In celebration of David Phinn's 5-year journey at the firm, we invited him to share his experiences and offer valuable guidance for aspiring lawyers and anyone stepping into the world of law. David's remarkable journey commenced in August 2019 when he joined the company as a trainee solicitor and has since demonstrated outstanding performance within the firm. Following his qualification into the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department, David was promoted to Associate in June of this year.
What has changed for you since your promotion to associate?
The biggest change has probably been in terms of supervision of the junior members of our team. I will now liaise with them pretty much independently from our head of department in terms of setting and checking their work.
Could you describe a typical day for you?
As any solicitor will confirm, your day is pretty much run by Outlook! I will usually have a quick scan of my diary (for the whole week) and inbox before the day begins so I can identify any upcoming meetings, court hearings or calls and prepare for those in good time. After those things have been identified and dealt with, it depends on what develops with each case. Despite being a fairly organised person, the way litigations develop never ceases to surprise!
What is your favourite and most challenging part of your job?
My favourite part of my job is working with my immediate Dispute Resolution team and the broader team, including the Family Law Dept. Everyone is extremely helpful, supportive when issues crop up, and always happy to discuss anything. Having a support network like that so immediately available is invaluable. The most challenging part of my job is the practice area of litigation itself. Given the matters courts can deal with, by its very nature, you have to deal with a broad spectrum of disputes which always keeps you on your toes… to say the least!
Can you share one of your career highlights/successes?
Probably the work I did on a case I assisted my head of department with a few years ago relating to the enforcement of post-termination restrictive covenants, which prevent ex-employees from working with a competitor business for a certain period. It was a bit of a "drop everything" case, given the details required, but we secured an excellent result for the client, and I learned a lot from the process.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?
I have really enjoyed progressing through the firm since I began my traineeship here in August 2019 and look forward to continuing to do so – so who knows!
What advice would you give an aspiring lawyer?
While it is not always possible to win in litigation, the key is to properly research your client's position to get that across best to your opposing side and – crucially – the court.
From your experience, do you have any tips for picking the area of law you want to train in?
As a trainee solicitor, I think it is beneficial to be exposed to different practice areas, such as those that are more transactional, like Commercial Property, and those that are advocacy-based, like Dispute Resolution and Family. I think most trainees have a fairly good idea of whether or not they are attracted to advocacy-based areas. If so, inform your supervising partner to ensure you get some experience in that area during your traineeship. Even if you like the sound of litigation but can't be guaranteed a seat in it, it is always worthwhile to try and shadow colleagues or sit in on some courts to see what you would actually be doing – that applies to all practice areas!
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to work at Miller Samuel Hill Brown, what would it be?
Go for it! Our firm, I think, is unique insofar as the partners have a genuine open-door policy. From my experience, I know that this sort of exposure to senior partners has assisted my training immeasurably.
Here's to David's 5th anniversary and the continued success in his career! If you are as passionate as David and interested in joining our team at Miller Samuel Hill Brown, we would love to hear from you. Our door is always open to talented individuals who share our drive and enthusiasm. For further information about any vacancies, our Careers section provides details of the recruitment process and current opportunities.
