A very passionate Welshman
Q&A Nick Mason finds out about the causes that matter to Hillyer McKeown commercial property lawyer Dewi Paddock.
Were you always destined for a career in the law?
What else is on your clients’ agendas?
I didn’t really ever consider anything else. I was always drawn to public speaking and the theatre and loved the romanticism of representing my clients and doing battle in court.
The Northern Powerhouse and the need to ensure it goes much further than HS2 and the cities of Manchester and Liverpool.
I did both my undergraduate degree and a Masters in Law at Cardiff University, where I also had a full-time job as a paralegal with Eversheds, before going to law school in Christleton. Did you always want to specialise in property?
The Cheshire and North Wales business communities have a massive part to play and their voices need to be heard. As a director of the Deeside Business Forum, I am actively involved in how the area can link up both politically and in terms of its physical infrastructure.
I was initially drawn towards family law and liked the idea of the cut and thrust of divorce battles.
The opportunities for North Wales as a great place to do business are enormous and it needs to form a key part of any Northern Powerhouse strategy.
But when I started work in Liverpool, I got an opportunity to work in insolvency and corporate restructuring with a heavy focus on property. I then got the chance to move to a large firm in Manchester as a commercial property solicitor where I was working on a lot of property purchases during the boom years of the mid-2000s.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
After a couple of years doing the dreaded Manchester commute, I got a great opportunity to move back to Liverpool where I spent the next eight years working on commercial property transactions for some fantastic clients. Why the move to Hillyer McKeown? The firm I was with in Liverpool had grown massively and I was finding myself spending more and more time churning documentation. I wanted to get back to being able to spend time with clients, really getting to know their businesses and their aims and aspirations. The most satisfying aspect of my job as a solicitor is building relationships with clients and becoming their trusted advisor. What’s a typical day? I love getting into work early and making the most of the hour before the phones and email go crazy.
Without question, the need to be a swan! In my younger days, I was a bit of a hothead lawyer, but with experience and having a young son my personality has mellowed. I now understand the importance of being cool, calm and collected on the surface while paddling away behind the scenes to get the best possible result for my clients. Best kept secret? Definitely the Hopper Coffee Shop in the centre of Chester. I’m slightly biased because they’re a client of mine, but they do the best cup of coffee in the city! How do you unwind? With family. My wife Natalie and I have a little boy, Sebastian, who will be three on Christmas Day! I’m also a committed MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra) and love getting out on my bike. Last year, I did the Coast to Coast Bike Ride. I’m also involved with Liverpool Round Table and every year we deliver Christmas hampers to elderly people living in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the city. It is shocking to see just how much poverty there is in society.
I’ll then spend time drafting or reviewing title documents, progressing matters or quoting for new instructions. I also make a point of getting out to see a few clients each week to see how they are getting on and to offer advice and guidance wherever possible. I take part in seminars, recently presenting to NatWest construction clients on the implications of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards which come into effect from April 2018.
You can contact Dewi by email: dmp@law.uk.com or phone: 01244 616607.