A holiday to Jamaica inspired a Birmingham woman to set up her own legal practice.

Fay Shorter was looking for a new challenge after working at Lyons Davidson Solicitors in Solihull for ten years.

A chat with her brother-in-law led to the 36-year-old from Great Barr launching her own company and naming it after him – Wilmot Simpson.

Fay set up the business after receiving advice and information from business adviser Minal Sodha at the Regional Women’s Enterprise Unit (RWEU) which is partly funded by Advantage West Midlands, the DTI/Small Business Service and the European Social Fund.

“I’ve been interested in the law ever since I watched Perry Mason on TV when I was 13 or 14 and I remember when I was at school saying I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up,” she said.

“I passed my law degree at UCE in Birmingham after studying part-time for the first two years while working at Birmingham County Court and then I studied full-time.

“I qualified in 2001 but I was specialising in one type of personal injury claim and I wanted a new challenge.

“I took a holiday to Jamaica and I was talking to my brother-in-law and he said that I had enough experience so why didn’t I set up on my own?

“When I came back I decided to carry out my own research into setting up my own practice and it didn’t sound as onerous as I thought it would be.

“It has been a steep learning curve because I now have to wear the hat of a business woman as well as a lawyer.

“But I am enjoying it. I am initially handling personal injury claims but later in the year I will be moving into other areas like Wills and conveyancing.”

Fay contacted the RWEU after a colleague mentioned the free help and information that was available from the regional-wide scheme.

Her adviser, Minal, said: “Fay continued to work for a year while she put everything in place which is really sensible.

“We have monthly chats and I have given her advice on hiring a call centre to take messages since she does a surgery at a local law centre two or three days a week and it is important that she doesn’t miss any potential business.

“Fay has also been to our monthly meetings to network with other women in business. It is important to talk to other women who may be experiencing similar difficulties and to realise that you are not on your own because there is plenty of help available.”

For further information log on to www.wilmotsimpson.co.uk