As a senior associate in the Private Client Advisory team at Birketts LLP, Daisy advises on a wide range of private client matters including wills, powers of attorney, trusts and the administration of estates.
What was your career path to your current role?
My journey into my current role began with an undergraduate law degree, where I graduated with first-class honours – an achievement that remains one of my proudest to date. After university, I decided to gain some practical experience and became a trusts and estates paralegal at a large regional firm.
The role gave me a real feel for practice and pushed me to qualify. I studied for the LPC part‑time at UWE while working full‑time, which was tough but incredibly rewarding. I tried a mix of practice areas along the way, but wills and probate was where everything clicked.
Rather than follow the traditional training contract route, I chose to decline my training contract offer and qualify through CILEx so I could keep building hands‑on experience. I qualified as a chartered legal executive in 2020, cross‑qualified as a solicitor six months later, and became a senior associate at Birketts in 2025.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
When I was little, my grandmother had to undergo brain surgery, and I’ll never forget how incredibly kind and reassuring her doctors were. They made such a scary time feel manageable, and I was utterly in awe of them. For a while, I was convinced that my calling was to be a neurosurgeon!
It didn’t take long for me to realise that, despite the best of intentions, I am far too squeamish for anything involving surgery. It became very clear, very quickly, that this was not the career path for me…
What keeps you motivated in your work?
What motivates me most is the human side of private client work. I spend a lot of time supporting people during some of the most emotional or uncertain moments in their lives, and it’s a real privilege to be trusted by my clients at times like that. Whether I’m helping someone plan for the future or guiding them through the administration of a loved one’s estate, I genuinely value the personal connection.
Being able to bring a bit of clarity, reassurance, and practical support when everything feels overwhelming is incredibly rewarding. It’s what gives real purpose to my work and reminds me why I chose this area of practice in the first place.
What has been the best development in wills and probate in the last 20 years?
I’d say one of the best developments has been the move toward more digital processes. Online applications and clearer systems have made navigating probate far less cumbersome. It’s not perfect, but anything that makes life a little easier for clients – and for us – feels like a real step forward.
And the worst?
With more estates now becoming taxable or needing a grant of representation, HMCTS and HMRC simply don’t have the resources to keep up. Anyone who’s ever tried calling for an update, or for some clarification, knows just how frustrating the delays can be.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
A comprehensive reform of the intestacy rules. The current framework hasn’t fully kept pace with modern family structures, and it can produce outcomes that don’t reflect how people actually live today. A more nuanced, contemporary set of rules – particularly around blended families and cohabitees – could create greater certainty, reduce disputes, and make the system more intuitive.
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
The upcoming changes to the APR and BPR rules announced last year. Even though the Treasury has already adjusted the proposals by increasing the qualifying asset limit to £2.5 million (or £5 million for married couples), the impact is still likely to be significant. For many farming families and small business owners, these reliefs aren’t ‘tax perks’ – they’re essential to keeping family assets and livelihoods intact. The changes risk creating real financial pressure for people who are already operating in tight margins, and in some cases will force the sale of long‑held family farms or businesses.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
The best piece of career advice I have received is that mistakes happen because you are human. Of course nobody wants matters to go wrong. However, if it does, it is easy to dwell on errors no matter how big or small. Instead of fixating on what went wrong, try to take mistakes as opportunities to learn, improve and move forward with confidence.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Focus on building genuine relationships with colleagues and referrers, not just technical expertise. Early in my career, I was naturally focused on developing my legal knowledge – which is, of course, essential. However, I was encouraged to recognise that being a good solicitor is just as much about how you work with people as it is about the law itself.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I am quite handy when it comes to DIY…. I can even weld!
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