Immigration is often considered as the most important decision that an individual takes in his or her life- a decision that affects lifestyle, employment and the destiny of an entire family.
In a sector that is accused of unscrupulous middlemen, agents and other exploiters, the presence and operation of organisations like McClymont & Associates is breath of fresh air to thousands of potential migrants.
Such firms, known for their honesty and integrity, walk an extra mile and ‘argue’ with officials concerned to secure success.
From tourists and members of families keen on visiting New Zealand and students keen on higher education in our universities and tertiary institutions to those seeking to become permanent residents, Alastair and Aakanksha McClymont combine their experience and expertise to make clients feel at home.
Indians from India are among their dominant clientele, although almost all ethnic groups approach them to meet their immigration needs.
As barristers and solicitors, McClymont & Associates also undertakes appropriate legal work on behalf of local and international clients.
Specialising in Immigration Law, the firm employs five solicitors including Alastair and six other support staff. It is a multi-ethnic firm with mostly kiwi lawyers and staff from India, South Africa, Fiji, China and the Philippines.
Indian passion
Alastair’s affinity towards India could perhaps relate to his educational qualifications, which, apart from a law degree from Otago University, includes History, with Indian History as the major subject.
He fell in love with the country during his first visit to India with the late Professor William Hewat McLeod, an expert on Sikh History (who made Batala Town, near Amirtsar in Punjab his home).
After several more visits to India, Alastair completed his law studies and launched his career in Immigration Law in 1997, with a primary interest in refugees.
Although he did not know then, India would become his ‘Sasural’ (country where in-laws reside) with his marriage to Aakanksha.
Four years later (2001), he established his own law firm with a complement of three staff members. Today, McClymont & Associates, which he runs with his wife, accounts for 12 employees.
Aakanksha shares his passion for customer service and satisfaction.
Her credentials include a degree in Psychology, study in London and marketing and sales experience in her family manufacturing business.
Migrating to New Zealand in 2002, she found the right match in Alastair (she married him in India in December that year) and his firm.
Impressive growth
As Alastair said, “She manages me, our family and our business.”
It was a challenge for Aakanksha to manage her professional life on part-time basis initially. Following the birth of their daughter Anoushka in 2004, she assumed larger responsibilities at McClymont & Associates.
“My goal was to expand the firm into the Indian community and serve more people. I believe that we are moving in the right direction,” she said.
The couple also have a son, Marcus, who is just three years old.
Aakanksha said that their daughter, who will turn nine this year, is already a lawyer in the making.
“She is stubborn, argumentative, attentive, analytical and meticulous, with eye for details. Marcus is showing his mother’s traits of passion for fashion and love for facing the camera,” Alastair said.
Alastair concentrates on managing the file workload with his team of lawyers, and happily lets Aakanksha to be the public face of the firm.
She meets new clients, gathers information, conveys legal advice after the firm’s lawyers assess their case.
She also manages client contact and office staff.
Delicate combination
Alastair said that the husband-wife relationship sometime affects the decision-making process, although as professionals, they try achieve a sensible balance.
Inevitably, the evening at home often begins with discussions of business issues in detail and an agreement on the course of action.
Both are therefore aware that they are jointly responsibility for the outcomes and as Aakanksha said, “Having committed ourselves to a partnership in business and life, the sharing of accountability through mutual decision making reduces much of the stress and anxiety in our life.”
Alastair said, “We take decisions that would enable us to maintain a balance between what is best for the business, for our own personal lives and for the future of our children. As business can sometimes have a negative effect on home life and vice versa, the ability to take mutual decisions with these factors weighed properly is important. I believe we always achieve this balance,” he said.
The challenge
It is a daily challenge for Aakanksha to retain that balance, with her responsibilities enveloping office, family, two young children and social commitments.
She has achieved success but quipped, “The only way to achieve this balance is with an unlimited supply of energy and enthusiasm and the ability to make use of every minute of every day.”
Gender equality
Alastair believes that women have the ability to bring something quite different to the table. Women have an intuition and perception about people, which men perhaps men do not share.
The ability to read and understand people is of immense benefit in making correct decisions about clients and staff and many of these innate female strengths add immense benefit to the decision making process, he said.
About Couples in Partnership
This is a new column highlighting the success achieved by couples (one of them should be of Indian origin) who own, operate, manage and franchise a business or groups of businesses. If you are interested in being featured, please write to us with details. While we reserve the right to edit, rewrite or not publish materials received, we are committed to promoting our people, which are indeed the objectives of our other two brands- The Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards and the Indian Newslink Indian Sports Awards.
Email: editor@indiannewslink.co.nz
