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Large & Gibson’s newest Private Client Solicitor tells us about what it’s like working at one of Portsmouth’s longest serving law firms and how she found herself abseiling down the side of the Spinnaker tower.


How does it feel to be Large & Gibson’s youngest solicitor?
There’s definitely a generational spread at work and it’s a really great mix. Not only is there a wealth of experience at Large & Gibson, a firm with 115 years and more under its belt and solicitors with decades of experience, but also a modern forward thinking approach to our work and younger lawyers like me.
At 30 I'm hitting big milestones; getting married, trying to move up the property ladder, planning for my future – many of my clients are doing the same or helping family to do so. My parents and step parents are in their 50s and my grandparents in their 70s and 80s, so the people in my life mirror the situations and circumstances that my clients face.


One of your milestones was qualifying as a Solicitor, what did your training involve?
I qualified in February after two years as a trainee solicitor working in the commercial and litigation departments. I started at Large and Gibson as a legal assistant in the Private Client Department before starting my training, so I've come full circle. I'm proud to be part of our firm's widely respected Private Client team. I really believe in the work we do, so much so that I ended up abseiling 328 ft down the Spinnaker Tower - not part of my training I hasten to add - in support of the Stroke Association, and to raise awareness of Powers of Attorney.


What is a Private Client Solicitor?
Our private lives fall broadly into five areas: family, money, home, health and work. A Private Client Solicitor helps individuals plan and manage their affairs, so my work involves Wills and Probate, Powers of Attorney and Trusts.
Most people know what a Will is, but not necessarily why they should have one. Probate is dealing with the legalities when someone dies. Powers of Attorney give others the authority to do what you can’t or don’t want to do and trusts set out how someone (a trustee) manages finances and property for other people (beneficiaries).


Do I really need a solicitor?
When you see a solicitor it's their legal knowledge and guidance that you're after, and with a solicitor you can be sure that they have those expertise and professional standards. For most, bereavement, divorce and moving home are going to hit the top of the list of stressful life events. My job is to try and take as much of the stress away from my clients as I can and to be a safe pair of hands.