I didn’t set out to become a Licensed Conveyancer; my initial plan was to become an engineer, but that didn’t work out and here I am at the age of 27 and a partner in a law firm.

At the age of 15 I started to help out as the office junior at the firm, working just two hours a week and earning the princely sum of £8 a week. The role was mainly making the drinks and doing the post.

Gradually my time at the firm increased alongside my studies and so when I was at a crossroads, having narrowly missed out on the grades I needed to study engineering at university, I was asked to consider joining the firm full-time and to study to become a property lawyer.

I had no idea that this was even an option. Having been to grammar school, university was the only route ever spoken about. Yet it coincided with a time when university tuition fees were increasing and so the idea of getting into a profession without saddling myself with a mountain of debt was very attractive.

In 2011 I started my studies via the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. I attended Bradford College evening classes and was surprised to find myself studying alongside students on the part-time law degree. This gave me the opportunity to discuss the subjects being learnt with others going down similar paths to mine.

It was also a good combination between work and study. On the one hand I had the course materials essential to learning the relevant law, and on the other my working environment allowed me to apply the knowledge gained and better understand why I was carrying out a task.

I completed the first year of study and really enjoyed it. However, when the college stopped running the course in year two, I studied via distance learning. I struggled with that a little, as it’s not easy to work all day and come home and study in the evening. It took me longer to complete my studies than it needed to. But I finally found the motivation to complete the qualification when another colleague started studying too, so we buddied up at work, bouncing ideas off each other.

I qualified in 2016 and, at 24, became one of the youngest people to qualify as a Licensed Conveyancer. Two years later I was made a partner at the firm.

I have no regrets about not going to university. I am a qualified legal professional and in a much better position financially than I would have been if I’d have gone to university. I purchased my first home when I was 22.

Today I lead a team of three people. The firm has four offices and 25 staff. I’m also really pleased to report that the firm is currently funding seven of my colleagues to become Licensed Conveyancers. Like they did with me, the firm is very committed to investing in people. All seven of them are on track to complete the Level 4 Diploma in Conveyancing Law and Practice and become a Conveyancing Technician. Then we’ll fully support them if they want to achieve Level 6 and become a Licensed Conveyancer.

For anyone interested in the law and dealing with people, this is a perfect career. I highly recommend it. It’s very satisfying being able to help people through the biggest and often most stressful purchase of their life. Our work comes largely from recommendation and so excellent customer service is another essential skill.

For me, all the talk about ‘proptech’ is music to my ears as I have a keen interest in technological developments and am responsible for delivering and maintaining the technology we use at the firm. I recently implemented systems to ensure that our work is more efficient and I am currently looking at developing our own tailored fee-generator tool to help provide consumers with greater transparency when considering whether to use us.