Name: Emily Putz Firm: Trowers & Hamlins LLP Location: London University: University of Oxford Degree: History Pronouns: She/her
Thrills of litigation Emily most enjoys working with a variety of people, both within the firm and her clients. “It’s always great to work together on matters with colleagues and clients to achieve your objectives,” she says. “Although in litigation you’re working against the other side, teamwork still plays a big part when acting on a dispute especially when barristers are involved and matters go all the way to trial.”
Another issue Emily identifies as currently shaking up the practice area is the big shift towards net zero and sustainability: “It’s going to present a huge challenge to landlord clients whether residential or commercial.” As businesses navigate these changes, Emily’s team will be on hand to advise and resolve disputes that may arise along the way. For those looking to enter this area, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on developments as they happen and staying updated with the latest case law as it comes out of the courts.
You don’t ever forget that first win in court as a litigator
Communication skills mandatory A big part of a lawyer’s job is to “digest
complex pieces of legislation, particularly with property law, and explain how they apply to a client’s situation in a concise and user-friendly way”, Emily says. Communication skills are therefore very important to demonstrate as you enter this practice. She also notes the significance of “being organised, particularly when it comes to complying with court deadlines” and drafting skills – “not just for statements of case, but also inter-solicitor correspondence, as the ability to clearly and persuasively set out a client’s position can help parties to reach a settlement or resolve a dispute before going to court”. Emily advises students to keep an open mind “in terms of what areas of law you want to practise” and to “get as much work experience as possible because any work experience (even non-law) can be relevant to your application”. For budding lawyers at the beginning of their careers, she iterates the importance of “realising you’re never going to be an expert in everything, and it’s ok to not know all the answers”. A training contract is a fantastic opportunity to learn and ask questions, and you should remember that “almost everyone you come across in the legal profession – even the most senior partner – will have experienced feelings of imposter syndrome at some point during their career”.
In terms of a career highlight, Emily says that “you don’t ever forget that first win in court as a litigator”. Although her first victory was a relatively straightforward landlord and tenant dispute, “nothing compares to that feeling of success you get when the judgment is handed down. It’s great to know you’ve achieved a good outcome for your client, and that all your hard work preparing for the case has paid off.” Building safety legislation Looking to the future, Emily discusses the new building safety regime that’s being introduced following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The Building Safety Act 2022 received royal assent in April 2022 and aims to make reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers and protection. For Emily and her clients, it’s a huge development that’s “incredibly complex and fast evolving”. She explains that there are an “array of regulations that haven’t been introduced yet on the horizon and there are likely to be disputes arising from that statutory framework, on topics such as service charge recoverability of building safety costs”. Emily and her team are busy advising clients to help them implement new policies and practices in light of the act. “We’re needing to digest the law quickly and to help clients apply it to their organisations.”
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