Dr Heather Stewart

PhD MBA solicitor/ management consultant.

As an equity partner, Heather Stewart was responsible for managing several branch offices. She gained an MBA degree and subsequently a doctorate based on extensive research into the factors that create value for clients, from both a service operations and marketing perspective.

She was principal consultant to the Law Society for the content of Practice Excellence, a series of CD roms published in 2000. Her book, Excellent Client Service – strategies for success, was published by Law Society Publishing in 2003. She has regularly written articles for Managing for Success, the LMS magazine and the Solicitors’ Journal, and for other journals.

She has worked in association with Andrew Otterburn since he formed Otterburn Legal Consulting in 1996, undertaking projects for firms of varying sizes. Based on the experiences gained from private practice and her research, Heather focuses on assisting firms with strategic marketing, client care and client relationship development, managing working capital and operational effectiveness to deliver firm and client value.

Additionally, she has designed and run training courses up to MBA level covering the range of skills required in practice management for the University of Bradford, the Law Society, and in-house for firms and local authorities.