Patricia Barr

Title:	HR Director
Department:	Human Resources
Qualifications:	B.Soc.Sc., FCIPD

Background

My college career started in UCD where I was admitted as a mature student to Social Science at the ripe old age of 22! I specialised in personnel management (as it was known then) and industrial relations. On completing my degree I initially joined IBM, and then made the break through into HR working with two US multi-nationals, Prime Computer & AT&T.

To progress my career further I then joined Kindle Banking Systems (KBS), part of Misys plc where I gained significant international HR experience. I joined in 2005 to establish the firm's HR function.

Experience

Over the years I have been involved in all aspects of HR at both a local and international level, having had responsibility for staff in Ireland, the UK, India and the Philippines. All of the roles I have held to date have been extremely varied and challenging, and immensely enjoyable.

Why I joined

My reasons for joining were two-fold. First, it was an opportunity to build a function from the ground up, something I had done previously in KBS, and had really enjoyed. Second, working in a law firm would be a new challenge for me as it was a sector I was not familiar with other than as a client.

The working atmosphere

I suppose the one thing that has struck me about the firm is that we have managed to get the balance right between working hard while still maintaining a friendly and positive atmosphere. We take time out to celebrate personal milestones in peoples' lives such as birthdays, engagements, weddings, births, etc. which all contributes towards an enjoyable working atmosphere. On the sports front, we participate in a number of events throughout the year such as the Tag Rugby League, the Solicitor's Soccer League (which we won in 2007) and 5-a-side soccer which takes place twice a week.

Any tips?

A particular trait we look for in candidates is whether they are a good "fit" for the firm and candidates are not hired on the basis of their qualifications or expertise only. I would advise candidates to thoroughly research any firm that they are interested in working with to find out if they practice in the area you think you want to work in.

Overall, be yourself at interview - don't say what you think the interviewer wants to hear. This is especially true here in ByrneWallace, where the "fit" is particularly important.