Talitha Shandley has been a solicitor in the Private Client team at Bell Lamb & Joynson solicitors since 2025, after joining the firm in 2022. She advises clients on wills, trust, powers of attorney, and probate. Talitha won the Early Careers Award at the LawNet Awards in 2025.
What was your career path to your current role?
I studied Law at Nottingham Trent University between 2017 and 2020 and stayed on to complete the Legal Practice Course. Because of Covid-19, job opportunities were limited, so after qualifying I applied for a range of roles and joined a Nottingham law firm, working remotely from Liverpool city centre and supporting clients across the North West.
After a year, I joined Bell Lamb & Joynson as a private client paralegal in 2022. I started my training contract in October 2023 and qualified as a solicitor in April 2025. I have stayed in Private Client ever since, as it is the area of law I enjoy most and I can’t imagine doing anything else!
Did you have any other career ambitions?
At school, I was always drawn to subjects that involved discussion and analysis. I studied French, History, English and Business at A level and briefly considered living in France to study the language. I took a year out to decide, as I wasn’t completely sure at the time. Naturally, the subjects I enjoyed most led me towards law, and I have always loved a good debate, so it felt like a good fit.
Once I started working in law, I knew I wanted to qualify as a solicitor, which I did in April 2025.
Before university, I worked at my local pub for a year and absolutely loved it. I would always recommend hospitality work alongside college or university, as it really helps build confidence and people skills, especially if you are naturally quite shy, as I was.
What keeps you motivated in your work?
What motivates me most is meeting new clients, especially will clients. They always have interesting stories, and I genuinely enjoy learning about people. I like the variety in my day too, from office appointments to home visits, as it keeps things interesting and keeps me thinking.
I also enjoy helping to break down the barriers of traditional, old-school law. It is really rewarding to see a client, who feels nervous to begin with, leave feeling reassured, informed and comfortable with what has been discussed. The firm’s relaxed, people-first approach plays a big part in that, while still making sure clients get the outcome they need.
What has been the best development in wills and probate in the last 20 years?
One of the biggest developments has been the introduction of will drafting software. What could once take an hour to draft can now be completed in around 15 to 20 minutes, which frees up time to focus on clients. The same applies to probate technology, which has made processes more efficient and significantly reduced administration time.
And the worst?
The amount of misinformation online is probably the biggest challenge. While the internet can be helpful, there is a lot of incorrect or misleading information about wills. As a professional, it often means trusting that people will seek proper legal advice, while also trying to share clear, accessible information that helps people understand why getting the right advice really matters.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
I would like to see tighter rules around Powers of Attorney and how they are set up. Issues with these documents often only come to light once someone has lost capacity, which can cause real difficulties for family members and those close to them, adding unnecessary stress at an already challenging time.
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
Rather than removing legislation, I would change it so that people can make a will from the age of 16. In the world we live in now, many young people have assets or responsibilities before turning 18, yet they are not legally able to put a will in place until then.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
To build sound relationships and the rest will follow.
What’s the best piece of advice you’d like to give to someone just starting out?
Throw yourself in and take every opportunity your firm offers, and try not to doubt yourself. Getting involved in networking can really help build confidence and people skills. Joining BNI has been a big part of that for me, and I would definitely recommend networking to anyone starting out.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I am a keen runner and ran my first marathon at age 18!
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