There’s more than one way to become a lawyer, as Macks’ Personal Injury specialist Natasha Healy is proving.

Natasha left Guisborough’s Laurence Jackson School at the age of 16 to take a job as an office junior at a Teesside law firm. Now, just over a decade later, she’s celebrating her qualification as a Chartered Legal Executive.

Unlike those who take a university Law degree, legal executives usually work as they study, meaning they continue to earn a salary instead of building up student loan debts.

“I would definitely recommend this way of doing it,” said Natasha, 27, who now lives in Thornaby with husband Marc.

“I studied at Middlesbrough College one afternoon a week and then did the final part by distance learning, having the books sent out and teaching myself at home.

“You’re killing two birds with one stone because you get your experience while you’re training, instead of just learning the law and then being thrown into a legal environment without any knowledge of how an office is run or how to approach a client.

“There are lots of people with Law degrees who are struggling to get training contracts because they are becoming far more difficult to come by.”

Natasha specialises in Personal Injury work and currently looks after road traffic accident claims.

“It can be tough but I sometimes work better under pressure and it’s very satisfying to get the end result you want for your client,” she says. “Macks is a very friendly and approachable firm where everybody works as a team.”

The government has been considering changes that would make it more difficult to claim for soft tissue injuries and whiplash. It now seems that these moves may be put on hold, which Natasha believes would be a good thing.

“I can understand why there are concerns over a compensation culture, but if someone’s been injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault, common sense dictates that they should be entitled to compensation,” she says.

“Why should innocent victims suffer just because some people abuse the system?”

Natasha’s qualification gives her rights of audience, meaning she can represent clients in court proceedings, and she could even become a judge one day. She can also use it as a stepping stone to becoming a solicitor if she wishes to continue her studies.

Natasha’s graduation ceremony was held in Milton Keynes and was attended by Marc and other family members.