What was your career path to your current role?
I completed a week of legal work experience when I was 15. A barrister-turned-solicitor, specialising in children contact issues, recognised my interest and quickly had me bundling papers for court and reading into the file by my second day. I then attended the hearing, which resulted in a mother being granted permission to take the children to Australia. A very dramatic start to my legal experience! However, I didn’t immediately consider law to be my future career.
I attended university and then took a gap year to travel and that’s when I interned in Shanghai, at a law firm specialising in anti-dumping (competition) law.
After completing the GDL and LPC at (what was) The College of Law, I secured a training contract in a firm that was full-service and a heavy-weight in private client law. I qualified in 2010 and stayed with the same firm for nine years total, before moving due to relocation (the days before Covid when remote working was less of a thing!). I spent four and a half years building a private client offering for a high street firm, before making the move to Irwin Mitchell in Chichester.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
I was the first person in my family to go to university and was accepted for the highly competitive joint honours degree: English and Drama & Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Whilst in China during my gap year, I had two applications open on my computer: the GDL at the Collage of Law, and Classical Acting at Central School of Speech and Drama. I had my eye on a career in acting so it was a tough decision, but law won!
What keeps you motivated in your work?
The technical complexity of the work I undertake is hugely satisfying, yes. However, it is the clients I act for and the help I provide them to find solutions to their legal problems that really motivates me.
What has been the best development in wills and probate in the last 20 years?
I do miss the swear fees associated with the Executor’s Oath but think that legal statements show good progress with the times.
And the worst?
There used to be a two-week wait for a Grant of Probate… need I say more?
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
I miss the regular increases to the nil rate band and would happily see this re-introduced given that IHT is currently a stealth tax and has been so for over 15 years! As an extension of this I would like to say goodbye to the residence nil rate band. It’s unfair on individuals who don’t have children or other lineal descendants.
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
I would welcome the removal of the Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief changes that are due to come in on 5th April this year. The effect that this is already having on farming families is disastrous, and there will be many with qualifying assets above the £2.5 million (£5 million for a couple) threshold who have not taken any advice at all yet, possibly still of the mistaken belief that they will pay zero IHT on death.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
“Never go on holiday unless you have your next one booked.”
Wise words from my training principal during my litigation seat in 2010 – and I’ve lived by them ever since!
What’s advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Don’t stress about finishing your ‘to do’ list. Things will keep getting added and you shouldn’t expect to finish it because if you do it means the work has dried up! The skills you need are adaptability, prioritisation and great communication.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I have sung with Kylie Minogue on the One Show!
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