May 30, 2018

Jade Gani: The one year anniversary blog

This post was written by: Ilinca Mardarescu

This month marks a year since Jade Gani, Head of Wills & Probate, joined the team here at Aston Bond. Jade has just been nominated by Aston Bond for the Junior Lawyer of the Year award with the Law Society. We sat down with Jade to see what she has been up to over the past year and her thoughts and feelings on all things Aston Bond. Here’s what she had to say:

Why did you want to join Aston Bond?

“I knew that Aston Bond had a different approach to running a law firm from other firms I had worked for previously; they seemed much more forward thinking, adaptable and invested in the development of their staff. They offered me the Head of Wills & Probate role – something very few young solicitors get the opportunity to do! They valued my years of experience prior to qualifying as well as my ability to encourage business development. I think we all agree my appointment was a bold move but it really seems to have paid off.”

What is the best part about working for Aston Bond?

“The people! I have made some fantastic friends and we all have a great working relationship. They say the true test of a happy workplace is how much laughter you can hear in the office – and there is a lot of it here! I also really enjoy the freedom I have been granted by Stephen and Duncan to turn the department into my own vision. I’m not micromanaged and they support my ideas and plans for progress.”

How has the department changed since you joined?

“When I first started I was completely on my own but now I have the help of a Trainee Solicitor, Kerry, as well as a lovely new Paralegal, Emily. The girls are a great support and it has certainly been a learning curve teaching others to do what I do! In that time we have grown our client base by over 60% and we don’t have any plans on slowing down.”

What is your best advice for young lawyers who want to succeed like you?

“I would say they should just dive right in and take every opportunity they can to shadow someone more experienced than them. Take criticism well and learn from it. Be eager! There are lots of things I can teach young lawyers but the right attitude isn’t one of them – that’s something they need find in themselves. I would also say don’t listen to naysayers – if you think you can do it then put in the hard work and you’ll achieve it, no matter how big the dream is!”  

What will the next 12 months have in store?   

“I feel like I am still just getting started with my plans for the department. Emily will be working closely with me on our Wills project which will enable us to contact Clients at the click of a button, so if the law changes or tax rules vary in any way we can update them immediately. It means our Clients will get the best advice, tailored to their individual needs, as and when they need it. I also hope that the department will continue to expand as our business continues to grow.”