In her final PS comment, Sarah Murphy reflects on her time as chair of the Private Client Section committee
Upon qualification, I always knew that I had an overwhelming desire to practice my profession within the private client world. I was so determined to practice private client law that when, once qualified, my firm could not offer a position, I left in search of other opportunities, as naïve as Dick Whittington thinking the streets of London were paved with gold. Luckily for me, an opportunity did arise and I’ve now spent nearly two decades in the private client world. During that time I have had the honour and pleasure of meeting some amazing people, including Keith Biggs, Helen Clarke, Caroline Bielanska, Gill Steel, Lesley King, Chris Whitehouse, Julia Abery and Holly Melville-Hawkins, to name a few.
Private client practitioners are professional, empathetic, and generally nice people to be around. I have also had the great opportunity to develop the next few generations of private client lawyers. I would encourage young professionals to get involved within the private client world because it is diverse, exciting and constantly evolving. Our work is multi-faceted, whether we’re dealing with older or vulnerable clients, taxation issues, trusts, wills, probate or Court of Protection matters – the list simply goes on and on.
If you know me, you may now be concerned that perhaps I am writing my own epitaph! This is not the case. I am simply reminiscing, as I approach the end of my tenure on the Private Client Solicitors Section advisory committee. While over the years, the name of the Section and the membership of the committee may have changed, the spirit and collegiate feeling of both have not. I would encourage you as members of this wonderful Section to become actively involved with the committee and to make a difference.
So, while this will be my last comment piece for PS, I will hopefully be asked to contribute to the magazine in some other way going forward, and I will always maintain my membership and my interest in the work undertaken by this wonderful committee within a fantastically ambitious Section. I look forward to the next chapter and after many years of my involvement in the committee I gracefully lay the path for those that follow. My best wishes to you all and as a final sign-off I leave you with a quote from Winston Churchill which encapsulates the work of the committee for me: “It is wonderful what great strides can be made when there is a resolute purpose behind them.”
