Congratulations to Butcher & Barlow’s newly Qualified Solicitors

Congratulations from the Butcher & Barlow Team to our newly qualified Solicitors Paige Lester, Emelia Forde, Sophie Nicholson and Grant Redburn.

Paige, Sophie and Grant joined the Firm as Paralegals in 2021 before commencing their training contracts. Emelia joined us as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2022.

We are pleased to confirm they will all be staying on with the Firm to continue their legal careers. Sophie will be working in our Wills, Trusts and Estates Team at our Leigh office. Paige will be based at our Gadbrook Park and Bramhall offices working across our Commercial Property and Commercial Property Dispute Resolution Team. Emelia and Grant will be based at our office in Sutton Weaver, with Emelia working in our Commercial Property Team and Grant in our Dispute Resolution Team.

With a brew and a biscuit in hand, we sat down to find out a little more about our newly qualified Solicitors.

 

Congratulations to you all on your qualification as Solicitors. What was it that made you choose a career in law?

Grant: I attended an open evening at my secondary school and one of the teachers mentioned that they were possibly starting classes on law. The idea of studying law never seemed possible to me before, but once the thought was planted, it was something I knew I wanted to try. Sadly, there were not enough students interested in taking part for the class to go ahead, but since then, my mind was made up and I knew that I wanted to try out and study law at college. From the moment I took my first A-Level Law class, it bit me like a bug and I have been single minded in my choice of being a Solicitor ever since.

Emelia: That’s unlucky Grant, I was able to take A Level Law and really enjoyed it. I quickly recognised a career path which would utilise my communication skills and problem-solving abilities but also provided a client-focused career.

Sophie: I have always wanted to help people and I actually wanted to be a primary school teacher growing up. I then took Law at A Level as it looked interesting and I haven’t looked back since!

 

It must be incredibly fulfilling to have made the decision at a young age to pursue a career in law and to now be fully qualified Solicitors. Can you describe what a typical day looks like?

Everyone: There is no typical day!

Paige: I’ll turn on my laptop as soon as I am in the office to check emails and then I’ll have a quick catch up the team to check if any particular work needs prioritising. I get the lengthier drafting tasks out of the way first (usually with a bowl of porridge to keep me going until lunch!). I take an hour for lunch where I always ensure I get up and out. This usually involves a lap or two around the block and head back to the office to eat. The afternoons go quickly and I find myself only realising it is 5pm when I hear others leaving the building!

Emelia: Yes, I check emails first thing too! I’ll address client enquiries, ensuring they are kept informed about the developments in their cases. I then create a list of prioritised tasks for the day, which may range from drafting leases to assembling an auction pack. Towards the end of the day, I focus on pursuing responses and addressing any outstanding emails.

Sophie: I agree – checking emails and prioritising tasks for the day first thing is a definite must. I add these to my ‘to do’ list that I have prepared the day before in order of priority. For me, this will usually involve drafting a wide range of documents including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, inheritance tax returns and applications for probate. What I enjoy about Private Client work is that I have frequent client appointments, whether that is people wanting to prepare Wills and/or Lasting Powers of Attorney or clients seeking support in the estate administration of a loved one that has sadly passed away. I attend appointments both in the office and at clients’ homes which means that my days are quite varied. I will end the day by reviewing my ‘to do’ list and preparing one for the next day.

Grant: I usually check my calendar for court deadlines and my inbox for any urgent tasks. I then create my daily schedule from there and start chasing experts, drafting proceedings and advising clients. If there are any new matters, I call them later that day and take down their information. I am often drafting in the morning and dealing with calls in the afternoon. Sometimes there are frantic moments where I have a 4 PM deadline and they are the most “fun” and “interesting” times, especially when you get everything in on time!

 

You are all clearly well organised and on top of keeping your clients up to date with their matters. Have any of you been involved in any interesting cases you could share with us?

Sophie: During my training contract, I assisted one of the Commercial Property Partners on the completion of a multi-million pound sale of a couple of industrial units. It was interesting to be involved in the case from inception to completion and to be a key part of the team.

Paige: When I was working in the Dispute Resolution Department, we were instructed on an interesting case involving a cemetery run by a voluntary group. Like Sophie, I assisted on the case from the start of our instruction and built up a wonderful working relationship with the clients, all of whom were community driven volunteers dedicated to their aims, which made it more enjoyable assisting in a worthy cause.

 

What are your aspirations for the future?

Sophie: I enjoy making a difference and knowing that I am helping Probate clients navigate through difficult and distressing times. I also know that I am giving Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney clients the peace of mind that their wishes will be followed should they lose capacity or pass away. Hopefully I will be able to do more of the same as a qualified Solicitor. Eventually, I would like to work towards the STEP qualification to enhance my knowledge and expertise in Private Client work. Part of me still holds on to the teaching idea, so maybe you’ll see me teaching in law school in years to come!

