Employee-owned law firm celebrates home-grown talent

Legal star Jade Dunsden originally joined Crossland as a part-time administrator – she has now qualified as a solicitor and was also awarded a distinction in her final exams. 

7 October 2024 – Employee-owned Crossland Employment Solicitors is celebrating the success of home-grown talent, Jade Dunsden, who has qualified as a solicitor - just four and half years after joining the firm as a part-time administrator. 

After originally contacting the solicitors while completing her law and business degree, the young legal star is not only now a fully qualified solicitor, but also received a distinction in her final Legal Practice Course (LPC) exams to add to her first-class honours degree. 

Comments partner Beverley Sunderland who originally recruited Jade: “What a long way Jade has come. From first writing us a letter asking if we had any work which led to her joining us just before lockdown - then fearing we’d have to let her go as the world turned upside down - to becoming newly qualified as a solicitor! 

“We saw straight away that Jade is clever, dedicated and hard-working – and certainly didn’t want to lose her when the lockdown arrived, so told her that she couldn’t escape that easily and bought her a laptop. From her admin role she then became a paralegal, and in 2022 we offered to sponsor her through her LPC course to reach her goal of becoming a solicitor. 

“We’re delighted and proud to celebrate Jade’s fantastic achievements. She worked so hard juggling studying with working, making many personal sacrifices when she had exams. She’s a great example of how home-grown talent can thrive and grow in their careers given the right support.” 

Crossland’s nationally recognised long-standing employment team now has over 120 years of experience across its eight solicitors and barristers. Jade will continue to support the firm in assisting other members of the team with their cases but is now qualified to provide day-to-day employment law advice, including advising clients on settlement agreements.  

Adds Jade Dunsden: “What a journey I’ve had with Crossland! I’m so glad I wrote my letter asking if there was any work at the firm after it sparked my interest, to being invited to join the team - which led to my eventual final qualification as a solicitor four and a half years later. I am incredibly passionate about the work that we do for our clients and I’m now looking forward to a long and exciting legal career ahead, thanks to the firm’s support. 

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Editors notes

Crossland Employment Solicitors specialises only in employment law and recognised as a ‘Top Ranked’ firm in Chambers UK 2021 and a ‘Leading Firm’ in the Legal 500 2021. Their clients range from small to medium sized businesses as well as FTSE 100 clients across almost every sector, including charities and schools. They offer a range of efficient, practical and commercial employment law advice to organisations, whether this be at managerial or board level, across all areas including redundancies and reorganisation, long and short-term sickness, discrimination, conduct and capability, settlement agreements, TUPE, restrictive covenants and employment tribunal claims. They also offer training and guidance on all aspects of employment law to HR and management.