Shaping The Future Of Somek & Associates

I always knew from a very early age that I wanted to be an occupational therapist (OT). My mother had a stroke as a result of dental clinical negligence when she was 12 years of age, and I had therefore been brought up by someone who was fiercely independent despite her very

significant disability. In fact, I did not really notice she had a significant disability because she used to achieve the same as everyone else, but just went about it in a different way! However, through these early life experiences I acquired problem solving skills and a compassion for the dignity of others, which in turn gave me a natural ability to teach others with a life changing illness/disability to also lead independent and fulfilling lives. These values of independence, dignity, equality and freedom are at the core of occupational therapy, and it quickly became evident that I was destined to be an occupational therapist.

I came across the medico-legal field quite by accident when I met Alison Somek at a training event and she spoke to me about the expert witness role. By this stage, I had been qualified for almost eight years, where I had worked predominantly in trauma and orthopaedics and amputee rehabilitation. I was working at a Band 8A level as a Head OT, had completed an MSc in OT, and had worked for three years in the occupational therapy department of a Japanese hospital. I was therefore ready to embark upon my next occupational therapy challenge and joining Somek as an associate expert witness, running alongside my clinical OT role, seemed the perfect fit. I have never regretted taking my occupational therapy skills into the medico-legal field. The aim of reasonable restitution in the award of quantum damages, is to:

I have always believed that an occupational therapist is the expert witness best placed, out of all of the other experts, to comment on the impact of disability upon a claimant’s function and life and, in so far as money is able, make robust recommendations that will enable the ‘return of the claimant to their pre-injury condition and lifestyle’. As occupational therapists we assess an individual’s independence holistically, taking into consideration the impact of their physical and psychological functioning upon their safety and independence, with reference to the individual’s values and life priorities, and all with reference to the physical and socio-cultural environment in which they live.

I have been with S&A for the majority of my career – so I am Somek to the core. Having been here for so long, I really have seen the company grow from just a few staff and experts to where we are today, and naturally I too have contributed to this growth. I have worked alongside Alison Somek throughout my time, and we do share the same passion for ensuring the quality of the reports and services we provide, and for ensuring the integrity of the expert witness role. We have the most fantastic staff and the most professional, dedicated and experienced experts who demonstrate a real loyalty to Somek & Associates. Our staff and our associates are our greatest asset and I am looking forward to us all working together on some projects I have up my sleeve, to take Somek & Associates forward and to see how far we can go, particularly now we are part of the fantastic Frenkel Topping Group and have their support behind us. I am also particularly interested to see where technology and Artificial Intelligence will take us, both clinically and in the expert witness field.

What do you think will be the most challenging part of becoming S&A’s MD?

Undoubtedly, the most challenging aspect will be learning to step away from my current role as Head of Medico-Legal Operations,