Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Barbara Corbett

Date: 14 Feb 2024

Ashleigh John

This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Barbara Corbett, Senior Partner at Corbett Le Quesne.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I swim before work and get to the office around 8.40am in time for the first coffee of the day. Depending on whether I am in court or have appointments with clients my days aren’t really the same two days in a row. In between court hearings and client meetings I read and respond to emails, prepare documents, deal with the admin I need to deal with as senior partner and discuss cases (mine and those of others in the firm) with my colleagues.

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions.

I am involved in several complex cases at present, ranging from a care case where the court need to decide if two children can return home to their parents after being in care for over a year to two very different multi-million pound financial remedy cases. It is interesting to see the similarities and differences across such a wide variety of cases. Some wealthy people can be extremely generous and thoughtful when separating and some can be incredibly mean. In one case where there is around £50 million at stake, the husband refused to allow his wife to use the joint account to pay for Christmas presents and even made her repay £8.35 for a sandwich and coffee she had bought! In another case, the husband is paying the wife £20,000 per month in spousal maintenance but she says that is not enough and he needs to pay her £33,000 per month. I have cases where the court is asked to make decisions around who should host a child’s birthday party, to cases where there are allegations of rape and serious domestic abuse. Some allegations are credible and some are not.

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges for couples divorcing and wanting to move on, is the difficulty there is currently in selling property. With houses being on the market for years at a time, it is very hard for people to move on with their lives if they have to carry on living in the same house, because it just isn’t selling. The current levels of mortgage interest rates is making it more difficult for both parties to a marriage that is ending to be able to afford a home after the assets are divided. For many they just have to play the waiting game. This is when it is so important to be positive and to keep relations with the other party as amicable as it can be.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Qualifying as a Jersey advocate, in 2010, is still the stand-out moment of my professional life. As any Jersey lawyer will tell you, the Jersey advocates’ exams are the hardest exams you will ever take…and you take them while working full-time in an extremely demanding job!

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Listening! We have an open plan office and a very friendly and approachable team. We discuss work, the pressures of the job, home life, future plans, challenges we face and the things we enjoy best. Listening to what my colleagues would like to do, what is stressful for them and what would help them fulfil their ambitions means that I and my partner Nick can ensure that everyone gets the chance to play to their strengths. As a result of listening to what people need to maintain a good work life balance, Nick and I introduced a four-day week for everyone in the firm. We all get one day off each week but salaries have stayed the same. We started it as a pilot last June and it is now our permanent regime. This gives everyone a chance to have time to study, exercise, spend more time with children and grandchildren or simply to chill! We still open the office every day and of course cover all our court hearings. We each have a different day off each week, except Thursdays, when we are all in and can have staff meetings and team lunches. It hasn’t had a detrimental effect of profits but it has made happier team members.

Who do you most admire and why?

I especially admire people who are successful in their chosen life-plans, whether that means they make money or not, but who are also kind and supportive to those around them. I have been lucky enough to have had many people, both men and women, who have inspired me and others to achieve as much as achieving themselves. Those who help and support people on their way to success and who consequently gain respect and admiration themselves.

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

London. I took my 4 year old granddaughter there for the last few days of the Christmas holidays while her mother returned to work. We visited playgrounds and museums and had adventures!