Clearing changed my life and led me to the top of my profession

One of the UK’s leading personal injury solicitors says a call to a university Clearing hotline changed the course of his life.

After an A-level result did not go as planned, Mark Howarth secured a place at Coventry University through Clearing. A decision that ultimately led him to a career at the top of his profession.

Mark, who grew up in Billinge, attended Billinge Chapel End Primary School before moving on to Rainford High School.

More than 30 years later, he is now a partner at national law firm Simpson Millar. Mark specialises in personal injury claims, securing millions of pounds in compensation for seriously injured clients.

For Mark, whose roots remain firmly in the North West, an unexpected twist on results day ultimately led him to a career he never imagined.

Now, as students prepare to receive their own results, he is encouraging young people to approach the day with an open mind. He said:

“The A-level that went wrong was actually on my 18th birthday, so I was probably slightly distracted.

“Things hadn’t gone the way I’d planned but if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have gone to Coventry and my whole life would have turned out differently.”

A football-inspired choice

Results day looked very different in 1990. While students today can access their grades online, Mark had to drive to school to collect his results before heading home to consider his next steps.

He remembers feeling disappointed but determined. He reflected:

“I didn’t expect the result and at the time it felt disappointing but it lit a fire in me and I was determined to go to university and not to make the same mistake twice.

“I can remember sitting in the hallway of my parents’ house ringing universities through Clearing. It took days.

“I got offered places at Coventry University and a couple of other universities. I’d never visited any of them, so I looked at the options and thought ‘Coventry has a top-flight football team’.

“I chose Coventry University because of Coventry City. It sounds ridiculous but I’ve never regretted it.”

What started as a football-inspired decision became a lifelong connection with the city. Mark still returns several times a year to watch the Sky Blues and catch up with friends he made during his university days.#

Discovering law

Despite becoming one of the UK’s most respected personal injury solicitors, Mark never set out to pursue a legal career.

Studying geography and economics at university, he had planned a very different future. He said:

“I fell into law completely by chance.

“I was part-way through my degree and realised I probably needed to think about what I wanted to do next.

“I knew somebody at a local law firm back home who offered me some work experience and I remember thinking ‘Actually, this makes sense to me, I can do this’.”

That experience inspired him to continue his studies with a law conversion course after completing his degree. Mark added:

“That course was the foundation of everything that followed

“It was hard work, but I loved it. From that point onwards, I never looked back.”

Building a legal career

Mark qualified as a solicitor in January 1998 and built his career in personal injury law across the North West.

His progression was rapid. He became an associate in 2007, a partner in 2008 and a full equity partner in 2010 while working at Linder Myers Solicitors.

During his time there, he helped transform the firm’s Chester office into a multi-million-pound operation.

He believes studying geography and economics before converting to law gave him a broad range of skills that have proved invaluable throughout his career. He noted:

“University taught me how to research properly, build structured arguments and communicate clearly but it also gave me broader thinking.

“The economics side proved incredibly useful when I moved into leadership and business roles, and I’ve always believed that understanding people and business is just as important as understanding the law.

“Law is a people business. I enjoy building relationships and understanding what clients are trying to achieve. Ultimately, people want to work with someone they trust.”

Changing lives through law

Today, Mark is a partner at Simpson Millar, specialising in personal injury claims, particularly motorbike accident cases.

Throughout his career, he has helped clients rebuild their lives following serious accidents. He has secured compensation and support that has enabled them to regain independence.

Mark’s work has focused on helping people move forward after life-changing events. This ranges from obtaining adapted homes for vulnerable clients to winning major settlements for people injured in road traffic collisions. He said:

“Personal injury law is about helping people through some of the most difficult periods of their lives.

“You can’t undo what’s happened, but you can help them rebuild their future by giving them access to the support, security and independence they need.

“When you see the difference a successful outcome makes to somebody’s life, that’s incredibly rewarding. That’s what has motivated me throughout my career.”

When plans change

With results day approaching, Mark’s advice to students is simple: do not panic if things do not go to plan. He said:

“In five years’ time, those results will be largely insignificant and sometimes what feels like a setback becomes the opportunity that changes your life.

“If I’d got the grades I wanted, I wouldn’t have gone to Coventry University. If I hadn’t gone to Coventry, I might never have discovered law.

“Everything that followed came from that one unexpected decision.

“Every exam result is simply a step to the next stage. If one route doesn’t work, there’s always another way to get where you want to be.”

For the former Billinge Chapel End and Rainford pupil, a disappointing results day became the first step towards a successful legal career. More than three decades later, his story serves as a reminder that success does not always follow the path you first expect.