As we approach the end of the year, Gaby Coppack, a professional support lawyer in our real estate team, sat down with two of our newly qualified associates, Gloria Cronin and Elise Walker, and our recently promoted partner, Carolyn Milligan, to catch up on what 2024 has been like for them and what 2025 has to offer…
Gaby: Elise and Gloria, it’s coming up to your first Christmas in HSF Real Estate and Carolyn, it'll be your first Christmas as a partner. How’ve you found 2024?
Elise: It's been a fantastic first year – I feel really settled and part of the team. It has been a great time to qualify into Real Estate, with investment in the UK property picking up again. It also doesn't hurt that we had our group conference in Lisbon in autumn!
Gloria: I qualified into the construction team in September, and while the learning curve has been steep, it’s also very rewarding. I really appreciate how much I learn every day. When I compare what I can do independently now to just three months ago, the progression is extremely satisfying. The biggest shift has been the sense of ownership I feel in the matters I work on. As a trainee, I feel like I contributed to the wider picture, but as an NQ, the responsibility for leading matters starts to become yours. I am able to do this because I am in an extremely generous team that provides so much support and is very happy to share its extensive knowledge. In a nutshell, so far, very good.
Carolyn: 2024 has been an incredible journey, both brilliant and exhausting in equal measure. One of the many highlights was presenting the results of our strategy review to the entire real estate division at our conference in Lisbon earlier this year alongside my fellow junior partners – an experience I would have found terrifying 12 months ago. That and the 1970s fancy dress dinner that followed!
Gaby: It’s a big step going from being a trainee solicitor to a newly qualified solicitor (and I'm sure it's a big step going from senior associate to partner) and you’ll no doubt have learnt a lot during this first year. What in particular springs to mind in terms of what you’ve learnt and how you’ve developed?
Gloria: The transition from trainee to NQ requires a shift in mindset and I'm embracing the higher level of responsibility and ownership over my work. Clients and other stakeholders on a project may not be aware that I’m only three months qualified - they receive advice from an HSF associate and rightly expect that advice to be of the highest standard, and this expectation drives me to meet those standards. I am building confidence and learning to trust my judgment and it's great that I feel more capable every week.
Carolyn: The biggest lesson I've learned is knowing when to say no. For the first six months, I said yes to everything. Whilst this pushed me out of my comfort zone and led to lots of fantastic opportunities, such as collecting our Legal Team of the Year trophy at the Property Week Awards and recording my first podcast, it isn't sustainable in the long-term. Now I'm focusing on finding a better balance and prioritising the things I'm most passionate about or where I can add the most value.
Elise: The biggest learning curve for me was to trust my judgment. As a trainee, everything you do is checked so it has been a bit of an adjustment, but my confidence has grown a lot as a result.
Gaby: What sort of work have you been involved with during your first year and do you have a favourite transaction?
Carolyn: It's been a busy first year with a variety of development projects, joint ventures, disposals and refinancings. A particular highlight was touring the penthouse apartment of a project we've been working on for many years. Seeing the tangible results of our hard work always reminds me why I love working in real estate.
Elise: All sorts – from multi-portfolio acquisitions and asset management to big corporate deals. I've enjoyed all the transactions I've worked on so I don't think I could pick a favourite, though I am particularly excited about a couple of central London redevelopment projects I am working on.
Gloria: I'm working on a groundbreaking carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) project. It's been rewarding to be part of a team contributing to such a significant energy transition project.
One of my other favourite transactions involved advising a developer on the large-scale refurbishment of an office space in the City. I began working on the project at the start of my fourth seat and had the opportunity to see it through to the signing of the building contract this month, which was really rewarding.
Gaby: What are you involved with at HSF outside of your client work?
Gloria: I’m a member of the Real Estate Race Group where we discuss issues relating to race and how these might affect people of colour working at the firm. Our goal is to create a more inclusive environment that supports the retention and development of employees from diverse backgrounds. The group is working on various initiatives aimed at providing support and fostering a culture of equality within the firm, and I'm very excited to see where we can take it.
Elise: I volunteer for a housing benefits clinic run by the firm, which is really rewarding, and this year I organised a talk on peak performance and mental health as part of my seat on the group's Social, Health and Wellbeing Committee.
Carolyn: I'm part of the HSF Gender Network Committee and the NextGen Committee for Real Estate Balance, an organisation dedicated to championing diversity and inclusion in the real estate industry. This year, we've hosted several impactful events, including the publication of our latest EDI NextGen survey results which address barriers to entering the industry, tackling inappropriate behaviours and promoting the development of inclusive cultures.
Gaby: Looking ahead to the Christmas break, what’s your favourite festive tradition?
Elise: I don't think I can choose one! I come from a family of bon vivants so I am looking forward to the usual Christmas excesses…
Carolyn: Terrible Christmas movies, nuclear mulled-wine and a beach walk on Christmas Day.
Gloria: Champagne and brandy cocktails!
Gaby: Outside of work, what has been big for you this year and what are you looking forward to in 2025?
Carolyn: Having moved out of London in the early throws of covid with a baby and toddler, it's taken us a while to find our feet. This year we joined a pub quiz team and my husband has almost made it into the school gates inner circle by being invited to join the PTA. We also managed to squeeze in a holiday to Brisbane and now consider ourselves pro-surfers (though conveniently, there's no photographic evidence). Next year, we're planning a big trip to Japan for cherry blossom, ramen and ninja-training.
Gloria: This year has been huge. I ran the Brighton Marathon, passed my driving test, got married, went to Japan for my honeymoon, qualified as a solicitor and hope to complete on a house before Christmas (if we’re lucky). In 2025, I am looking forward to juggling less.
Elise: The big news is that I got engaged and moved in with my fiancé! As for 2025, both my sisters currently live abroad but are moving back to London next year. We're really close and I can't wait for us all to be in the same place again.
Come back tomorrow for Day 9 of our advent calendar where we'll explore recent developments in building safety.
Key contacts
Gloria Cronin
Associate, London
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