Miriam Spero
Hunters, Green Lane, Chigwell, Essex IG7 6DN
Tel: 020 8500 3000 Mobile: 07771 645 258
Email: miriamspero@aol.com
Profile

Proactive private client solicitor with the ability to put clients at their ease, build strong working relationships with colleagues and develop marketing strategies; talented at providing practical and pragmatic solutions to clients’ matters, seeks a position within a progressive firm in which she can make a substantial contribution and develop her career.


QUALIFICATIONS

Nov 2010 –
to date STEP Diploma for England and Wales (Trust and Estate)
Administration of Trusts (B), Administration of Estates (B), Accounts (B)
Final paper taken result due July 2011

2005 - 2006 Legal Practice Course - College of Law – Distinction

2004 - 2005 Graduate Diploma In Law - College Of Law – Commendation

1998 - 1999 MA Human Resources Management - Middlesex University

1995 – 1996 MA Sociolinguistics and Language Variation
Essex University – Distinction

1992 - 1995 BA (Hons) English Language and Linguistics Essex University (2.1)


EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

23 May 2011 onwards XXXX private client solicitor -full time

Oct 10 –to date Hunters & Green Ltd (part time)
Company director, part time, jam and preserve manufacturing and retail

• Developing new flavours, designing marketing material and internet site, negotiating contracts, devising sales strategy, retailing to the public and commercial enterprises.

Oct 09 – August 10 XXXX LLP, Assistant solicitor (private client and property law)

• Taking instructions, applying for Letters of Administration and Grants of Probate, drafting wills and LPAs including emergency wills for the seriously ill and people of high net worth;
• Successfully managing expectations of distressed and bereaved clients;
• Dealing with insolvent and complex estates including an intestacy leaving a minor whose guardians did not speak English;
• Reviewing and correcting mistakes in an insolvent estate, previously administered by the client, in which the wrong amounts had been paid to creditors leaving the PRs open to be sued by the creditors;
• Managing the combined intestacy and probate of a brother and sister in which the whereabouts of all but one of the beneficiaries were unknown and the client was 80 years old;

• Conducting the sale of probate properties and property purchases, arranging for the removal of squatters who entered a property between contract and completion and advising the client on her options regarding threatened litigation by the buyer;
• Proactively training other members of staff in private client law and information technology and sharing knowledge to improve team and firm performance;
• Designing marketing tools and presentations to facilitators and the general public and attending local and national business development events.

Dec 08 - July 09 XXXX Solicitors LLP Assistant solicitor (qualifying into final seat commercial department)

• Preparing disclosure documentation in multi-million pound commercial litigation;
• Drafting and issuing commercial and private litigation claim forms both in the UK and abroad, applications for judgment, briefs to counsel;
• Conducting research using a variety of resources, writing briefing papers and articles for the firm website;
• Negotiating and conveying commercial leases, both retail and office space;
• Drafting commercial contracts including distributorship agreements, terms and conditions, IP licences and preparing trade mark registration applications.
• Developing and costing marketing strategies;

Dec 06 - Dec 08 XXXX Solicitors LLP
Training contract

Court of Protection
• Having conduct of 12 Deputyship files including the affairs of a 13 year old with assets of £4 million;
• Drafting statutory will applications and preparing and registering LPAs;
• Attending the Court of Protection for statutory will hearings.
• Designing paperwork to be used at meetings with LPA clients including questionnaires to ensure accuracy and reduce the risk of claims against the firm.
• On own initiative developing a computer program for preparing clients’ accounts which saved numerous man hours and reduced errors.

Private Client
• Accurately taking instructions, explaining the will making process to clients in an appropriate register and drafting wills;
• Applying for grants of probate, lost will orders and letters of administration and administering estates on behalf of personal representatives;
• Successfully identifying a way to pay IHT when the deceased had no liquid assets and the administrator declined to take out a loan.

Conveyancing
• Acting in the purchase, sale and letting of high value property and for an investor building up an extensive portfolio of new build properties;
• Acting for the executors selling at auction a flat jointly owned by the deceased and a London Borough including drafting the deed of variation;
• Negotiating and drafting licences to alter and assignments of leases.

Intellectual Property, Litigation and Commercial
• Drafting consultancy agreements and terms and conditions of business;
• Preparing an application for Domain Name Dispute for arbitration by WIPO;
• Drafting advice letters to clients regarding IP infringement defamation;

Sept 06 - Nov 06 XXXX & Co - Paralegal
Preparing trial bundles and clerking in family and civil cases in the County Court.

Feb 06 - May 06 XXXX Solicitors - Paralegal
Archiving files and drafting correspondence in probate and family matters.

July 02 - June 04 XXXX Consulting - Self Employed Computer Trainer

• Designing and delivering training packages to individuals and groups;
• Writing suitable support material according to the client’s level;
• Creatively designing advertisements and soliciting new business.

July 01 - June 02 XXXX Community Issues liaison
July 00 - May 01 XXXX Property Management - PA and Liaison
Mar 97 -July 98 Fixed term contracts at companies in the finance sector
Sept 94 - Mar 97 Prima Products Europa, - Administrator/Office Manager

IT Skills Advanced Word, PowerPoint and Excel (Microsoft User Qualified).
Introductory Certificate in Computer Science, Aberdeen University

Organisations
Student member of STEP,
Member Law Society Private Client Section

Interests Theatre, current affairs, arts and crafts, attending the gym.
Member of the Art Fund and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Additional information
Trained advocate for people with dementia