Paige: I think this could be answered in many ways. However, from a career perspective, I would like to one day become a Partner of Butcher & Barlow and continue to highlight the ongoing issues heritage buildings face. I would like to think that in my lifetime, if I could save at least ten more buildings from the wrecking ball / spontaneous combustion / mysterious fires / demolition due to neglect, I would be quite satisfied.

Over half of our current Partners started their legal careers as Trainees so we will watch this space Paige!

Grant: Well, my main aspiration for a long time was to become a Solicitor, so I guess now my aspirations have changed to simply improving my skills and expanding my experience as a Solicitor. The title does not mean the improvement should stop.

 

Very wise words Grant! Let’s end with a couple of fun questions before all the biscuits run out! 

 

We’ve discussed the typical workday, but what activities or interests do you find enjoyable outside of work?

Grant: Playing games with my 10 year old son and keeping up with my 9 month old son. If I ever get a free moment, I usually see my family and friends, or listen to my vinyl collection at home.

What’s you most played Vinyl Grant?

Grant: I would have to say: Arctic Monkey’s – Favourite Worst Nightmare, Fleetwood Mac – Rumours and Otis Redding – Otis Blue, to name a few. I could go on!

We will have to give them a listen. Is there a particular Vinyl you think should be in everyone’s collection?

Grant: This would have to be something classic like, Marvin Gaye – What’s going on, Johnny Cash – Live at Folsom and Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II. These are crowd pleasers and influence a lot of music we hear today. Plus they are great albums, so you can’t go wrong. Music is so subjective though, so just enjoy going to shops like FOPP and Piccadilly Records and try something new and interesting.

Emelia: I’m currently working on conquering all 214 Wainwrights, so I find myself frequently exploring the stunning landscapes of the Lake District.

That sounds quite a challenge. Which is your favourite Wainwright so far?

Emelia: The most enjoyable hike for me so far has been Crag Hill, situated within the Coledale Horseshoe. We had snowy conditions during this hike and were fortunate to witness both a cloud inversion and a brocken spectre rainbow at the summit.

That must have been amazing to witness. Are there any hikes that you think will push you more than others?

Emelia: Helvellyn promises to be a challenging hike. It’s the third highest Wainwright and we plan on taking the Striding Edge route.

Paige: I enjoy exploring heritage sites of interests, museums and walks.

Are there any heritage sites or museums that you think are a must see?

Paige: I think they are all very interesting but my main tip for finding heritage sites to visit (apart from the usual National Trust / English Heritage sites) is to look for listed buildings ending in ‘hall’. That always leads me to some interesting buildings that are sometimes not as well known. My favourite local Halls of interest are; Little Moreton, Wythenshawe and Bramall. I also quite enjoy ecclesiastical architecture and my favourites include; Holy Name in Manchester, St Mary’s in Rostherene, St James’ and St Paul’s in Marton and of course, the magnificent minsters and cathedrals such as the splendid York Minster.

I would highly recommend the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, especially the spinning of cotton demonstration which is a daily event showing how raw cotton from the plant can be spun into thread. It also gives a fascinating insight as to how Manchester gained its title of ‘Cottonopolis’ during the industrial revolution, which Manchester was pivotal in.

Sophie: I volunteer at a cat rescue and have two adopted cats from there. I also play netball a couple of nights a week in local leagues, which I really enjoy. At weekends you can usually find me on a walk or spending time with my family.

If you ever need some inspiration on where to walk Sophie, we’re sure Emelia could recommend some interesting ones!

 

If money was no object, what would you do all day?

Paige: I would use my wealth to try and make the world a better place.

Emelia: I have a love for travel, so if I had limitless resources, I would travel all around the world exploring all the different cultures and scenery. The freedom of unlimited funds would also enable me to visit my family and friends whenever I desired. I’ve been fortunate to visit numerous countries in the past. If I were to choose my next destination, it would be California. My ideal holiday would involve renting a motorhome and exploring all of the National Parks.

Grant: I love to travel too so I would be booking flights to as many different countries as I could for myself and the family. I would love to visit New York for the sights and the opportunity to experience the city that never sleeps. Alternatively, I would go to Reykjavík so I could see the northern lights. Perhaps we’ll bump in to each other somewhere Emelia!

Sophie: And me! I’d love to travel the world and experience all different cultures and ways of life.

 

You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?

Sophie: The colour pink. I have always been drawn to it (as anyone who has seen my desk will know!) and have since found out that it has been scientifically proven to have calming effects on people. I like to think that I can have that effect on people too and provide people with a friendly ear and some reassurance.

Emelia: If I were a colour, I would be a colour that could adapt and change into any color as needed.

 

If you could be someone else for the day, who would it be?

Grant: I’d be Joe Talbot or Josh Hommes. It would be fun to be the front man of a rock band for a day.

Paige: The Prime Minister! Need I say more?

 

Well the biscuits are all gone so we should probably end there. Thank you all for taking the time to chat today. It’s been great getting to know more about you all. All the best for the next stage of your careers.