An estate agent by trade, Harry Stanier joined us in February 2024 to support our remarkable new business team, who currently convert more than £5m of inbound enquiries every single year.
Supporting more than 20,000 property transactions a year and working closely with estate agents across the country, a knowledge of the property market is a huge advantage for any new joiner in our New Business Team and Harry shares his 3 key takeaways from his first 6 months since making the transition…
“Sharing knowledge is invaluable”
The first thing that hits you as a new starter is the breadth of knowledge required on a huge range of subject matters. Talbots has eleven offices, nearly 500 staff and a huge range of personal and business-focused legal departments, which you need to be confident in speaking about to someone making an enquiry or phoning up to tell you their story. Your job is to listen to their story, understand the legal implications of what they’re experiencing and advise on the best way for them to move forward alongside a relevant solicitor.
That’s not realistic without leaning on the team around you and I’ve found from ‘Day One’ that everyone in the business is keen to share knowledge and to help each other whenever it’s needed. You have got to ask questions and if you do, you’ll be rewarded.
“Culture is crucial”
This job is busy and that’s not to say estate agency wasn’t…but this is a different level. The phones ring constantly from 8am to 6pm, email enquiries are constantly coming in at all hours, we’re managing referrer relationships and doing everything we can to generate business and support our clients.
To do this volume of work at the standard we set for ourselves, a supportive and good-natured environment is absolutely vital and I’ve found that in spades so far. The New Business Team runs on a good sense of humour, deep-rooted expertise and a commitment to empathising with our clients and having their best interests at heart when helping them to find the solution they need. That culture makes the things we’re achieving possible and I’m excited to be playing my part in such a high-performing environment.
“There’s no shortcut”
I will stress, I’m not looking for one!
However, one of the key similarities between estate agency and new business in a law firm is that there is just no substitute for hard work and energetic investment. By taking the time to understand our clients’ needs, working hard to get them the result they need and, ultimately, making sure they’re getting the best advice and legal support for their needs, we ensure that our clients are happy and satisfied with the service they receive. That means they tell other people that Talbots is a company to be trusted when legal support is needed and they also come back themselves down the line when they need us again.
Summary and hopes for the future
It’s been a privilege to be here so far and my hope for the future is that I can keep contributing as part of the team, keep learning new things every day and keep helping people when they need us!
Get In Touch
To speak to Harry about your story, or another member of the New Business Team, call 0800 118 1500 or email newbusiness@talbotslaw.co.uk