Frustrated with the lack of legal provision for a large percentage of the population, Dutton Gregory family law partner Jonathan Whettingsteel decided to take the law into his own hands. He spoke to Today’s Family Lawyer editor Juliet Shaw to explain why he’s sharing his advice for free in a new series of ‘agony uncle’ videos.
Ever since he qualified as a solicitor in 2010, Jonathan Whettingsteel has been passionate about ensuring everyone has access to the legal profession. Whether it’s students who need a helping hand to get onto the career ladder, or people who need legal advice but don’t have the resources to secure it, he’s used his own success to create opportunities for others.
As someone who “didn’t have anyone to open doors” to the legal profession, Whettingsteel made his own way by handing out CVs at local firms and gaining as much experience as he could while completing his studies.
Now, after forging a successful career as a sought-after family solicitor, the Dutton Gregory partner is making sure the doors he worked hard to open don’t close on others.
Equal before the law
As a mentor for law students and the supervisor of a pro bono clinic at the University of Winchester, Whettingsteel is passionate about supporting those who want a career in law. At Dutton Gregory, he is also response for the growth and development of the firm’s trainee lawyers.
His passion for creating opportunities within the law applies equally, if not more so, to those who need its support. So when Dutton Gregory came up with the idea of a marketing campaign that focuses on what drives the individuals within the firm, Whettingsteel decided to take that one step further.
“We were asked to think about a personal branding campaign; what we stand for and what we want to be known for,” he explains.
“I’ve always felt very strongly that the law should be accessible to everyone who needs it. It’s not just about mentoring and pro bono work – there are a lot of people who have never had the need for a family lawyer and wouldn’t where to start or what to ask for if they needed help.
“So I wanted to use the opportunity of the branding campaign to reach people en masse and share accurate information they may otherwise not have access to.”
Somewhere to turn
A LexisNexis report published in August found that almost a quarter of the population in England and Wales live in areas with a high need for legal aid, but where no support is available.
It’s these “legal aid deserts” Whettingsteel wants to reach. “Cuts to legal aid have been catastrophic,” he says. “We want to share the message that the legal profession is there to help, and we can give that advice and assistance.”
With the support of Dutton Gregory’s marketing team, Whettingsteel came up with the idea of creating short videos to answer questions sent in by real people with real family law problems. Identifying details are removed, and Whettingsteel’s responses set out the legal position, explain possible next steps, and signpost to further information.
He explains: “We’ve had questions from people asking how can stop their ex posting pictures of their kids on social media, or worried because they’ve been asked to sign a pre-nup and aren’t sure whether they should, or their wife wants a divorce and they don’t know what to do next.
“Obviously I can’t give personal advice – I’m not going to sit and look at a spreadsheet and discuss assets and settlements. But what I can do is be very clear about the legal position and how it applies to a given situation.”
The 90-second videos are filmed in an informal style in a cosy local pub, with Whettingsteel adopting the persona of an agony uncle – “It’s a bit like Dear Deirdre but without the scandal”, he jokes.
Advice before you need it
The videos will be shared on Dutton Gregory’s social media channels and, Whettingsteel hopes, continue long after the firm’s marketing campaign has ended. There’s also talk of a live webinar and Q&A, and extending the initiative to other legal disciplines.
“I love the idea of it being a regular thing, and as long as people have questions to ask I’m happy to answer them,” he says.
“If we can reach people with assistance and advice even before they need it by making it relevant and accessible, then hopefully we can prevent a lot of distress further down the line.
“Relationships breaking down, not being able to see children, not knowing where to turn – these are all very difficult and emotional experiences that could be avoided if we’re able to get the information out there.
“If the videos can help people to put plans in place that will avoid these scenarios, and ultimately spend less time and money on the court system… that’s a personal brand I’m very proud to be associated with.”
The Ask Jon videos will be shared on Dutton Gregory’s social media channels in the coming weeks. Questions can be emailed to askjon@duttongregory.co.uk.
