Katie Hilsdon graduated from Oxford University in 2009 with a degree in French and Portuguese and then embarked on a career in law, spending two years at BPP Law School in London. She joined CooperBurnett LLP in 2015 and is part of our Corporate and Commercial team, advising clients on all aspects of company and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Katie is a member of our Charity Committee and is always ready to step-up for one of our challenges herself. For five years, she has jointly organised the Walk Tonbridge Marathon, alongside James Pavlou from Walk Tonbridge.
Molly Mackay joined our Corporate and Employment teams in July 2025. Her employment experience has seen Molly work with a range of clients and organisations of different sizes. She recognises that employees are the essence of any organisation and finds supporting a business in this area very rewarding. Molly has experience advising on a range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, assisting both employer and employee clients. Her corporate experience has focused on mergers and acquisitions matters. She trained and qualified at another regional law firm in Kent, qualifying in 2023.
Iola Cameron joined our team at CooperBurnett LLP three years ago as a Paralegal in the Corporate and Commercial team. She commenced her training contract with us in 2024, following the successful completion of her Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Master in Laws (LLM) with Distinction. Iola has worked with the Corporate and Commercial team since joining and is about to move into Private Client, as she continues her training. Iola gained a First Class (Hons) degree in Politics and International Relations from the University at Bristol, before completing her Graduate Diploma in Law and LPC, both with Distinction at the University of Law.
You are all at different stages in your legal journey.
Molly - you joined TeamCB fairly recently, how are you settling in?
“Everyone has been very welcoming and I feel I’ve settled in well. Since joining, I’ve had some great exposure to a wide range of both corporate and employment work and I’ve also got involved with some litigation matters. I’ve really enjoyed this broad spectrum of work.”
Iola – you have been here three years and are working towards qualifying. How is that going?
“Training is going very well. I’m now coming to the end of my time in my Corporate and Commercial seat. I’ve been in this team for three years this month and it’s been valuable to spend such a long time in one place, as I feel that I can add a real value, while still learning a lot and gaining in confidence in different areas. I’m moving to the Private Client team and I’m looking forward to trying something different, as well as working under other partners. That said, I’ll still be spending Thursdays with the Corporate and Commercial team.”
Katie – you’ve recently marked ten years here. What have been your highlights?
“So much has happened in that time - such as Brexit, the pandemic and some huge life changes for me – but it also feels like it’s gone very quickly. Our charity challenges have been a massive highlight and I’ve particularly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know people in other departments a little bit better through them. Another highlight for me is now – as I really love our Corporate and Commercial team currently. I feel very lucky. While we are busy, there’s a clear feeling that we are all in it together.”
Molly: “I agree. It’s nice to come to work and be part of such a great team.”
Does it feel good to work somewhere where there’s a clear career progression?
Katie: “Yes, career progression is taken very seriously but you’re also exposed to a variety of work here and that’s important too. I’ve found that CooperBurnett has been supportive if I have an interest in a particular area of law. I am supported in pursuing those interests, while training and development is also ongoing.”
Molly: “Yes, absolutely. It’s testament to the culture and the team at CooperBurnett that there are people who have built careers here. It demonstrates the CB culture in the way they support trainees, who then have the opportunity to move up the firm, potentially to partner level. It’s a great sign of a firm where people are happy, challenged and fulfilled. We can all see where our next step could be and that serves as good motivation.”
Iola: “It’s clear that the partners and the senior management here want you to succeed and progress your career to the next stage. I regularly have conversations with Victoria [Sampson] about the next steps in my career and how I can progress.”
What do you think makes CooperBurnett different from other law firms?
Iola: “You can approach anyone here and always feel listened to and valued. You’re never made to feel that you’re wasting somebody’s time or a question is too silly. CooperBurnett is also fairly unique in the way it supports people who want to qualify or progress their career by taking a less conventional route. I’m able to work part-time around my children, which is not common during your training contract. CooperBurnett has been amazing in supporting that approach and recognising the value in people who may not be pursuing a conventional route to qualification.”
Molly: “I’ve always felt able to ask questions and expand my knowledge. You are also very much encouraged to explore what interests you. I’ve been doing a bit more litigation work, and I’ve felt able to ask Joseph [Oates] all manner of questions. Being able to do so has encouraged me to think ‘yes, I can do this’.”
Katie: “I worked somewhere else previously and didn’t experience the same supportive atmosphere. Here, you are part of the team and are given good exposure to different types of work, compared with other firms where you might just have one role. Personally, now I have young children, I’ve found CooperBurnett to be extremely supportive of the different challenges that brings. I’ve benefitted from an environment where I can still do my work, balanced with other commitments and that makes a huge difference.”
Within this culture, do you feel you are supported to be the solicitor you want to be?
Katie: “Yes, you are certainly encouraged to pursue any particular specialisms or interests.”
Iola: “I found a seminar this morning that I wanted to attend and had an immediate reply from Victoria saying, ‘go for it’. I’ll then share that knowledge within our team.”
