Erin Burke is a specialist employment lawyer and director of Practica Legal Limited. She regularly represents clients at Mediation, the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court. She is a trusted legal advisor to many small and large companies, both local and national. “My goal has always been to be the very best lawyer I can be. That requires considerably more than just knowing my field inside and out. Put simply, I believe the very best lawyers: • Inform their client - giving them all of the information they need to make well-informed decisions. • Listen to their client - and ascertain from the outset what they are trying to achieve. This way it is a partnership towards what the client wishes to achieve. • Understand that while the law is the centre of the lawyer’s world, it is not the centre of the client's. The client wants the problem fixed with the minimum disruption to their life. • Provide their client with options (where possible) and ensure they understand all the benefits and risks of each option. • Update their clients and keep them fully informed, even if it is just a quick email to say 'we haven't heard anything back yet but will let you know as soon as we do'. • Charge their clients in a fair and reasonable manner. This is important whether they are an individual who has just lost their job or a manager of a large corporation that still needs to justify their legal spend. • Advise their clients holistically, and understand that legal issues sit within a wider context of personal and commercial realities. • Reassure their clients by returning their calls or answering their questions as soon as they can. This assists the client in managing their stress levels and assures them that their matter is still being dealt with and has not been buried under other 'more important' clients. I strive to be able to accomplish these principles with each and every client I represent.”