It’s probably true to say that at the end of my time as a partner at my last firm I’d fallen out of love with the law.
My average day was spent filling out internal forms, managing a team of fourteen people across three offices and producing reports about reports. On my first day at gunnercooke I found myself taking pause whilst sitting at my kitchen table researching case-law and drafting submissions for a court hearing. My home office was still a work-in-progress and yet I already felt like a lawyer again.
In my first year, this is what I value most about being a partner at gunnercooke – that I can do the job I want to do without needless distractions and unnecessary administration.
My clients also immediately commented that I was more accessible to them, able to respond more quickly and no longer hidden behind gate-keeping secretaries and receptionists. It’s a much more direct and efficient way of practice and allows me to have a much stronger relationship with clients (both longstanding and new) than previously.
Working outside of a large team and office environment day in-day out does take some adjustment but to me, it has all been positive. We have a great network of people – both in terms of partners able to refer work and provide advice on other areas and also the team in gcTrust who are always on-hand to help. And because I am able to organise my own diary I can spend as much time in and out of the office as I am able and choose to.