The Policyholder Podcast: Presented by Fenchurch Law

S2E4 - Meet The Team: Donna Baldwin

• Fenchurch Law • Season 2 • Episode 4

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In the latest episode of Fenchurch Law’s Meet the Team podcast, Dru sits down with someone who’s been part of the firm’s story since day one: Donna Baldwin, our much-loved Practice Manager.

Donna reflects on her journey from office junior to becoming an indispensable part of Fenchurch Law’s growth—from early days of planning the firm in a coffee shop, to navigating international expansion and the evolution into an EOT. She shares what she loves most about the firm, the values that continue to guide us, and the pride she takes in leading a thriving operations team.

Dru Corfield:

One. Willow. Hello and welcome to a new podcast series hosted by FenCurch Law. The series aims to introduce every member of our offices in a short, informal podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined by Donna Baldwin, who joined FenCurch Law at its inception back in 2010. Donna is our practice manager and is based in our London office. Very warm welcome, Donna. Thank you. Before we dive into the pod, let's start with some quick fire questions. So, question one dancing or singing? Dancing. Flying or invisibility?

Donna Baldwin:

Invisibility. Definitely.

Dru Corfield:

I'm definitely flying with that one. Uh books or movies?

Donna Baldwin:

Movie.

Dru Corfield:

Hmm. Any any good one you can think of at the moment that you've recently seen?

Donna Baldwin:

My favourite film is Goodnight, Mr. Tom.

Dru Corfield:

I've never seen I've watched the book. I'm sorry, I've read the book in like year six. I've never seen the film.

Donna Baldwin:

Just love it.

Dru Corfield:

Alright, I'll put it on, I'll put it on my to-watch list.

Donna Baldwin:

Okay.

Dru Corfield:

And finally, if you could travel back in time, what period would you go to?

Donna Baldwin:

The 80s for sure. Best time of my life.

Dru Corfield:

Um great answer, Donna. So it's it's an absolute pleasure to have you on the pod. You are you're sort of a day onener from Frenchurch Law. You're the you're actually the first person whom past employees ask after whenever I bump into them at various events. You're the unofficial work mum of most, if not all, of the employees in London and basically just a bit of a living Frenchurch legend. So wonderful, wonderful to have you on the pod.

Donna Baldwin:

Thank you.

Dru Corfield:

So let's talk a little bit more about what you do in your day-to-day and what your role involves.

Donna Baldwin:

Okay, so um, yes, as practice manager, I oversee all things ops. So that's kind of all the magic that happens in the background behind the scenes that people generally day to day don't see. Um so that can be anything from accounts, which covers billing, banking, credit control, salaries, VAT, um, to things like admin, which is dealing with subscriptions, compliance, HR. It is a really varied and competent role, which is why I love it.

Dru Corfield:

And there's no doubt the firm would not work without you. So, sort of how did how did that come about? Like, how did you get into the role that you're in now?

Donna Baldwin:

Um honestly, I just fell into it. Um so back in the 80s, there used to be Shout out the 80s, a career there used to be what you call a career release day from school, um, which at our school was a Wednesday. So um I went for two interviews on the Wednesday, left school on the Friday, started work on the Monday.

unknown:

Wow.

Donna Baldwin:

Um, as an office junior in a very small firm dealing with personal injury in High Holburn. And I literally just started as office junior and worked my way up, and it just spiraled from there.

Dru Corfield:

Nice. So when you say personal injury, that was was there any legal element to that? Oh, so you're a law firm.

Donna Baldwin:

You've always been working in law. Never worked in anything else but law. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah.

Dru Corfield:

So as as I alluded to in the in the intro, you are one of the longest standing members of the team. Well, you you basically are because everyone who starts at the beginning basically is being there for the same amount of time. But if you had to pick, do you have a sort of a favourite thing about Fenchurch Law?

Donna Baldwin:

Er it has to be the firm's values for me. Um, and the fact that we all act in the best interest of the firm. Um, from a personal perspective, I've always been made to feel really valued and an important member of the team. Um, my hard work has always been recognised. And Fen Church Law for me is a firm where if you're willing to give 100%, then you get that straight back, and that's incredibly important to me.

