A 1960s poster for a concert signed by the man who designed posters for The Beatles helped raise over \u00a3800 at a charity event organised by a North Wales lawyer for a top cancer charity.<\/p>\n
Lisa Harbour, who has joined the Family Law team at Swayne Johnson which has branches across North Wales, received the donation of the poster from a family member who was left the rare item by her great uncle, Tony Booth.<\/p>\n
Tony worked with Beatles manager Brian Epstein, and famously designed posters for the Fab Four in their early years.<\/p>\n
This one was for a concert at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, in the early Sixties when the Fab Four were headlining ahead of Gerry and the Pacemakers and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n
Lisa, 35, who is based at Swayne Johnson\u2019s St Asaph office, said: \u201cMy mum died of breast cancer when I was 17 after being treated at Clatterbridge Hospital who were really wonderful with her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer uncle used to work with Brian Epstein and The Beatles in the 1960s and did the artwork for their concert posters and of course they\u2019re now collectors\u2019 items and sell for a lot of money but we wanted to keep this one in the family for sentimental reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cMum would have been 60 this year and we thought it would be great to mark that by having a fundraising event and auctioning this signed and framed poster in aid of Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and it\u2019s actually a cousin who bid successfully for it so we know great-uncle Tony\u2019s work is staying in the family and will be cherished.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have done a lot of charity fund-raising and most of it has been for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and it\u2019s something I\u2019d like to continue at Swayne Johnson who are very supportive of staff\u2019s charity work.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a previous employer in Liverpool I was head of charity and we raised \u00a310,000 in my first year which of course made a huge difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lisa, who went to West Kirby Grammar School and lives in Wirral, is a specialist in Family Law after becoming fascinated with the profession after seeing the Reese Witherspoon rom-com Legally Blonde as a teenager.<\/p>\n
After leaving school she began an unpaid voluntary placement with a law firm in Liverpool which lasted nine months and they were so impressed that they decided to pay her and backdate this at the end of her placement.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI was only 18 years old and I\u2019d never seen so much money in my bank account so it was very exciting. This placement also helped get my foot in the door at a law firm and I did a bit of everything in those nine months while studying.<\/p>\n
\u201cI began an earn while you learn CILEX course and eventually secured a permanent position at a reputable firm concentrating on family law.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the time, my mum had recently passed away and I didn\u2019t want to ask my dad to put me through university or indeed place too much pressure on myself with respect to this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really glad I took the CILEX route and I would really advocate people considering all routes to law and increasing awareness of how accessible the profession now is for people from all backgrounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also feel that CILEX has resulted in me having more practical experience and as I concentrated on family law I became more and more interested in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cFamily Law is very rewarding because the main focus on most of what you do is to ensure children in a relationship are taken care of and what could be more important than that?<\/p>\n
\u201cNo-one is ever happy to visit a family lawyer, we are usually a distress purchase. I do however often find that by the end of the process clients are grateful because you are helping them re-gain control of their life and get a fresh start.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am also finding that people want to plan more these days, with pre-nuptial agreements becoming more and more common, perhaps because people are more aware of them due to the media, but are also mindful of protecting their assets in the current financial climate.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me it is important to build a trusting relationship with my clients. It\u2019s often a difficult time for them, and can be very emotional, so you have to try and help them navigate a way forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have worked for different firms but I have always liked the personable yet professional high street vibe and that was what attracted me to Swayne Johnson. I also liked the idea of working here in North Wales, though it does feel strange that I\u2019ve actually holidayed in St Asaph and now I travel here most days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very rewarding job. I love helping people and family law gives you the opportunity to do that.\u00a0 I am incredibly pleased to have joined Swayne Johnson Solicitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her spare time Lisa and her husband, along with friends, run a Mini Car Club and she organises events, often at stately homes, for its nearly 600 members.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cMy husband got a Mini and I wasn\u2019t very impressed but then I drove it and became hooked. I\u2019ve now got a very nice Mini to get me to work and back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swayne Johnson Managing Director Sarah Noton said: \u201cWe\u2019re delighted Lisa has joined us and she will strengthen our family law department considerably with the breadth of experience she has.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are making more high calibre appointments as we continue to grow the business and within Swayne Johnson we have lawyers with a wealth of experience in all aspects of legal work and that makes this a very good environment for those who join us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe offer a comprehensive range of services across a wide area of law and we have the kind of high-quality expertise that means clients don\u2019t need to look to firms from outside the area for the legal skills they need.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Swayne Johnson we believe in building relationships with our clients and providing them with the reassurance that they\u2019re dealing with people who know and understand them.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more on Swayne Johnson go to http:\/\/www.swaynejohnson.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n