Law firm promotes current employee to chief operating officer
Law firm Buckles has announced the promotion of its current CIO, Mel Smith, to the position of chief operating officer.
Smith joined Buckles in 2013 as an IT service management professional. The firm, which has offices in Bristol, Cambridge, London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Swindon, and Stamford, has experienced growth since her arrival.
In her new role, Smith will oversee all non-departmental operations, including IT, facilities, client services, front of house, and legal administration, as the firm aims to further streamline its operational structure and improve its support and client services.
Smith said: “This is an immensely proud time for me, and my career at Buckles stands testament to the firm’s commitment to developing and promoting talent from within. The importance the firm places on all the departments that support the delivery of legal services shows it takes a fully rounded team to deliver an excellent customer experience, from how they’re greeted in reception to how easy we make it for our legal professionals to communicate with our clients.
“My role makes me responsible for leading a large team dedicated to improving the client experience, with the application of new and emerging technology, including how we deploy genuine AI solutions, rather than just automating processes.”
Buckles CEO Duncan Jackson said: “Mel has been our Chief Information Officer through the most successful period in the firm’s long history, and this new role will make the most of her unique skill set. Highly experienced and commercially minded, her strategic vision has been instrumental in our success, and she has encouraged us all to think differently whilst contributing significantly to the culture of the organisation.
“I am confident that, as we enter this next phase in Buckles’ development, Mel will prove to be an even stronger member of the firm’s senior team, helping us demonstrate the strength of our service offering and deliver excellence across the business.”