Dru Corfield:

I'd love you. And when you say the values, do you mean that sorry? I should be able to do that.

Donna Baldwin:

Innovation, freedom, responsibility, aspiration, and excitement.

Dru Corfield:

So the benefit of the list is they're on the wall behind me, and I should really I think I I probably could get about three or four of them off by heart, but I'm no, I I really no, to be fair, I I agree with you in the sense that I think our values aren't just sort of marketing tools. Like I you really feel like they meet the firm, and I really feel like you are given for example the freedom one, like you can you can you can do what you want, and but the firm trusts you to exercise your freedom responsibly and in the best interest that says they all kind of do intersect with each other, yeah. Um so obviously your the firm has changed so much since since it started 15 years ago. And um so how would you say that your um role has evolved over time here at Fenchurch?

Donna Baldwin:

Yeah, well it's it's obviously definitely grown over over the years, um, especially with the international offices opening. Um the principles are the same, just on a larger scale, but with the different jurisdictions now comes obviously a different way of working and different forms of compliance to deal with. Um and in order to service um the needs of the firm and the clients, the ops team had to grow. So although my my day-to-day role hasn't changed, it's just grown, if that makes sense. Um, and in order to do that, obviously we had to uh grow the operations team, and uh I'm incredibly lucky to have both Natalie and Emily in my team who are amazing, I couldn't manage without them now. Um, but it's great because I'm passing on my knowledge to them, but equally, as I'm like twice their age, which they remind me of from now and again. What no, I'm kidding, but um, you know, I can learn from them as well, so it's we bounce off each other and it's it's great.

Dru Corfield:

Yeah, and a big shout out to Natalie and Emily, we've had them both on the pod.

Donna Baldwin:

Um yeah, and and just to add, you know, you know, the I've always maintained this that the ops the ops team are the heart of the business.

Dru Corfield:

Yeah. So I'm incredibly like TJ Mike's silently nodding in agreement there.

Donna Baldwin:

Yeah, absolutely.

Dru Corfield:

No, you guys, you guys agree. As I said earlier, I mean the phone would be up this morning without you guys saying we literally couldn't run without you. Um so obviously I sort of a link to that question, I suppose, is you know, you mentioned that your role's changed because there's international the international element now, and it's yeah it's growing a lot. But what are some of the main things that you've noticed change over time at Fenchurch, perhaps outside of your direct role?

Donna Baldwin:

Um well, yes, an interesting question. Obviously, things like yeah, because of the growth of the firm, um the obviously the management team has changed, so that's been um really different aspect for me. Obviously, reporting directly to David, but now I report to David, Joe, and Dan. So that's really changed. Becoming an EOT.

Dru Corfield:

Yeah, of course.

Donna Baldwin:

But fundamentally, the the sole focus focus of the firm is to level the playing field for policyholders um and provide high quality advice, and that hasn't changed, and you know, may it continue.

Dru Corfield:

Yeah, and I think I think that's probably in a way. I think that that's why it's been able to keep maintain its identity because the mission is very clear and it's very easy to understand and therefore easy to get behind.

Donna Baldwin:

Yeah.

Dru Corfield:

Um, thanks. No, that's that that that was a great answer, it makes a lot of sense. So you mentioned David there, as you reported to him probably obviously alone for a long time, and you've worked with him for a long, long time. I think nearly 20 years now.

Donna Baldwin:

Nearly twenty nearly twenty years, yeah.

Dru Corfield:

So do you have a well no, what is you must do. So what is your best memory of working together? And please spill the tea if there is any tea.

Donna Baldwin:

Um, I don't have one single best memory, it it's just too difficult to choose. But I do look back and reflect at the time when David, Rob, and I were sitting in a coffee shop, literally with a pad and a pen, and trying to work out how we were gonna keep the lights on. You know, when I look back now at that and to where we are now, it's I just feel really proud, really. But so but the best memories they just range from actually just things like moving into this office in Lime Street, because for David and I it was like coming home because we'd worked together in a previous firm in the same building. So it was very much like, oh, we're coming back home. Um definitely winning insurance loan law firm of the year in 2016. Um, the 10-year anniversary party. Um, you know, and things like that have happened recently, like the international office offices becoming in EOT. I mean, the list goes on and on. I just couldn't I really hand on heart can't sit here and say there was one.

