Staff boost at solicitors firm that has almost doubled in size over the last year

The Private Client department at Vincents Solicitors has seen its latest boost with two new professional qualifications and the recruitment of two members of staff.

Donna Matthews, head of the Lancashire law firm’s probate team based in Lytham, is now STEP accredited after completing her Trust and Estate Practitioner qualification.

As a member of the globally recognised professional body for estate planning, Donna has extended her expertise as a specialist in helping families to establish Trusts, make Wills, set up Lasting Powers of Attorney and deal with probate matters.

Amy Whiteside, a member of Donna’s probate team based in Garstang, has also completed her qualifications to become a Licensed Probate Practitioner specialising in the legal aspects surrounding inheritance and the administration of Wills and estates.

She joined the firm eight years ago as a receptionist in the Knott End office and has worked her way up to become a probate specialist.

The company, which has six offices across Lancashire, has also welcomed chartered legal executive Katie Shires as a private client specialist in the Penwortham office, and recent law graduate Zak Croft as probate clerk in the Garstang office.

The Private Client team is a great example of the success of Vincents’ in-house training programme which supports people without a law degree coming into the profession, says director Lisa Lodge, head of the Private Client department.

She said: “We are extremely proud to provide a variety of routes into the legal profession for people with the commitment and passion to undertake these exacting qualifications while also doing the job day-in-day-out.”

“By offering in-house training we provide opportunities for excellent candidates who have not followed the traditional graduate route, for whatever reason, from which we as a firm really benefit. We can create a truly well-rounded team of people with a wide variety of skills and previous life experience, adding greater depth to the services and support we can offer to our clients.”

While the team has almost doubled in size over the last year, with the arrival of Dan Pinder, Mary Greenway and Virginia Webster and Leah Harrison in 2021, Lisa is continuing to recruit for the Private Client department across Lancashire, at all levels.

Vincents Solicitors Private Client Department offers services from each of the firm’s locations in Preston, Garstang, Lytham, Chorley and Penwortham, to clients across the county.