Press Release – June 2024
A Yorkshire lawyer is proving she’s fit for business after qualifying to represent Great Britain in the Duathlon European Championships.
Victoria Boid, a Partner in the Corporate team of leading Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison, will be taking on the gruelling challenge in Portugal.
Victoria, who has been training for the event for seven months, has previously competed in duathlon and triathlon championships but this is the first time she’s represented Great Britain in the European Championships.
The 2024 Europe Triathlon Duathlon Championships are in Coimbra, Portugal running 14-23 June. In addition to racing for Great Britain in Portugal, Victoria is also racing to qualify for the 2026 World Championships. She has previously achieved success in Thruxton, where she qualified for GB.
Victoria joined Ison Harrison in January last year and is also a fitness instructor at a gym in Harrogate. She qualified as a personal trainer in 2003, the same year as achieving her law degree.
Based at Duke House, the firm’s city centre headquarters in Leeds, Victoria also works out of the firm’s Harrogate office.
A specialist corporate mergers and acquisitions lawyer advising both buy and sell side clients with over 17 years’ experience gained in the commercial sector, Victoria trained in London and has worked internationally.
Having completed numerous client secondments over the years, Victoria has extensive experience of advising and representing owner-managed businesses, large corporates and financial institutions. Her current role involves supporting mid-market M&A activity in Leeds across a variety of commercial sectors and a diverse range of clients including those backed by private equity.
Victoria, who is an Olympic distance competitor, said:
“To qualify for the European Championship and represent Great Britain is a dream come true. I entered the final race of the season last year after training for a solid 10 weeks and qualified. I placed third in my age group on the day which secured the opportunity for me to compete against up to 30 other world-class and elite athletes in the duathlon which comprises a 10km run, 40km bike and 5km run with no break aside from a shoe change and bike rack.
“This will be a huge challenge but I can’t wait to compete and give it my best shot. I couldn’t do it without the support of my friends and colleagues at Ison Harrison who have encouraged me all the way and provided me with the most positive support in the lead up to the championships and throughout the intensive training.”
Ison Harrison became one of the first regional law firms to become a 100% employee-owned business in January 2022 after the three main shareholder directors agreed to sell the business to an Employee Ownership Trust.
The firm, which employs more than 250 staff across the region, posted a record turnover of over £22 million last year, up 16% from £19 million in 2022, as well as achieving numerous other business milestones. In the firm’s commercial division, which Victoria works in, turnover increased from £1.35m to £2.7m.
Victoria added:
“The culture of the firm enables our employees to not only fulfil their potential as lawyers but to enhance other aspects of their life, positioning the firm ahead of its competitors. People love to work here and our clients are provided with a service reflective of that.”
Managing director Jonathan Wearing, commented:
“We’re all very proud of Victoria and wish her well representing Great Britain at the European Championships. She is an outstanding lawyer and real team player, so we’re all extremely confident in her determination to succeed.
“We’re supporting Victoria all the way as we do with all our employees and since the firm switched to a full employee ownership model, this has been a hugely positive experience for everyone at the firm, making it much easier to really get behind these kinds of inspirational achievements and initiatives that get the whole firm engaged.”
Further information about Ison Harrison is available at https://www.isonharrison.co.uk
