Nathalie Harris is a legal assistant at the start of her legal career. Throughout the past three years, her growing legal expertise combined with her CILEX studies have positioned her as an emerging talent in property law. Her passion for excellent client service and team success is shown through her academic ambitions and dedication.
What was your career path to your current role?
I began working straight from college in a call centre selling luxury cruises. I was quickly promoted to a position with my own client base and targets. This is where I realised I thrived in pressurised situations with rewarding end goals, and my passion for customer service grew. During the pandemic I decided to venture into the world of hospitality and bought a pub with my in-laws. I Instantly became a leader, project manager, waitress and dishwasher! The whole experience gave me invaluable insight in how to run a successful business. However, I decided that since both my children had started school and I had more time, I needed to pursue the legal career I had my sights on since secondary school.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
Growing up I was a performer. During education I was never considered the academic one but always on the stage in every production and showcase available. I was convinced at one point I was going to travel the world dancing and performing in front of massive crowds. Being a competitive dancer gave me grit and drive. I knew I had to work for what I wanted and I had to keep learning and improving to keep up with the huge talent out there. Now, I just live my performing dreams through my daughter!
What keeps you motivated in your work?
There are three main things that keep me motivated: the people, the impact and the ambition.
The people: I work with some incredibly talented and inspiring people and from the minute I started at Dutton Gregory I was welcomed, supported and encouraged. I started with no experience whatsoever but have learnt so much from my colleagues and I’ve met some great friends. We have an amazing culture at Dutton Gregory where we support, uplift and celebrate one another. It really keeps me going when things get a bit stressful.
The impact: whether the impact is big or small, the effect means something. Knowing I have helped a client with the biggest purchase they’ll ever make, or helped a colleague with a difficult task, or guided a university student during work experience makes every long day worth it.
My final motivator is the ambition, the end goal. I truly believe we learn something every day, from every experience and each lesson is there to better ourselves. So I want to keep learning, keep achieving goals, qualify as a solicitor and maybe one day become partner and most of all I want to be able to say, I did it.
If you could change one thing about the transaction process, what would it be?
I’d like protocol forms and guidance notes to be sent out when the clients have marketed the property. I think these completed forms should also be available to buyers when they have just made or are intending to make an offer. By doing this I believe fall through rates would be lower as the information is readily available from the outset. I think transaction times would be reduced because the forms are complete and because any miscommunication between vendor, agent, conveyancer and buyer would be minimised, and disputes would be avoided.
Do you think conveyancing will ever be fully digitalised?
We live in a world where AI and technology are booming, and it is fascinating to see what we can do without human input. At Dutton Gregory we are lucky enough to have some great pieces of technology that assist us with our transactions and day to day tasks, meaning our lawyers and conveyancers can focus on the tougher, more intricate legal tasks. As an industry we should be leaning into this new digital age to make technology work with us to better our services, instead of for us.
Do you think it should be?
I don’t believe conveyancing should be fully digitalised. Although we have seen massive improvements within the tech industry, the AI bots and software are not faultless and something as big as a house sale or purchase requires careful consideration and work. Each conveyancing transaction is different, and whilst some clients may not mind a process driven transactional experience, others do require the empathy, understanding and human touch from a person, which they won’t get from a computer or piece of software.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out in their conveyancing career?
Every day, every question, every opportunity is experience. Your past career paths may not align with your future job, but skills are transferable and doors are open – you just need to knock.
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