Dru Corfield:

No. It's great because you guys have obviously shared so many moments together. Um both before, but obviously more so during Fen Show Score. And um I'm almost jealous that you can look back. I mean, because I I only joined in whatever, sorry, I shouldn't say whatever, I joined in September 2022. Um, and I've really sort of I've noticed changes since then. But for you, obviously, as you say, it started with you, David, and Rob. Is that's Mr. Fink.

Donna Baldwin:

Mr. Fink, yeah.

Dru Corfield:

Yes, so I don't think he doesn't strike as the type of guy who goes by Mr. Fink, though. But I've never met him, so we'll I'll call him I'll call him Mr. Fink. But it's crazy that I mean you really would have seen it grow from from not obviously not nothing, but an idea into like an international organisation, which is yeah, yeah, it's crazy.

Donna Baldwin:

He's crazy, but it's good crazy.

Dru Corfield:

It's yeah, exactly. So Donna, we're now getting on to your favourite topic, the thing that you are but basically obsessed with. Um so it's no secret to anyone who's ever worked with you that you're a massive Rick Astley fan. There's pictures of him plastered all over your desk, and you sort of you're actually your whole area is kind of Rick Hassley themed. So guess opening question would be what's your favourite song by him? Try. Okay. I do know what I only I only know they're never gonna let you down or whatever it's called.

Donna Baldwin:

Oh my god, can't even get the words right.

Dru Corfield:

So never gonna give you off. Thank you. Sorry, Donna, sorry.

Donna Baldwin:

No, it's a track called Try, it's a ballad, um, and uh the ri the lyrics for me, if you you need to go away and listen to it because it's all about it's a bit a bit about love, but it's all about life too, and it's about um about you know what we what you can achieve if you just try.

Dru Corfield:

Lovely. Is that an old one or a new one?

Donna Baldwin:

It's uh well it's probably about two years old.

Dru Corfield:

Oh, oh, so he's still producing music he goes on tour next summer. But he's he's he's got an island coward.

Donna Baldwin:

He's actually playing at the 02.

Dru Corfield:

Tempted.

Donna Baldwin:

I'll be there.

Dru Corfield:

So where did your um where did your love for Mr. Astley begin?

Donna Baldwin:

So, um in 1987, back to the 80s again.

Dru Corfield:

Shout out to the 80s once again.

Donna Baldwin:

Uh he released his first track, which you all know the one, you've just alluded to it. Um, and I just loved it, and I did some research. Um, it's only young then, don't judge me. And I did some research and found out that Rick had started out as a T-boy working for a record company before he got his breaking showbiz, and he literally worked his way up, and that resonated with me because it's exactly what I was doing at the time. Um, yeah, and so um I guess for me, the motto of this podcast should be always try and never give up.

Dru Corfield:

Yes, well, well, and also I suppose it's you know, I tell you just before we go, because it's been, you know, obviously I'd like to I'd like to declare that we get on really well, so obviously it's been a very enjoyable pod, but there's a photo of um I can't remember when I first joined, there's a photo, and bear in mind that I'm not a huge Rick fan, so I actually don't know what he looks like. Well, I maybe I've seen the music video for that first hit in the 80s, but apart from that, and there's a photo of you with a man uh pinned on your yeah, and I thought that was your partner.

Donna Baldwin:

Yeah, someone said the same to me yesterday and actually said that I was punching. So you know, I don't mind, that's fine, I'll I'll take that.

Dru Corfield:

Yeah, well, shout out shout out to Rick, but also your partner who is not who's not called Rick.

Donna Baldwin:

He's not Rick, but he is Vic, and I got as near as I possibly could. Shout out to Vic.

Dru Corfield:

It's been Rick fun. Um, thanks so much. No, thank you. And thanks so much for all your yeah, I was gonna say your years of service to the firm. We wouldn't be what we are without you.

Donna Baldwin:

So I'm sure that's not true, but thank you for the kind words.

Dru Corfield:

I think everyone who's ever worked here would say it is true. Um, thanks very much, and um, yeah, well, I'll see you in the office in about 10 minutes.

Donna Baldwin:

Thank you.

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Dru Corfield

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