Faces of the Tribunal: Tracey Homewood, PA to the Legal Advisers

For this edition of Faces of the Tribunal we are pleased to introduce Tracey Homewood, PA to the Legal Advisers.

Tracey supports the legal advisers and members at the Tribunal with a range of administrative tasks. Additionally, she oversees the professional and efficient running of the SDT’s courtrooms and public spaces.

We talked to Tracey about a typical day for her at the Tribunal:

No two days are the same, but I always arrive early, usually between 7 – 7.30am. This allows me the time to set up all the rooms ready for the members and other parties before they arrive.

Much of the day is then taken up with dealing with correspondence and formatting judgments and case memos.  Although the decisions on cases are made by the Panel, the task of writing the judgments and the case memos falls to the legal advisers (formerly called clerks) and, as their PA, I assist in formatting these documents to ensure they are in the ‘house style’ and are clearly set out and in numbered paragraphs.

During active hearing periods, I deliver essential support to the legal advisers, Tribunal members, and parties to the proceedings. In addition to overseeing the preparation of the courtrooms and retiring rooms, I serve as a professional first point of contact, ensuring that the SDT operates with the highest level of efficiency.

How do you support the legal advisers with case management, hearings and judgments?

My role is to ensure the judgment process runs seamlessly for both the legal advisers and the members. I handle the production, formatting and filing of judgments, orders and findings, ensuring they are issued to the parties. I upload draft documents to the members’ portal and monitor their progress, which involves staying in close contact with members to manage these files and resolve any queries they may have. 

I take great care in the accurate production of judgments and memoranda for signature, as well as the final step of publishing them to the Tribunal website

How do you approach your role as the first point of contact for respondents, witnesses, and other parties to the proceedings?

I believe that a warm and professional welcome is vital. My approach is to be calm and reassuring from the moment someone arrives, as many parties can feel quite anxious. I make it a priority to interact with everyone kindly, ensuring they are shown to their respective rooms and understand that I am available to assist with any practical needs.

Is there a part of the process you particularly enjoy?

I especially enjoy the stage where everything begins to come together. There is a great deal of satisfaction in the final preparation, organising or formatting of final documents, seeing them through the entire lifecycle to the point of official publication.

What do you think is most important in supporting the Legal Advisers day‑to‑day?

It’s all about making their workload smoother, predictable and as efficient as possible. If I had to choose the single most important element, it would be maintaining an organised workflow and proactive communication.

What do you find most rewarding about your role?

Ultimately, it’s about supporting members and the parties alike. The Tribunal environment can be very unsettling for people and if you can make them feel that they are supported and to be there to help and reassure them or to just be there to listen.