As part of our International Women’s Day series, we are sharing interviews with women across LA who inspire, lead and shape the future of our firm. Today, we speak with Ann Lloyd, Partner and Head of Litigation and Recoveries. As she marks 25 years with LA, Ann reflects on her unconventional journey into law, the clients and mentors who shaped her career, and the values that guide her leadership.

Can you give a brief overview of your role as Partner and Head of Litigation and Recoveries?

My role is really varied. I have a busy fee-earning litigation caseload. I look after claims from their start all the way through to trial. I have three trials this week. I also manage key client relationships, oversee training and development, handle complaints, manage budgeting, and handle a wide range of operational matters that support the team’s work.

What first attracted you to specialise in litigation, asset finance and consumer credit work?

To be honest, it was never something I set out to do. I completed my law degree at Bournemouth University in 1995, which offered a placement year. I wrote letters to firms all over the country asking for a placement without luck. Eventually, I secured a year at a high street firm in Wiltshire, prosecuting car parking offences and attempting to understand leases and Will drafting. It wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to do, but I worked really hard, and they offered me a training contract.

After the LPC at Guildford, I was undecided whether to return to Wiltshire, so I worked as a receptionist for a year. When I moved back to Bournemouth, I applied for a job at LA as a floating PA. I was offered a role as a PA in the Banking and Finance team. I remember being pleased but slightly disappointed, as Banking and Finance sounded fairly dull. I accepted anyway and joined in 2001, working for two partners and a newly qualified solicitor.

Both partners were amazing litigators and role models. They mentored exceptionally, explaining and guiding all the time. I will always be grateful for the time they invested in me. I came to love arguing over assets and found my niche. I stayed with the team, becoming a paralegal, a trainee and, eventually, in 2009, a partner in what later became Litigation and Recoveries after the team merger.

What skills or qualities have been most important in your career progression?

I think it is about understanding what people want and making sure you deliver it as they expect. With clients, you also need to deliver with commerciality, proportionality and pragmatism. It is great to nurture a client relationship so that you become their absolute go-to, whether work-related or because they want to moan about their partner, teenage child or anything else.

Is there a recent case or achievement you are particularly proud of?

The Litigation and Recoveries team is chosen by multinational banks and lenders to provide their legal services. It is an extraordinarily privileged position to be in. We are invited to compete in procurement processes and then selected because of our skills to litigate on behalf of funders who contribute to providing credit in the UK to the tune of £116 billion.

Our competitors are extraordinarily envious of our position. We are literally fed work by our clients. I am proud that our team provides that service to the credit industry.

This year, The Lawyer noted me as acting in one of the Top Ten Appeals in 2026. The Court of Appeal will decide whether consumer credit unfair relationship claims can be brought as omnibus claims in one single Claim Form under CPR 7.3. It may sound boring, but it is a big issue in the motor finance industry and will have a huge impact on the litigation our clients face.

How has the firm supported you in your career, both in progressing to partnership and in your development as a leader?

I have been with the firm for 25 years this year and have worked hard throughout that time. That has been recognised at every step, and I have been mentored and supported continuously.

What do you enjoy most about leading the Litigation and Recoveries team?

Without any question, the people. I cannot say how much I value and appreciate the members of the team who are dedicated, able, and value-led.

How have you approached balancing the demands of a senior legal career with life outside of work?

It is really hard to juggle a working life with a family life, and I definitely do not always get it right. I try to completely separate the two, and if I can’t, I explain why.

Ideally, I would come home every night and switch off, but that is not always possible. So I talk to my kids about what I need to do and why, and I let them know when I will stop work. I think it is important for them to know what I do. Seeing me working is not always a bad thing; it just needs balance. They are proud of what I do and interested in my job, and that makes it worthwhile.

How have you seen opportunities for women in the legal profession evolve during your career?

When I started at the high street firm, I was told I was not allowed to wear trousers and must wear a knee-length skirt every day.

When I attended my first Banking and Finance client event in 2006, it was completely dominated by men.

Looking at the industry now, and at LA, I am proud that we are a million miles from those experiences.

What has helped you succeed in areas of law that have traditionally been male-dominated?

Honestly, just being myself and working hard. My dad has been great throughout my life. There was never a distinction between my brother and me. We were both given the same opportunities, and there was no divide.

My mum was a really organised and capable person, both at home and at work as a secretary. She was never phased by anything. She worked incredibly hard when I was young and was a fantastic role model. Together, my parents showed me that we are all equal. I think that helped me succeed.

What advice would you give to women aspiring to senior roles within a law firm?

If you want to do it, just do it. Nothing should hold you back.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

Honestly, not a huge amount. I was talking to my 13-year-old son about this interview, and he said that women should not have to have a separate day where we exclude ourselves from others because of past treatment, and I think I agree.

I understand some may be shocked, but I genuinely think women are awesome, and I do not think they need a day to celebrate that. I want that extended to everyone. We should celebrate everyone continuously.

I mentioned this to my daughter, who is nearly 16, and she was indifferent to the day. That might be her age, but it might also be because we have a generation who do not see this as so much of an issue. I hope so.