Timothy Rankin, Associate Solicitor at Cleaver Fulton Rankin tells NIJobs.com about his role.
What’s your job?
I am an Associate Solicitor in the Private Client Department of leading Belfast law firm, Cleaver Fulton Rankin.
How did you get there?
After getting my law degree, I joined Cleaver Fulton Rankin in 2008 as a full time trainee solicitor.
Do you have a typical working day?
Typically in the Private Client department, I’ll be drafting wills, helping clients with their estate planning and administering estates. I also deal with the Office of Care and Protection in relation to clients with mental capacity issues. I’d also meet clients personally, which sometimes means visiting them at home. We work very much in partnership with other departments in the firm, assisting corporate clients and business owners with estate planning , as well as calling on our colleagues in Litigation should there be a dispute over a client’s will.
What qualifications do you have?
After doing ‘A’ levels at RBAI, I studied law at University of Manchester for three years and then a subsequent year at the College of Law in Chester to complete my qualifications.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I like dealing with and meeting clients. It’s very important to be professional, yet personable at all times, putting clients at ease so they can talk about estate planning and provision for their family for when they are gone.
And the worst?
It is never easy dealing with a bereaved family when a client has passed away. You must always be very sensitive to their grief.
What other skills do you need in your role?
As well as being a good communicator, you need to be very meticulous, patient and considerate. I am also studying for the STEP Diploma , which is an accredited qualification developed by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, which is a worldwide professional body , of which my Head of Department, Michael Grahams is Chair of the Northern Ireland branch. This qualification gives clients extra confidence that you are specialist in the private client field.
What do you think are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?
Pressure can come when a client wishes to make last minute changes to a will. We need to be able to respond quickly to such requests when clients may not have long to live. It can also be challenging dealing with recently bereaved clients during a difficult period in their lives.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession?
Broadly speaking I’d say get a good degree from a reputable university first. It’s also important to get practical experience before that all important interview. Try to gain experience during summer holidays, in order that you have something tangible to talk about at interview.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
I did not know for certain that I always wanted to be a solicitor when I was at school. However, I wanted to do law as I knew that it would not restrict me to practising law. Friends from university have gone on to many different jobs, not just private practice. Personally, I am the third generation of lawyers in my family and I am very proud to be keeping a tradition going.
What’s the most common question people ask when they find out what you do?
Most people have personal experience of dealing with a bereavement or an elderly relative with mental capacity issues. Therefore I find that most people are able to relate to what I do on a daily basis and discuss these issues with me.
How do you like to relax outside work?
I have a variety of interests – as an extension of work, I am Vice Chair of the Northern Ireland Young Solicitors’ Association, and have just been elected Secretary of the European Young Bar Association. This keeps me very busy and I enjoy the interaction with like-minded colleagues from other firms both in Northern Ireland and abroad. Away from work, I sing with the Belfast Philharmonic Choir and am a former Chair of Softball Ulster, a sport I took up when I returned to Northern Ireland after university.
NIJobs.com has been helping people climb the career ladder since 2000. Our team is brimming with tips, guidance, ideas and inspiration, seeking to bring you closer to your dream job.