Leadership, motherhood and building a career that lasts in law with Alison Eddy

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of If You Ask Me, we speak with Alison Eddy, Partner and Ambassador for Inclusion at Irwin Mitchell and former London Managing Partner, a position she held for over a decade.Alison’s career has been shaped by her work as a medical negligence lawyer and her role in growing Irwin Mitchell’s London office from its early beginnings into a large, full-service practice. She joined the firm in the mid-1990s at a time when she was raising five young children and managing considerable personal and financial pressure as her family circumstances changed.Alongside a long-standing commitment to client work, Alison went on to lead one of the firm’s largest offices. Her experience brings a grounded perspective on senior leadership, motherhood and how progression unfolds over the course of a long career in law.During the conversation, Alison looks back on the moments that influenced her path, the demands of sustaining leadership over many years, and what it means to be a visible leader during periods of disruption, including the pandemic.She also discusses the impact of flexible working, how Irwin Mitchell came to have more than 50% female partners, and her experience of maternity leave across different generations. Alison reflects on supporting women returning to work, questioning assumptions about age and ambition, and the importance of flexibility and imagination when thinking about career progression.Host: Hannah Bradshaw, Founding Director of BlueSkyHost: Sarah Lyons, Founding Director of BlueSky Guest: Alison Eddy, Partner Ambassador for Inclusion at Irwin Mitchell