I started out as a legal secretary and spent so much time around lawyers that I pretty quickly decided I wanted to be on the other side of the desk.

Life gets in the way though and it was only when my children started school that I decided to finally take the plunge. I was also going through a divorce at the time and so I did have a lot to juggle but I like being busy and I wanted to do something just for me.

I’m a probate practitioner and I’ll also be a licensed conveyancer when I pass my final exam. Both areas are different, but both have their own rewards.

No property is the same and some files are a lot more complicated and time-consuming than others, but the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped someone to get their home and with no underlying issues which might come back to bite them in the future makes it worthwhile. Likewise with probate, you are advising and guiding people who are putting their final wishes in place and giving them the peace of mind that goes with that, and that’s a nice feeling.

A common gripe is how long it takes to complete matters and that can be frustrating because all we want to do is make sure things are done properly and that can take time. We have seen lots of challenges and unexpected delays in the last 18 months, but I think as a community we have pulled together and continued to deliver for our clients under unprecedented circumstances.

I might work in an office, but I don’t have a typical working day. I could be drafting a conveyancing quote, a will, or a Lasting Power of Attorney – every file and every day is different. The variety is what keeps it interesting, I know I would get bored otherwise.

I’m 38 now and I think it’s a big decision to go back to studying later in life, particularly with a young family, but it paid off and I hope that other people might read my story and be encouraged to try.

It was a commitment – I don’t have much free time between working and looking after my children, but what I did was spent studying. There were plenty of nights after they had gone to bed when I wanted to collapse in front of the TV, but without fail, I made sure I did at least a couple of hours.

I passed all the exams in around three years which is vastly under the time you’re allowed, but I thought why wait? I knew what my end goal was, and I just wanted to get there, and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved.

I didn’t go to university but now I’m a qualified lawyer and my ambition is to become a partner one day. I hope it’s shown my children that if you apply yourself and work hard then anything is possible.