Alistair Pettersen - Managing Partner

Alistair joined Ward & Rider in 1979 as a trainee having graduated in Business Law from Coventry University followed by the Law Society final exams at the College of Law in Chester.

Alistair qualified in 1981, becoming a partner in the firm in 1986. He became Senior Partner in 2000 and full time Managing Partner in 2005.

Alistair is responsible for overseeing the day to day and long term management of the firm including the firm’s quality programmes. He is currently a member of the West Midlands Lexcel Focus Group.

Alistair says "We recognise that the legal services industry is undergoing rapid change and that it is vitally important that we understand what our current and future clients expect of us and to make sure that we deliver our products and services in a way that suits them best. That is one of the many challenges that we aspire to."

In his spare time Alistair enjoys walking, theatre and music.

Jason Claridge - Partner

After qualifying in the early 1990s and reaching the position of associate partner Jason joined Ward & Rider in 1999. He became a partner in 2000 and is joint head of the Personal Injury Department.

Jason deals with all types of claims ranging from claims worth a few thousand to millions of pounds. He has a wide breadth of experience and enjoys challenging cases.

Jason states, "I like to demystify and simplify every aspect of making a claim. I want to make sure I take the strain of the claims process rather than my clients. I have always greatly enjoyed meeting and dealing with a whole range of diverse individuals and people. I came into the profession hoping to make a difference to people who had been injured. I have held this principle dear for the last couple of decades and believe this will remain with me throughout the rest of my (hopefully) lengthy legal career."

In his spare time Jason enjoys watching sport, particularly rugby although his days of playing have now ended. He enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Lin Elshaw - HR & Facilities Manager

Lin joined Ward & Rider in November 1987 as a Secretary in the Personal Injury Department.

Lin became Secretarial Supervisor in November 2000 and in 2003 she was promoted to Office Administrator, which included the maintenance and upkeep of the offices and also HR duties. In April 2008 Lin was promoted to the role of Manager of HR & Facilities.

Lin comments "I very much enjoy my role as HR Manager. I like the interaction it brings with my colleagues. The policies and procedures we have at Ward & Rider makes it easy to have a good work/life balance and this makes my job a lot easier, as I am able to support colleagues when they have problems and do all I can to help them."

Lin once did a tandem skydive, which she describes as "the most thrilling experience of my life".

Lorraine Pettit - IT Manager

Lorraine joined Ward & Rider in April 2008 after spending 12 years as IT Manager at another Coventry firm and is responsible for the day to day running and management of the firm’s computer systems.

She has various qualifications including Microsoft and CIW Certifications together with lots of 'hands on' experience and has a particular interest in web design.

"I love the variety my job brings on a day to day basis. Here at Ward & Rider we have a robust infrastructure and are always researching new technology which ensures we can give our clients a great service through the use of our computer systems".

Lorraine is a keen runner, completing the New York Marathon in November 2008 raising money for charity along the way and is an avid Sky Blues fan.