A personal message from Alison

Retirement here I come! Honestly, I cannot believe that we are here! I cannot believe that I am that old!!! But reality hits us all, including me.

I started my first “real job” as an occupational therapist in September 1976, working in London and spending all my hard earned salary in Oxford Street – all £1,692 per annum! It really was a disaster being so close to the best retail mecca of its era. I could walk there in my lunch break. Thank goodness I was living with Mum and Dad and my rent was “very reasonable”!

I remain very, very proud indeed to have qualified as an occupational therapist and had many happy years working in this amazing profession, where I was able to help so many people to overcome, or at least make the most of, living with a disability.

Little did I know that my time working as a senior occupational therapist with patients with severe injuries, predominantly upper limb and specifically brachial plexus injuries, would lead me down a medico-legal path, that I did not even know existed. To think that this progressed to developing a business and the fabulous company of Somek and Associates – well I have to pinch myself that this all happened. To this day, I still get excited when talking about cases, our remit as expert witnesses and the importance of our role to achieving justice, surely one of the most important things in our society – and we are right at the centre.

That is 48 years of working life in a nutshell!

However, what I really want to say is that along the route I have met some of the most amazing people – medical and health professionals, patients, others involved in healthcare, and subsequently fellow experts, lawyers, judges, and all people involved in medicolegal practice, especially here at Somek and Associates, and more latterly at Frenkel Topping Group.

Thank you all for the part you have played in making my career so enjoyable.

Jessica Thurston is now taking up the reins as MD, so the company is in great hands. I wish Jess, all our colleagues and associates, and all of you every happiness and success in the future.