact with colleagues. On this, she feels that her firm have probably got it about right.
The flexibility of Clyde & Co’s model — typically two days in the office, with autonomy to come in when needed – is the correct balance as far as she is concerned. “People come in because they want to, not because they have to,” she says.
Another aspect of her life at Clyde & Co which she finds encouraging and is particularly close to her heart is the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
Upon starting, she immediately felt things were different. “At Clyde & Co, you walk in and see people who look like you. There are real initiatives — 10,000 Black Interns, faith groups, social mobility work. It makes a difference.” But it’s not simply the numbers, she stresses. “It’s about making people feel like they belong.” And on this Caitlin feels greatly optimistic.
As we finish up with our coffees, I can’t help feeling energised by the conversation we’ve just enjoyed. Young lawyers like Caitlin could well end up being the future leaders of the profession and it’s great to see her thriving.
Asked to sum up her time so far, she smiles and says with engaging confidence, “I’ve finally made it into a great firm and I know exactly where I’m going.” I don’t doubt it, Caitlin. Not one bit.