Pictured ( left to right ): BHP ’ s Rosie Woodward , Charlotte Firth , Jemma Ebdon , Phil Masters , Debbie Palmer , Holly Sanderson , Alicia Ellsbury and Megan Austin , who all live in Aycliffe or surrounding areas .
When she was growing up , she travelled extensively because her father worked for the Navy , Army and Air Force Institutes ( NAAFI ). She was born in Surrey , but has lived in Germany , Ireland , Devon and Darlington , before settling in Aycliffe when she was 17 .
“ I love Aycliffe because it ’ s actually very green and open , and it ’ s a great community with friendly people ,” she says .
Asked what first attracted her to the law , Rosie laughs as she recalls a famous childhood film , called Curly Sue , in which Kelly Lynch plays a compassionate lawyer .
“ It struck a chord with me , and I just liked the idea that you can help people by working in the law ,” she says .
She was also inspired by her late Auntie Jackie , a respected barrister and lecturer with CILEX ( the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives ), who encouraged her to pursue a career in law .
Rosie started her legal career in 2004 as a conveyancing assistant with Darling and Stephensons solicitors in Darlington and joined BHP Law as a residential conveyancer in 2007 . Three years later , she accepted an offer to join the Disputes Resolution Team and BHP Law paid for her training with CILEX . She graduated in 2018 and became a fellow of CILEX in 2019 .
Rosie has continued to build her experience and is looking forward to helping drive new business on her home patch , where she has become embedded in the local community . Her local interests include being a member of Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership – a grass roots group working to promote events in the area – and she recently successfully applied for a position on the board .
She is also passionate about her role as an Ambassador for Dementia Friends , an initiative launched by the Alzheimer ’ s Society to educate people about dementia as well as raising money for research .
“ My nan died from vascular dementia , and my grandad has Alzheimer ’ s , so it ’ s a subject very close to my heart ,” she explains .
Meanwhile , Jemma Ebdon , who recently became the 11th partner at BHP Law , will also be using her extensive local connections to support Rosie in the firm ’ s Aycliffe initiative .
Mum-of-two Jemma is a shining example of how BHP Law invests in its own talent . She moved to Aycliffe from Bishop Auckland when she was seven and has lived there ever since , having started her career in the legal sector when she took a Saturday job with a different law firm when she was just 16 .
Jemma joined BHP Law in 2010 as a personal assistant to senior partner Peter Blackett , and took the opportunity to join the conveyancing team as a secretary two years later . She then committed to a five-year training programme to become a licensed conveyancer , with BHP Law funding the course .
That led to her becoming licensed under the Council of Licensed Conveyancers , making her a fully-fledged property lawyer , and rising to become team leader of the
18 | Aycliffe Business