ADD ADVICE TO FAVFiona, Solicitor, Warners Solicitors
Name: Fiona
Degree: 2.1 in Law LLB from the University of Wales, Swansea
Other qualifications: Legal Practice Course at Cardiff University
Current job: Solicitor with Warners Solicitors
1. What does your current job involve? Describe a typical day at work.
Advising clients (often high-net-worth clients) on estate and asset organisation from a capital taxes perspective (capital gains tax, inheritance tax and pre-owned asset tax).
This includes preparing wills and lifetime trusts, implementing will trusts, and drawing up declarations of trust, post-death Deeds of Variation, Lasting Powers of Attorney and various other general private-client work.
2. What other jobs have you had since graduating (including any others with your current employer)?
I was a trainee solicitor with Warners Solicitors before qualifying into the Wills and Tax Planning team.
3. What do you like most about your current job?
The fact that it is challenging and I have a lot of client contact – often with some very interesting characters.
4. What do you like least about your current job?
That I have chosen a complex area of law to specialise in. It changes on an annual basis (at the least) when every new Budget is announced. Also, some of the clients can be very hard work.
’My area of law changes on an annual basis at least.’
5. What are the most important skills required to do your job?
Communication skills and organisational skills. The ability to read and draft long documents without losing concentration is also useful!
6. What made you choose this career path?
I chose to become a solicitor during my A Levels. Growing up on a farm, I wanted to be involved with the agricultural community without being a hands-on farmer. I am still planning to specialise even further to concentrate on tax planning with farmers and agricultural assets in mind.
7. What did you want to be when you were 12?
A farmer.
8. What is your long-term career goal?
To become a member of the LLP (limited liability partnership) at Warners, specialising in wills, tax planning and agricultural law.
’Don’t be disheartened by rejection! I probably sent out 50 letters enquiring about training contracts and only received one interview.’
9. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Silver service waitress in the hospitality boxes at Silverstone Circuit.
10. What one tip would you give to someone currently at university wanting to pursue the same sort of career as you?
Don’t be disheartened by rejection! I probably sent out 50 letters enquiring about training contracts and only received one interview. Luckily I got the job!
Once in training you will have to do seats that you loathe (company commercial and litigation for me) but it is worth it in the end as the job is hard work (you can’t be frightened by long hours) but usually rewarding.
