Essex law firm Chairman celebrates 35 years' service

Philip Hoddell, Chairman at Birkett Long, celebrates 35 years’ service at the firm this September.

In 1987 Philip joined Smith, Morton and Long (a predecessor firm to Birkett Long) as a newly appointed Articled Clerk (now known as trainee solicitor). Philip and his wife Sarah had both found jobs in Colchester and moved knowing nothing about the area at all. Philip started work in the then Halstead office and qualified into what was then called the “Contentious Department” in 1989. He has been with the firm ever since, practising at first all types of litigation, then inheritance and general divorce work, before settling on a specialism of divorce and separation about 15 years ago.

Philip said: “When I started at the firm a car-based mobile phone would cost £1,700, which is equivalent to about £4,500 today. The world wide web was just being invented, so we had no email, and it would be another 10 years before I had a PC on my desk. Client account details were held on a manual rolodex. My starting salary was £100 a week and we bought our first house for £55,000 with a 100% mortgage and an interest rate of 16.8%!”

In his early days Philip recalls there were very few younger people working at the firm and an important part of his original interview was centred around whether he could play cricket. If his interviewer, Birkett Long alumni Philip George, had added to that question,” to any sort of reasonable standard”, Philip finds it unlikely he would have got the job and be where he is today!

Philip has many fond memories of his time at Birkett Long since those early days. He has played cricket, rounders, netball, football and touch rugby as well as climbing over assault courses at the Colchester Garrison. He has done charity racing in Chelmsford and fun running in Colchester Castle Park. He even managed to break his hyoid bone at a firm “It’s a Knockout” event, which on that occasion ended with him in A&E!

In his time Philip has attended many Christmas lunches as well as lots of BBQs, parties, and drinks evenings. As is tradition at the firm, he has even been part of the Birkett Long Christmas “entertainment” a couple of times. Philip said: “One day that photograph of a certain rather hefty Dutch clog dancer sitting on the knee of a former Partner will emerge and then there will be trouble!”

Philip has been lucky enough to really enjoy his career as a solicitor at the firm. He has been given many opportunities by colleagues past and present for which he is very grateful.

Reflecting on his time at the firm Philip said: “I have worked with some fantastic people. Sadly, some are no longer with us and we remember those who passed away far too soon. This includes my mentor, the late Christopher Holmes. I am so proud to have been entrusted with the role of Chairman by my Partners, which for me really represents the pinnacle of my career so far.”

On hitting the milestone of 35 years’ service, Philip said: “Although I can’t really look forward to the next 35 years, I can certainly look forward to the next chapter of life at Birkett Long. I feel that we are in a fantastic place in our history at the moment. Despite the challenges that we face, I see great people all around me, and am very confident that we are in a strong position to continue our successful story. I for one am very excited about our future. The No.1 in September 1987 was Rick Astley’s “Never Going to Give You Up”, which is always rather how I have felt about Birkett Long!”