A day in the life of… Amy Sinclair

Amy Sinclair is a paralegal in HCR Law’s Residential Property team, based in our Wye Valley office. Here’s a snapshot of what a typical day looks like for her.

I arrive at 8.30am, grab my first coffee of the day and check my emails. A few have come in overnight — an estate agent query and a client chasing an update. I map out my tasks and crack on.

The team has three completions today, including a large purchase, so organisation is key. I check funds and prepare telegraphic transfers, ensuring every file is in order. With multiple completions running at once, prioritisation is crucial.

Armed with yet another coffee, the later part of the morning is spent keeping the completions moving. By the afternoon, confirmations start to come through and I get to make the best calls of the day — telling clients they’ve got the keys to their new homes. You can hear the excitement in their voices, and it makes all the morning’s preparation worthwhile. Then it’s on to post-completion work, including Stamp Duty returns and Land Registry applications.

At lunch, my Department of Fun duties kick in — today we’ve arranged pizzas for the office. It’s a great atmosphere and moments like these really bring everyone together. I normally take a stroll around Ross-on-Wye on my lunch break too — or Ross Vegas, as we like to call it. It’s not the most picturesque walk, but it’s good to get some fresh air.

Early afternoon, I sit in on a client meeting with a fee earner in the team. A first-time buyer has a long list of questions about searches, timescales and completion day. I’ve learned so much from these meetings — not just about the law, but about communicating with people during what can be the biggest purchase of their lives.

Later, a client pops into the office to discuss their property deeds — something that happens quite often here, and one of the things I love about the role. Getting to meet a variety of people is a real highlight.

I go through their deeds, explain what they hold and discuss voluntary first registration with the Land Registry. The benefits include a secure, centralised title record and added protection against adverse possession and fraud. It’s rewarding to see the client leave feeling confident about the next steps.

Five o’clock arrives quickly. I update my task list for tomorrow, then head home to attend a live workshop session for my master’s degree. Once I finish studying, I manage to fit in a trip to the gym.