"Staying curious and open-minded may lead you to unexpected opportunities"
Assistant Service Manager Lise-Lotte Sundell reflects on her career journey from joining Krogerus as an Assistant in the Restructuring & Insolvency practice to gradually taking on more responsibility within the assistant function. She shares how problem-solving, curiosity and willingness to embrace new challenges have shaped her development, and reflects on the importance of operational excellence, collaboration and continuous learning in the day-to-day work of assistants.
How has your career journey unfolded and how did you progress from Legal Assistant to Manager at Krogerus?
I was somewhat of a late bloomer when it came to my studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in late 2016. I completed my studies while working full-time and balancing everyday family life. After graduating, I did not initially intend to change jobs, but I came across a vacancy for an Assistant at Krogerus' Restructuring & Insolvency practice. The role immediately felt like the right fit for me and I decided to apply. In fact, it was the only position I applied for and I got it.
I had never worked at a law firm before and it took me a full year before I truly felt on top of the work and confident in what I was doing. Fortunately, I have always had strong problem-solving skills, which proved invaluable during those first years. Looking back on my long career, my time as an Assistant in the Restructuring & Insolvency team has been some of the best years of my working life. The work was challenging in the right way, I performed well, and the team was – and still is – fantastic and welcomed me with open arms.
After six years I started to feel that I was ready for something new. I was given the opportunity to step into the role of Team Lead for the assistant team, focusing on operational support and the organisation of day-to-day work, while continuing to work as an Assistant alongside the role. Gradually, my responsibilities increased and I stepped into a supervisory role within the assistant team. About a year and a half ago, I got the opportunity to move into a Manager role with broader responsibility for developing the entire function.
My progression has been enabled by my diverse work experience, organisational and problem-solving skills and a solution-oriented mindset. My career path has by no means been carefully planned, it has evolved gradually over time and chance has certainly played a role as well. At the same time, it has required willingness to take on new challenges and grow alongside changing responsibilities.
How has your expertise and style to lead developed over the years at Krogerus?
I have learned a lot during my career at Krogerus. My time as an Assistant built the foundation for my later roles. A Legal Assistant is truly a multi-skilled professional who is not easily intimidated by any task or challenge thrown their way. However, I have probably learned the most in my supervisory role. When you move into a role with greater responsibility for others, you quickly become aware of your own shortcomings. Fortunately, experience is the best teacher and naturally the mistakes you inevitably make teach you even more.
The biggest change in moving between roles has been that I am no longer advocating only for myself, but for the entire team. This requires a great deal of compromise and occasionally difficult decisions for the greater good. Having a strong grasp of the bigger picture has been important in every role, but its significance has become even more important in my latest positions.
In my current role, I have further developed my problem-solving abilities and learned to make decisions within tight timelines. My project management and organisational skills have also grown significantly. I also find it important to stay close to the operational work to genuinely understand what is happening within the assistant team. That is why I still occasionally step in to cover assistant duties, as it helps me better understand both the work itself and the demands placed on assistants.
Throughout my journey, I have received valuable support and sparring from both former and current supervisors, partners, lawyers and of course, assistants. Understanding different perspectives is essential when leading a team, as it forms the basis for making sound and fair decisions. One important lesson I have learned is that your own opinion is not always the right one and you must be willing to change your perspective when necessary.
What role does the legal assistant function play in supporting lawyers' work and how do you contribute to its development?
The role of a Legal Assistant varies depending on the practice area they work in. For example, in Dispute Resolution practice, assistants play a major role in managing deadlines and finalising and filing documents with the courts. Whereas, in transactional practices assistants are heavily involved in signing processes and document management. Assistants support lawyers in all necessary matters so that they can focus on client work.
Operational efficiency plays a significant role. The more efficiently the operational side functions, the faster and more effectively lawyers can carry out their own work, so the entire process needs to run smoothly from start to finish. We continuously aim to develop processes, division of work and ways of working. Are we doing something simply because it has always been done that way or is there an actual reason and logic behind the process? Often, in the middle of busy schedules, old ways of working continue without questioning whether they are still effective or efficient.
I believe high-quality work is supported by two things. First, assistants approach their work with a strong sense of professionalism and care in how tasks and requests are handled. Second, Krogerus supports this with tools and shared processes aimed at efficiency and quality. I strongly believe that anticipation and proactive support are possible because assistants are so closely integrated into the business. When you understand the background and purpose behind what is being done, it also becomes much easier to anticipate needs.
Key lessons from your journey
- Skills can be developed throughout your career, but your attitude and approach to work will take you far. Trust in yourself and your abilities, stay curious and open-minded, it may lead you to unexpected opportunities.
- Problem-solving skills and a solution-oriented mindset are valuable in any role and at every stage of your career. They are skills worth actively developing.
- Have the courage to share your ideas constructively, learn from your mistakes and stay curious. Building a broader understanding of the bigger picture helps with anticipation, planning and making better decisions.
Lise-Lotte's career in numbers
- 9.5 years at Krogerus
- 6 years as an Assistant in the Insolvency & Restructuring practice
- 2 years as Team Lead of the Assistant Team
- 1.5 years as Manager of the Assistant Team
