I was born and bred in Leicester, I come from a close family and stayed in the city to do my law degree at Leicester University. When it came to doing my Legal Practice Course (LPC) I was keen to stretch my wings and moved to Cambridge, where I obtained a scholarship to BPP University Law School.

It was only when I started my LPC that I realised I still wasn’t clear on what direction I wanted to take my legal career. I loved law but I didn’t know what I wanted to do professionally. It was the LPC that introduced me to conveyancing. I really enjoyed the property modules on the course. It was mostly commercial, but it grabbed me. So, when I completed the course, I moved back to Leicester where I started working for a large local law firm – which is where I got my first real taste of the conveyancing world. I was seeing the theoretical parts of the LPC come to life and discovered how much I enjoyed it.

The firm I worked for dealt with a high volume of properties and so I got a lot of exposure which gave me a great foundation to build on. After a year and half, I made the big decision to move to London, at the age of 24, in order to work on higher value transactions and further advance my skill set.

So, in 2014, I moved to London and started my journey with Attwells Solicitors where I worked alongside a wide range of clients and other property professionals. I commenced my CLC diploma and qualified within a year.

I have developed great professional relationships with clients, estate agents and brokers across London and continue to build on this. I am currently an Associate and manage the London Conveyancing department.

There are many paths to becoming a solicitor. The most common is obtaining a training contract to become a solicitor. It is important to do research as to the different routes to becoming qualified. I was not made aware of the different paths when I was at university, and I think this is a major factor in contributing to a lack of knowledge out there at the school leaver and graduate level.

At Attwells, we have a dedicated careers department and when people join us for work experience, or we go into schools, we really try to stress that there is more than one path and it is important to gain as much experience as possible. In the St John’s Wood office, we welcome candidates from different backgrounds to do work experience with us throughout the year and at times we even offer jobs to those special candidates.

A career in residential property, means being aware that the law is constantly changing. It is important to understand the property market as it is now and where it is going and how it will impact you. We have been through a recession and a pandemic and resilience is key. In my opinion, the property market is one of the key pillars that keeps the economy running.

Becoming a Licensed Conveyancer has opened doors for me. If you are able to deal with a variety of clients and cases and thrive in a fast-paced environment, then this career path is incredibly rewarding. You are learning something new each and every day. There are many challenges, such as digitalisation, but having a good team to work with makes all the difference. I manage our office in St Johns Wood, and we have a wonderful team which creates a great atmosphere - that is crucial.

My words, if at all wise, for anyone who is interested in a career in conveyancing is to gain as much experience as you can, but most importantly be conscientious, flexible and attack your day with a smile on your face!