An interview with Mike Beckwith, Lead project coordinator

Mike Beckwith has been with CLM for seven years, joining the Company when it was a third of the size it is now. He’s grown with the business, both in terms of his knowledge and how he’s helping it develop.

Where are you from originally (trying to place your accent!)?

“The Wirral, yeah my accent has stayed with me. I grew up there but moved to Peterborough in my early 20s and worked for Jaggards Solicitors. I was a fee earning staff member and started to get a taste of life in the legal profession.”

What brought you to CLM then?

“My colleague Chris Neville. Both Chris and I worked for Jaggards Solicitors prior to CLM. Chris left Jaggards to start here and a little over a year later, contacted me to say a new position had become available and asked if I’d be interested. At that time, CLM was based in my home town Stamford, and given the positive feedback from Chris it seemed a no brainer to apply for the position.”

What was your first role at CLM?

“I worked in admin initially – that was actually a really good place to start because it meant I got to know everyone. I was able to get a good grasp of who CLM’s clients were and gain a good overview of the work which was being delivered. After six months I was promoted to Project Coordinator, then after three years Senior Project Coordinator, and then another three years to where I am now as Lead Project Coordinator. Yeah I’m pleased with how I’ve progressed.”

How are you finding life in a senior management position?

“Well there’s a first time for everything! The key thing for me is about understanding what’s expected of me. I know the team and the Company well, and there’s a really open culture here so I have the opportunity to shape my role as I see fit.”

Are there any areas you’re particularly interested in owning or developing?

“Route proving is my area of specialism. It’s a new offering for CLM – and something which delivers a great deal of value for our clients. It’s something all ICPs need and many do it inhouse, but we can add in an assessment of landowners and look at ways of derisking a route which gives ICPs more insight ahead of securing a contract than they would have had otherwise.”

What do you think the future looks like for CLM?

“It’s certainly growing. We have 22 team members now and we’re busy. What’s good is our reputation – something we work hard to protect – and seeing how an increasing number of our clients are choosing to work solely with us. We won’t rest on our laurels though. There’s always room for improvement and by listening to our clients and understanding how the industry is changing, we’ll always be looking for ways to deliver greater value to satisfy our customers.”