Jo Mason
Having always aspired to pursue a career in law, Jo graduated from Southampton Institute (now Solent University) with an Honours Law Degree in 1998. Jo went on to attain the Legal Practice Course Certificate from Guildford College of Law the following year and secured a training contract with Staffurth & Bray in September 1999. Jo has remained with the firm ever since.
Jo qualified as a solicitor in October 2001 and initially worked as an assistant solicitor in the Civil Litigation Department. In doing so, she became a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and Association for Victims of Medical Accidents (now Action against Medical Accidents). Jo completed the Law Society Management Course in April 2003 and made Partner of the Firm that same year. At the time, Jo was also involved with Business Network International (BNI) and was a member from February 2003 for the Chichester Festival Chapter. Jo completed a 9 month term as Treasurer and a further 6 month term as Membership Co-ordinator. Jo was elected a Chichester & District Law Society Committee Member and Parliamentary Liaison Officer (PLO) in September 2003. In November 2004, Jo was also appointed Honorary Solicitor for the Littlehampton & District Citizens Advice Bureau.
After 3 years, Jo moved in to the Criminal Litigation Department to improve her advocacy skills having originally wanted to enter the profession as a barrister. This did occupy a lot of her time but the hard work and effort paid off when, in October 2004, she passed Stage 1 of the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme and became, as a consequence, a fully accredited police station and court duty solicitor enlisted on the local police station and Magistrates' Court schemes. In July 2006 Jo also undertook the necessary exams and portfolio work to become a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Criminal) authorised to exercise rights of audience in the Crown Court in all proceedings and in other courts in all criminal proceedings. Jo now heads up a very busy Criminal Litigation Department as well as also now being the Treasurer for the Chichester & District Law Society.