Abigail Vilia - Business Development Manager
Abigail Vilia, a trainee lawyer turned account manager, joined First4Lawyers last year as a business development manager. Here, the recently married mum from Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, explains a typical day.
When I first saw the ad for what is now my job, I thought it sounded perfect for me. I’ve spent the last few years working as an account manager so have that experience of building and nurturing client relationships, but I also have a law degree.
I studied law at the University of Huddersfield and worked as a legal executive in personal injury for several years before deciding it wasn’t for me. I’m a people person and I really enjoyed that aspect of the job, interacting with clients, but less so all the reading and paperwork that goes with it!
My current role is about bringing in new business, but also making sure that we’re consistently delivering the best results for our existing panel firms. That involves contacting panel members to check that everything is working as it should and reviewing their conversion rates to ensure that they are getting the best out of the leads that we send them.
As I am still relatively new to the role, I have been working on building these relationships so that panel members know and trust me and feel confident coming to me. Since Covid and the rise in working from home, much of this happens over the phone or via video call now, but I try and get out and about as often as I can to meet people in person.
I joined at an exciting time with the launch of F4LPlus, which has not only extended what we’re able to offer to existing clients but has also significantly widened the pool of prospects. I’m always on the lookout for growth opportunities, although I’m fortunate in that our reputation often precedes us and so many firms proactively come to us.
I work closely with Peter Sweeney, our other business development manager, Ian Adams our new director of sales and Nick Delaney, chief commercial officer. They have been so kind and gone out of their way to help me settle in. I have also been busy working on updating my industry knowledge so that I can better inform clients and Nick particularly has worked in the industry for a long time so is very knowledgeable and a great person to learn from.
The size of First4Lawyers is something that really appealed to me and the fact that the senior management team make themselves so available to everyone. We all know and support each other, and you feel seen and valued much more so than in the larger organisations I have previously worked for.
Outside of work, something most people don’t know is that I’m a qualified nutritionist with a master’s in nutrition and food science from the University of Huddersfield. I wound down my client base when I joined First4Lawyers, but health and fitness is still a real passion.
I recently got married so it’s been a busy year getting to grips with a new job and planning a wedding! We’re going to the Maldives on honeymoon later this year and I can’t wait.
I’m an avid traveller, but I’m also happy at home with family. My proudest achievement is my daughter who is now, somehow, a fully-fledged adult and apprentice electrician. We’re really close and even play together on our local cricket team. It’s a beautiful place to call home and I also love getting out for a walk whenever I can with our cockapoo and chief working from home buddy, Lola.