Molly: “When I first joined, one of the first things Victoria said to me was this is your career; we want to support you and help you to explore what you are interested in. I think that approach makes everyone feel motivated and happier.”
What do you all enjoy most about your roles, the client interaction perhaps?
Katie: “One of the things I enjoyed most when I first started working at CooperBurnett was the client focus and the exposure you get to clients. We are lucky in the Corporate team, dealing with many owner-managed businesses and getting to build a personal rapport with them. Helping clients to achieve their aims is something I really enjoy. I like supporting them with any day-to-day issues, as well as perhaps shareholder agreements, company incorporations or a reorganisation. We help them throughout their corporate life, as they build their businesses and, later, when they might look to succession planning or an exit or perhaps an acquisition path. Our team is alongside them all the way through.”
Molly: “Corporate and Employment law can be very emotional, as the issues involved are really significant to our clients. If somebody come to us with an employment-related query, it’s fulfilling to be able to support them with it. Equally, if someone has built up a business over many years and they’ve decided to move on, that can come with a lot of emotion. Supporting clients through that and guiding them to their end goal is really rewarding.”
Iola: “I enjoy the feeling of knowing we have done a good job for our clients, particularly if we are able to find them some key information, which adds real value to them or their business. It’s also rewarding to build a solid relationship with clients, which is something I have been able to do because I’ve been in the Corporate and Commercial team longer than the traditional six-month seat.”
Have you had good mentors along the way and do you already feel a responsibility to be good role models to the next generation of lawyers?
Iola: “Yes, I’ve learnt something from everyone in the Corporate and Commercial department. For example, I share an office with Katie and Russell [Brinkhurst], and you end up learning lots from them, even from just overhearing their interactions with clients over the phone. Everyone works a little differently and it’s good to see a variety of approaches. You can take little bits from everyone and it helps shape the lawyer you want to be.”
Molly: “Yes, at this stage in my career, I want to learn as much as possible. Picking up skills and knowledge from your colleagues helps you form your own style, grow and develop with the team.”
Katie: “Role models have always been important to me and we are lucky here to have some excellent ones. Being part of a great team and having those people work alongside you on a transaction is so rewarding.”
Is CooperBurnett’s close involvement with the local community and charity challenges important to you?
Katie: “Yes, I really love that and enjoy being part of the Charity Committee. The causes CooperBurnett has supported over the years have been incredible and some have been very personal to me. The big charity challenge is always a highlight of the two years and I am always amazed by the participation throughout the firm. People have extremely busy lives and they still step up to get involved, which I really appreciate. I’ve also enjoyed organising the Walk Tonbridge Marathon with James [Pavlou]. It’s great to see the local community and businesses come together to support the Tonbridge food bank, Sustain, and see where all the money raised is going.”
Molly: “I couldn’t join in the Walk Tonbridge Marathon this year but I definitely intend to take part in future challenges. It’s important and rewarding to get involved in the local community and give back where we can.”
Iola: “If you live in or near Tunbridge Wells, you will have seen what CooperBurnett is doing and be aware of its presence in the local community. I feel proud to be a part of that.”
Do you all feel that networking and business development is important?
Katie: “Over the past year, our team has done a bit more targeted networking. In addition to enTWine and the other networking our team attends, we are doing more one to one meet-ups, particularly with referrers. We are certainly encouraged to ‘get out there’ when we can.”
Molly: “We are actively encouraged to attend networking events and it’s great, even early on in your career, to have the opportunity to do that. CooperBurnett recognises the benefits networking can bring both personally and through representing the firm.”
It sounds like it’s busy in the Corporate and Commercial team at the moment. What’s taking up your time?
Iola: “The Autumn Budget is coming up, so there’s certainly a rush to get work completed ahead of that and it does feel like a lot of work has come along at once. We are busy but, as we’ve touched upon, we support one another. At our regular team meetings, we discuss what’s on our plates and work gets moved around if one person’s plate is piled too high. I don’t feel out of my depth, just active, and I enjoy being busy.”
Molly: “It’s good to be busy and, because we are working on transactions together, we can bounce ideas off each other. In terms of employment, there are some big legislative changes coming up, demonstrating the ever-changing nature of employment law. All through this, we are supporting each other and supporting our clients.”
Katie: “Everyone is very eager that transactions take place before the Budget, ahead of any anticipated tax changes. But, I agree, it’s good to be busy.”
When work is busy, how do you reset?
Katie: “Victoria brings us coffee to set us up for the day and, outside of work, I go for a run and that definitely helps me to switch off.”
Molly: “I do pilates and I find that’s a good way of clearing my head, as I don’t think about anything else while I’m doing it.”
Iola: “I find ideas come to me while I’m running and that’s not just to do with work, it could be juggling work/life balance and all the things that come with that. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I find that going for a run helps. It helps me to assess which balls can I drop and what my priorities are. From there, I think about how I can fit it all in and adjust everything accordingly. I always come back feeling so much better.”
