{"id":110748,"date":"2025-10-09T14:43:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T14:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taylorroot.com\/?p=110748"},"modified":"2026-02-25T13:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T13:35:18","slug":"driving-change-for-the-stateless-helen-lowe-on-trusteeship-and-legal-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taylorroot.com\/nl\/career-advice\/driving-change-for-the-stateless-helen-lowe-on-trusteeship-and-legal-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving change for the stateless: Helen Lowe on Trusteeship and legal leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Helen<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Helen Lowe, Vice President of Strategy & Operations<\/a> at Springer Nature Limited, recently joined the European Network on Statelessness (ENS)<\/a> as a trustee. With over 500,000 people in Europe currently stateless, ENS works to advocate for their rights through policy reform, legal change, and awareness campaigns. \u201cStatelessness can deny these people their fundamental rights to access healthcare, education and to travel freely,\u201d Helen explains. \u201cIt also makes it difficult to open bank accounts or be employed and exposes them to greater risk of exploitation and abuse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

ENS\u2019s work spans multiple areas, from campaigning and policy advocacy to storytelling through its \u2018stateless journeys\u2019 initiative, which brings personal experiences of stateless people to the forefront. \u201cThe statelessness index assesses how countries in Europe protect stateless people and what they are doing to prevent and reduce statelessness,\u201d Helen adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stepping into Trusteeship: learning the landscape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Helen is candid about the transition into her Trustee role, acknowledging the steep learning curve that comes with stepping into the not-for-profit sector. \u201cUnderstand that the not-for-profit sector is very different to the corporate sector and that you will be on a very steep learning curve,\u201d she says. \u201cYou\u2019ll be learning about the nuts and bolts of a charity, a whole new language, as well as getting to know your Co-Trustees.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encourages new Trustees to be proactive from the outset. \u201cI\u2019d strongly recommend getting in touch with the chair in advance of the first board meeting so that you can understand what to expect, how things work, and any dynamics and expectations.\u201d This early engagement, she notes, helps build confidence and clarity around the role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen also emphasises the importance of mindset. \u201cYour role is to be independent and to challenge the charity leadership on whether they\u2019re delivering against their objectives.\u201d For professionals used to operating within hierarchical corporate structures, this shift to governance and oversight can be a significant adjustment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making time for purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Balancing Trustee duties with a demanding career isn\u2019t easy, but Helen finds it energising. \u201cIt\u2019s something that, to me, ensures that I bring more to the table in my \u2018day job\u2019, and so I find a way to make time,\u201d she says. \u201cBusy hands get things done, as they say, and anyone who knows me, knows that I thrive on being busy!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She credits good planning and flexibility for making it work. \u201cBoard meetings are scheduled well in advance which allows me to plan effectively, and half of them are virtual, which makes scheduling a bit easier.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond board meetings, Helen is also active in committee work. \u201cThere is an additional time commitment to drive that agenda forwards.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advice for aspiring Trustees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Helen encourages legal professionals to embrace Trusteeship. \u201cGo for it! It\u2019s such valuable experience,\u201d she says. \u201cYou get exposure to a totally new group of people, totally different way of thinking and working and are part of a process and decisions that have a real-world impact.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She advises aligning your passion with your purpose. \u201cChoosing something you\u2019re passionate about will come across in the interview process and ensure that it doesn\u2019t feel like more \u2018work\u2019 but is something you look forward to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen\u2019s personal framework for evaluating Trustee roles is simple but powerful: \u201cUltimately the role needs to tick three boxes for me: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Being passionate about the cause <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    1. Having an opportunity to make a difference <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Professionally fulfilling <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cWhen these three elements align,\u201d she concludes, \u201cI have the motivation to put in the time and effort on top of my day job, and the charity and people they advocate for see tangible results \u2013 it\u2019s a win for everyone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Helen\u2019s journey into Trusteeship is a testament to the power of legal expertise applied with purpose. Her insights offer a compelling case for professionals seeking meaningful ways to contribute beyond their day jobs. Through the Taylor Root Trustee Network, legal professionals like Helen are not only finding opportunities to give back\u2014but also discovering new dimensions of leadership, collaboration, and impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Interested in becoming a Trustee?<\/strong> Join the Taylor Root Trustee Network<\/a> to access opportunities, resources, and a community of likeminded professionals ready to make a difference. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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        Sarah Ingwersen<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

        Managing Director | Global Head of In-house Legal<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
        China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore, UAE, UK, US<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\tsarahingwersen@taylorroot.com<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
        \n\t\t\t\t+44 20 7332 2137<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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