LEAP Spotlight | Chantal McNaught

About Chantal

Chantal began her journey at LEAP in 2017 as a Client Success Manager. Prior to working at LEAP, Chantal practised Migration Law, and spent time working in the marketing firm of a national law practice. Since joining the company, Chantal has worked in numerous roles including Client Success Manager, Client Account Manager, Legal Practice Advisor for LEAP AU, and her now role as Client and Product Manager NZ. Chantal's background in law and ability to connect with practitioners, combined with her passion and deep knowledge of the LEAP product, makes her an invaluable member of the LEAP team.

Interview

What did you do prior to working for LEAP?

I'm a trained lawyer and my area of practice was Migration Law. I'm still a bit of a law nerd from time to time. Immediately prior to working at LEAP, I worked in the marketing firm of a national law practice and was part of the team which launched the Brisbane live music venue, Doo-Bop.

What made you apply to LEAP?

There was an advertisement for a position in ‘the world's leading legal software company' and I suspected it was LEAP without the ad even mentioning it! What motivated me most was the opportunity to assist my fellow practitioners with getting the most out of law practice through the use of technology. The added bonus of travelling and getting to meet all kinds of people was also pretty thrilling!

What is your current role and what are your main responsibilities & tasks?

I have just stepped into a hybrid role as Product Manager for LEAP NZ and Legal Practice Advisory. On the Product-side, I'm collecting, collating and prioritising product feedback sourced directly from NZ law firms to improve the LEAP NZ Product. As a Legal Practice Advisor, the main responsibility is helping law firm leaders and their teams embrace the technological marvel they have with LEAP to deliver exceptional legal services to their clients. No law firm is the same, and no principal or partner is the same either, so providing a bespoke service as part of the LEAP investment is paramount. Being prompt with addressing queries and not being afraid to ask more questions and seek to understand the challenges of LEAP firms is my bread and butter.

What are your key skills that have helped you exceed in your current role?

Communication, problem solving and an open mindset!

How has this role helped you in achieving your career goals and development?

The common opinion is that career goals and progression is linear, but it isn't. This role has helped me grow in directions I didn't know were possible – three-dimensional growth! And doing it alongside a passionate and personable team makes it even better.

What has your career journey been so far?

My role has evolved through several different job descriptions and each of them has been exciting, rewarding, and challenging. From meeting clients and outlining new features and functionality they might not be aware about, through to consulting with principals and practice managers of 30+ staff firms, I have had the opportunity to build and enhance my skills. We set goals and milestones that we want to achieve each quarter and get to discuss an individualised roadmap with our managers to help us on our career journey. This support has helped me develop my own journey, building upon best practice expertise and exposure to new tech and ways of working.

Are there any career milestones or accomplishments that you would like to share?

Certainly being ‘Oprah' with video testimonial clients is up there! Also helping new team members with their onboarding and seeing them grow and flourish has its own rewards.

What has been your favourite part about working with LEAP?

The camaraderie. We are a team, no matter the business unit or goal, we help each other and we are here for each other in ways I've never experienced in other organisations. Very few egos get in the way!

How does LEAP encourage career growth and progression?

LEAP's focus has always been about growth and development. One thing which is obvious is how the leadership team also grow and develop to best support their teams. This was my experience moving from the Queensland Legal Practice Advisory team into a new, hybrid role in a green fields market in New Zealand. Skill sets, ambition and business need is harmonised so there is a win-win. It was a big leap (pun intended) and the best part is that I felt well supported. Big dreams take time to form and do get realised!

What advice would you give other new starters?

Keep an open mind. Nothing is perfect, yet with over 30 years of continuous improvement LEAP gets close!

If you are motivated, passionate and dedicated to growing your career, we'd love to hear from you! Check out our careers page to see all available roles.