Ciara Furey is a lifetime planning solicitor with Maxwell Hodge Solicitors. She advises a wide range of clients on wills, trusts, probate, lasting powers of attorney, and deputyship applications.
What was your career path to your current role?
In terms of qualifying as a solicitor I’ve taken quite a traditional route. I studied Law in Queens University Belfast and then completed my Masters in Professional Legal Education at University of Ulster in Derry. I did my training contract with a firm local to me in Omagh and qualified as a solicitor in 2016. I then moved to Liverpool where I worked as a conveyancing solicitor for six years, around two years ago I made the decision to retrain into wills and probate and I have never looked back!
Did you have any other career ambitions?
Becoming a TEP; I have recently sat my first exam for the STEP diploma so I hope I am on my way!
What keeps you motivated in your work?
The clients! Wills and probate is a very client-facing area and meeting with people every day and just getting to know them and their families is without a doubt the most rewarding and enjoyable part of the job. Whilst it can be tough dealing with people who are often at a very vulnerable point in their lives it’s a privilege to be trusted to help them through it. I hope I make quite complex concepts and processes more understandable and less daunting for my clients.
What has been the best development in wills and probate in the last 20 years?
Having only worked in wills and probate a short time I don’t know if I’m best placed to answer this! I’m told by my more experience colleagues however that the new system for applying for probate is much more streamlined and easier.
And the worst?
It seems that will disputes are very much on the rise which is very worrying as a practitioner from a risk management point of view. From a human perspective it really saddens me to think of so many families at odds with each other. It does reinforce however the importance of getting a proper advice and having a professionally drafted will.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
There has been a lot of discussion around digital wills and I think provided the proper safeguards are in place it is a great idea. I think we would see a marked uptake in people making wills if they could do it digitally which can only be a good thing.
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
I think the fact that marriage revokes a will is outdated, unfortunately it catches a lot of people out. I don’t feel its helpful in the context of modern relationships especially where we have a lot more blended families and second marriages.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
Its fairly simple but always treat people how you would like to be treated – clients and colleagues alike.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Don’t do what you ‘think’ you should be doing… pursue what actually interests you and the rest will follow!
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I’m half decent in a game of pool!
If you’d like to appear in a profile, email press@todayswillsandprobate.co.uk with ‘Profile’ in the subject line.
