Daniel Huntley-Taylor – Trainee Blog

November 2024

November has been a month that has been full of varied work. This month has been particularly busy in the seat as the work coming in for charities, IP and commercial and employment has all been continuous. A common task this month has been to undertake research for the firm. This can involve researching case law, statutes, and precedents to support ongoing matters.

Along with research legal drafting is another key responsibility, whether it’s drafting correspondence or more formal legal documents like contracts and board minutes they are all good for development. In some instances, I may handle routine client correspondence under supervision. It’s a great opportunity to develop confidence in client-facing situations, which is a vital skill for any solicitor.

There has also been several instances where previous clients have come back to us to advise them on subsequent matters and sought advice, this shows the reputation and reliability of Rollits is clear.

As November draws to a close and Christmas is around the corner I look forward to a busy month, ending with a well earned rest break for all.

October 2024

Time really is flying, almost two months done at the firm already. October has been a busy month in the department as a result of pre-budget transactions taking place alongside the pre-existing matters. I have spent time assisting several areas of the corporate/commercial team including employment and charities. There have been several instances where research has brought up some surprising results alongside building my knowledge. These have ranged from management buy-outs, employment matters and share reclassifications. The feedback I have received from my colleagues has been great and is helping me develop all areas of my legal knowledge.

This month also meant a busy schedule in terms of seminars, external networking events and hosting clients at the firm. I was asked to sit in on the charities breakfast seminar held on the 16^th by my colleagues Gerry Morrison and Harriet Wheeldon which I found extremely useful. Having not studied charity law previously it gave me the opportunity to learn a new branch of the law. Further to sitting in the seminar I was asked to write an article for the Rollits website on the reporting of serious incidents to the Charity Commission which can be found here

Rollits was also invited to the Hull Young Professionals Ball at the DoubleTree this month. This gave me and the other trainees a chance to socialise with our colleagues and with other professionals in the area, having the chance to dust off the tuxedo was nice too.

As my time in the seat goes on I am becoming more and more familiar with what is needed from me, and the expectations as a whole. October has been a busy month for the firm as a whole, which has allowed for me to be given enough work to help my training at a continuous but manageable pace.  I look forward to what November has in store for me at Rollits.

September 2024

The initial week at the firm was spent getting to know the inner workings of it, including accounts, IT and marketing. A comprehensive training plan was in place for us to feel as comfortable as possible with our role. I have spent time undertaking work in several areas of the corporate team and assisting in matters related to employment law and assisting the charities team. September is a busy month in regards to corporate law as the Autumn Budget is coming up and individuals and businesses are aware of upcoming changes. In the first week of being at Rollits the entire trainee cohort was given the chance to represent the firm during the Heritage Open Day event held on Wednesday 4^th September. This was an opportunity to network and provide a service to the attendees, some of which had visited Hull for the first time. There has been consistent opportunities to work on live matters and assist clients under the supervision of senior members of the team, this shows the level of trust the firm has in its trainees at Rollits.

Throughout the month I have been given the chance to get to know my colleagues in a more informal setting at times when the firm has hosted lunch. IT has been an exciting month getting to know the team, working with clients and preparing for a busy end to the year.

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I graduated from Hull University having done my LLB there, where I then went on to study the LPC LLM at Leeds Beckett. I worked throughout my studies at a national firm specialising in housing, immigration and education. I spent time in several roles there before finishing my time there as a member of the referrals team, processing and screening clients prior to opening matters. This experience is what sparked my interest in practicing law which ultimately led to me starting my training contract at Rollits.