There’s More Than One Way Into the Private Client Profession
Is there only one route into Private Client?
When people think about a career in the legal sector, the traditional route is usually the first one that comes to mind.
University. Law degree. Training contract. Qualification.
But private client work is much broader than that.
And I think our industry has an opportunity to create more routes for talented people to get into it.
At Harrisons, we see this every day.
Someone working in genealogy might start by researching a family tree, but very quickly they are learning about intestacy, beneficiaries, estates, evidence and the importance of getting the smallest details right.
Someone working in probate property isn't simply dealing with houses.
They are exposed to executors, solicitors, valuations, insurance, vacant property risks, possessions, sales and the practical realities of administering an estate.
Asset discovery introduces another skill set entirely.
Research. Due diligence. Financial institutions. Data. Verification. Identifying what belongs to an estate and building an accurate picture for those responsible for administering it.
Then there is estate administration itself, bringing many of those different strands together.
Experience you can't always learn in a classroom
Technical training matters.
But so does exposure.
Seeing how a real estate progresses from death through administration and ultimately distribution gives people an understanding of private client work that is difficult to replicate through theory alone.
You begin to understand how everything connects.
The genealogist needs information from the solicitor.
The property team identifies an issue at the house.
An asset search uncovers something previously unknown.
One seemingly straightforward estate can involve numerous people, organisations and disciplines.
And that creates an interesting opportunity for careers.
Creating a career ladder
I'd like to see businesses across our industry become better at giving people a genuine route to progress.
Not simply:
Here's your job.
But:
Here's where this job could take you.
Someone could join an organisation in an administrative role and discover an aptitude for genealogy.
A researcher could develop into an experienced case manager.
Someone working with probate properties could develop their knowledge of estate administration.
Others may decide that their ultimate ambition is to move further into the legal profession.
There shouldn't be anything unusual about that.
In fact, we should encourage it.
If someone has ability, curiosity and the desire to learn, our responsibility as employers should be to give them exposure, training and opportunities to find out where that ability could take them.
The private client sector needs different skills
Some people are exceptional researchers.
Others are brilliant with clients.
Some thrive on complicated cases.
Others can look at a pile of information and immediately start bringing structure to it.
Private client work needs all of them.
As our sector changes, I think some of the most interesting careers will be built by people who develop experience across several disciplines rather than remaining within one traditional silo.
Genealogy.
Property.
Asset discovery.
Estate administration.
Client support.
Technology.
And, for some, ultimately the legal profession itself.
Building the next generation
We've recently been updating the Harrisons careers pages, and it's made me think more about what we're trying to build.
Of course, we want talented people to join us.
But more importantly, I want Harrisons to be somewhere people can build a career.
A place where somebody can join us at one level, gain genuine exposure to the private client world, develop specialist knowledge and see a clear next step ahead of them.
Because recruiting good people is important.
Developing them is even more important.
If you're considering a career in genealogy, probate property, asset discovery, estate administration or the wider private client profession, take a look at our updated careers pages.
And even if there isn't the perfect vacancy today, I'd still be interested in hearing from people who think they could be part of what we're building.
Explore Careers at Harrisons →
