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CAREER CASE STUDY• lichfield Office • staffordshire
Jack Howell
Head of Commercial Property / Solicitor • Commercial Property
In just over five years, I progressed from an administrative support role to leading a department. Throughout that time, I've learned that saying yes to opportunities, being willing to learn, and putting in the effort can open doors you never expected.
Law Graduate
LPC Training Contract
Head of Commercial Property
Joined November 2020
Qualified as Solicitor March 2023
Conveyancing
Commercial Training
"Looking back, my journey has taken me through almost every corner of the business."
My route to becoming Head of Commercial Property at GloverPriest certainly wasn't conventional. I completed my Master's degree and LPC during the pandemic, at a time when opportunities in law were limited and difficult to come by. When I joined the firm, I wasn't stepping into a legal role at all. My first position was in business support, which was a long way from the commercial property transactions I handle today.
Looking back, my journey has taken me through almost every corner of the business. In just over five years, I progressed from an administrative support role to leading a department. Throughout that time, I've learned that saying yes to opportunities, being willing to learn, and putting in the effort can open doors you never expected.
How Did My Journey at GloverPriest Begin?
One of the most unusual aspects of my career path is the number of different departments I worked in before qualifying as a solicitor. Each role gave me a different perspective and taught me something valuable that I still use today.
After conveyancing, I spent time in family law, where I learned how financial statements are prepared and how different legal matters are managed. From there, I joined the wills and probate team during a particularly busy free wills campaign, gaining practical experience with the systems and processes used in that area of law.
I then moved into the accounts department, which was a genuine eye-opener. Working with ledgers, bank reconciliations, client accounts and office accounts gave me a deeper understanding of the financial infrastructure behind every legal transaction. It also gave me a lasting appreciation for the work carried out by accounts teams, work that I believe is often underestimated by people who don't see it firsthand.
Even now, I regularly draw on the knowledge I gained during that time.
How Did I Move Into Commercial Property?
A significant turning point came when I was asked to take on an internal training role. My responsibility was to help new and existing members of staff learn and navigate the firm's case management system.
In that position, I developed training guides that are still being used today. More importantly, it gave me the opportunity to work with colleagues across all of the firm's offices. I was able to see the culture of the business from a much broader perspective and build relationships with people I might never otherwise have worked alongside.
When that role naturally came to an end, I was asked a simple question: what did I want to do next?
My answer was straightforward. I wanted a training contract.
The firm supported that ambition immediately. I spent a year in litigation, dealing with debt recovery and repossession matters, before moving on to work closely with senior colleagues on both residential and commercial property matters. By the time I qualified as a solicitor, I had developed expertise in both areas, although commercial property was always where my long-term ambitions lay.
At the time, the firm's commercial caseload was relatively small. Rather than viewing that as a limitation, I saw it as an opportunity. I invested in external training to strengthen my commercial knowledge and worked hard to build my expertise. Over the following years, I helped establish and grow the firm's commercial property offering.
Three years after qualifying, I became Head of the Commercial Property Department.
What Does Career Progression Look Like at GloverPriest?
One of the things that has impressed me most throughout my time at GloverPriest is how consistently effort is recognised and rewarded.
My experience has been that if you work hard, demonstrate commitment, and show what you're capable of, opportunities follow. Often, those opportunities arrive sooner than you expect.
Throughout my career here, managers and directors have regularly asked me what I wanted to achieve next. More importantly, they didn't just ask the question they actively supported me in reaching those goals.
I genuinely believe that none of the roles I held along the way were wasted. Every department I worked in, every responsibility I took on, and every challenge I encountered contributed to where I am today.
I've also seen the same pattern repeated across the firm. People who show commitment and ambition are given opportunities to progress, and that ambition is met with meaningful support rather than empty encouragement.
Why Does an Office Environment Matter for Development?
I'm a strong believer in the value of working in the office, particularly during the early stages of your career.
A huge amount of what I learned didn't come from formal training sessions. It came from simply being present. I learned by observing experienced colleagues, listening to client conversations, sitting in on discussions, and being able to ask questions as situations arose.
For me, being in the office played a major role in my progression. It allowed colleagues and management to see my work ethic firsthand, while also creating countless opportunities for informal learning that would have been difficult to replicate remotely.
I also appreciate the separation it provides between work and home life. Being able to focus fully during the working day and then switch off afterwards is something I find incredibly valuable.
From my perspective, anyone who wants to accelerate their development can benefit enormously from being in the room and learning from those around them.
What Role Has Mentorship Played in My Career?
Mentorship has been a significant part of my development, both as someone who benefited from it and now as someone who provides it to others.
Because I worked across so many departments, I learned from a wide variety of colleagues, all with different styles, approaches and strengths. Rather than finding that inconsistency challenging, I found it beneficial. It allowed me to take the best elements from different people and develop my own approach.
Now that I lead a team, I make a conscious effort to regularly check in with the people I'm training. I often ask how they're finding the process and whether the support they're receiving is working for them. That's something I wish I had experienced more often when I was learning.
I want the people I mentor to feel that their development is tailored to them as individuals. Seeing colleagues grow in confidence, take on more responsibility, and achieve their own goals has become one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.
What Makes the Culture at GloverPriest Different?
What stands out most to me is how friendly, open and inclusive the firm is across all of its offices.
Throughout my time here, I've always felt there was someone I could turn to, whether that was a colleague, a member of management, or one of the directors. I've never felt isolated or unsupported.
My experience in the internal training role gave me a particularly broad view of the business, allowing me to spend time with people across multiple offices. Everywhere I went, I found the same welcoming and supportive culture.
Most importantly, I believe people genuinely feel valued here. The firm invests in its people and provides opportunities that I rarely hear about elsewhere. There are clear routes for progression, and employees are encouraged to pursue their ambitions.
In my view, that's a culture that brings out the best in people and gives them strong reasons to build long-term careers here.
What Does the Future Hold?
Looking ahead, my focus is on continuing to develop the Commercial Property Department into something the entire firm can be proud of.
A key part of that is investing in the people around me. I want to continue training and developing our team, including supporting trainees as they work towards qualification and helping colleagues expand their own expertise.
My goal is to build a department that can take on more work, provide an exceptional service to clients, and create lasting relationships that extend beyond any one individual.
Ultimately, I want clients to feel they have a strong relationship with the whole team, not just with me, and I want the department to continue growing in a way that creates opportunities for the next generation of lawyers at GloverPriest.