WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN - THAT LIFE CAN BE CYCLICAL…

We caught up with Jonathan Greenhalgh, Partner Howes Percival LLP

Indulging in a little history of my early life…….I was born in Reading and enjoyed thirteen very happy years before moving to Cambridge in 1984. At that time, the distance between Reading and Cambridge seemed far more than the actual ninety miles. Leaving friends behind (long before mobile phones) and making new friendships was a little daunting but an experience that undoubtedly helped me in later life.

In 1990 and feeling ready to resume some studying after a “year out”, I returned to Reading to begin a degree in history. Whilst again being something of a new world, this time I had the advantage of being very familiar with the terrain, pre-school age I had attended the nursery school on the edge of the university campus!

My interest in law began during my three year degree; I shared a terraced house with two prospective lawyers. Whilst I very much enjoyed my own studies, the technical nature of the law interested me. With thoughts ignited about what I might do as a career, I applied for a place on a law conversion course in Nottingham, a city where my mother and my sister had studied.

During these two years in Nottingham and again sharing a house with other prospective lawyers, I thought I better follow the example of my contemporaries and apply for a training contract. I remember handwriting many application letters, trying to make each one as neat and perfect as it could be. I applied to a number of firms in various different locations throughout the country, I recall being very nervous before interviews in Lincoln and Derby. Around April 1995 I was accepted for a training contract back in Cambridge and started my first full-time job.

I enjoyed a number of varied training seats. My first seat was in commercial property and from there I moved to a seat in the corporate team and later, the personal injury team. I also spent a number of months on secondment at the National Farmers Union offices in Newmarket. In tandem with the legal training I was fortunate to make lifelong friends; colleagues and contemporaries at other firms in Cambridge. At the end of my training contract (in September 1997) I qualified into the commercial property team under the team leadership of Steven Beach, the structured nature of property combined with the opportunity to negotiate appealed to me. Over the subsequent eight years I was able to develop the depth and breadth of my experience, in the legal field and on the cricket field!

In early 2006 I left Cambridge to take up a new role as an associate solicitor with a firm based in Ipswich. My role also enabled me to spend some time in Chelmsford and with the benefit of the experience that I had gained over the past ten years or so, I became a partner. It was also around this time that I found a real interest (perhaps inherited from my father) in new opportunities and ventures; in building teams and mentoring.

In 2007 I changed roles again and after spending some time in Norwich, I returned to Cambridge in 2008 to help set up a new office. Despite the economic instability we built an office and teams across the legal disciplines. Again, I was able to call upon my knowledge of the city and the kind support of colleagues, contemporaries and friends.

In January 2015 I returned to Reading (no……that’s artistic licence!), I joined Howes Percival and helped the firm to open a new office in Cambridge. Our initial offering was focused around property development provided by a core team of experienced lawyers. In autumn 2015 and perhaps by another twist of fate, I was joined by a number of colleagues from my early career some 27 years ago including Steven. After seven years of growth, we have developed into a full service office.

So…..what have I learnt over the 38 years since that initial move to Cambridge in 1984? Perhaps that opportunity and chance have made significant contributions to where I am today and what I do day to day during my working week. I know that the geographical moves and, indeed, my initial move into the law were not part of any grand masterplan.