Former Trainee & Associate, Michael Duffy - Our Stories

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Associate, Michael Duffy

Associate, Michael Duffy

Michael describes his typical working day at Boodle Hatfield and outlines what he likes about the firm and some of his career highlights to date.

 

What has been the highlight of your career to date?
I have been fortunate to work with many varied interesting international and domestic clients, who each have different, complex structures and needs. Early in your career, the scope of a client’s affairs and the breadth of the advice that they require can seem daunting, but we are fortunate to always work with some of the leading partners in the private client field who supervise and guide us . Going from that position to being confident in knowing what a client needs to do and having your view valued by them and their professional team has been rewarding. Of course, another highlight was scoring perfect 10s for my cha-cha-cha at the firm’s charity event, Strictly Come Boodles.

What do you like about Boodle Hatfield?
As a trainee, I really appreciated the amount of client contact I had from day one and the way I have continued to have direct contact with client’s through email, phone calls and face to face meetings. This approach really made me feel like a valued member of the team from very early on. The collaborative and helpful culture of the firm is prevalent in all departments as everyone wants to do the best for their clients and the firm.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in law?
You need to be able to work hard, absorb information quickly and be comfortable with people relying on you. It can be high pressure at times but it is intellectually stimulating, allows you to continuously learn and to become an expert in your chosen area. If that appeals to you then a career in law might be right for you.

Describe a typical day at the Firm?
The first thing I do when I get into the office is make a coffee and catch up on any new emails. I sit by the kitchen area, so inevitably someone will pop into my office and we will catch up on a client. I like to get my small tasks out the way and will then focus on my ‘main’ morning tasks. That is often a call or a meeting with a client or their other advisers, so the partner involved and I will catch up and prepare for that. I take advantage of the dress down working policy, so at this stage will dash off to put a suit on before heading to the meeting. By the time the meeting is over, it is probably approaching lunch. I will debate with some colleagues where we should go, before going to the same place we always do.

Once I am back at my desk, I will deal with any new emails. The afternoon is when I prefer to block out some time for drafting documents or preparing more detailed advice. That might take me up to the end of the day, but usually I will catch up on some other client matters before heading off. I am currently doing tax exams, so sometimes means heading home to do revision!

Michael is an Associate in the Private Client and Tax team and his practice covers a broad range of private client matters including tax and estate planning, wills, trusts and estate administration. He trained at Boodle Hatfield and qualified as a solicitor in 2017.

Associate, Michael Duffy
Strictly Come Boodles