The enfranchisement team, led by partner Shabnam Ali-Khan, welcomed their first trainee since Shabnam became a partner. At the end of the seat, we caught up with both Shabnam and first-seat trainee Hannah Hayler to reflect on their experiences and discuss what made this opportunity so valuable for them both.
Q: Shabnam, what was it like to have your first trainee in the team since becoming a partner?
Q: Hannah, what were your first impressions of enfranchisement and how did they evolve during your time in the team?
When I found out that my first seat was enfranchisement, I honestly had no idea what that meant. It was only after a Google search that I realised it was a property seat. I had enjoyed land law during my studies so was eager to start. During my time in the team, I learnt that ‘enfranchisement’ is a specific term used when leaseholders either buy the freehold of their leasehold property or seek to extend the term of their lease. However, the work the team does goes further than just enfranchisement. The seat helped me understand the concept of leasehold land and I found it really applicable to life outside of work.
Q: What were the most challenging and rewarding aspects for each of you?
Shabnam: The most challenging aspect was my own time management. Hannah worked largely with me so I had to ensure I was available to provide the support, training and supervision required. While some tasks could be completed more quickly on my own, I recognise the importance of investing time in trainees like Hannah, to help her develop. The most rewarding part was seeing Hannah not only learn the law but also develop soft skills like client care and watching her put them into practice. I could clearly see a growth in her commercial approach as well as client correspondence. Hannah was able to more or less run with some of her own files under my supervision.
Hannah: The most challenging aspect was settling into the seat at the same time as settling into the firm. Everything was new to me so it felt overwhelming at the beginning. However, the team really helped me settle in and were happy to help with any questions I had. I was surprised by the level of autonomy I was given as a first-seat trainee but I found this extremely rewarding as I felt like the team trusted me to progress matters.
Q: Shabnam, how has this experience shaped your approach to mentoring future trainees?
It was an enjoyable and motivating experience, and it reinforced that mentoring is something I am passionate about. My role as a supervisor went beyond just the law and it was fantastic to be a part of Hannah’s growth as a trainee lawyer. When Hannah started in the team, I took the time to get to know her as a person! We discussed her knowledge of enfranchisement law, as well as how she liked to learn and be managed. This helped build trust and confidence and I encourage open communication with my team. One takeaway for me is that I can probably afford to be less hands-on at times, allowing more space for a trainee to research a point, formulate a response and then check in.
Q: Hannah, what’s the biggest lesson you’ll take with you from your time in enfranchisement?
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the next enfranchisement trainee, what would it be?
Q: Are there any memorable or funny moments from your time working together?
Shabnam Ali-Khan leads the enfrachisement service in the property law and conveyancing team, while Hannah Hayler has since moved into her second seat which is in the restructuring and insolvency team.
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