A day in the life of… Joe Hobbins

As a Solicitor in the Charities and Not-for-Profit team at HCR Hewitsons, I find that each day is an exciting new challenge. In terms of my workload, there really are no two days the same. As a team, we act for the A to Z of charities and not-for-profit entities, from art galleries to zoos (and anything else in between).

My day starts at home in South Northamptonshire where I’m woken up by my morning alarm (our two cats). Being July, this means that my initial wakeup call is around 5am. After the cats are fed, I get myself ready for the day, including making a cup of tea for my fiancé. Being a corporate lawyer, her day starts later than mine (often finishes later than mine too – in case Hollie reads this).

My journey into the Central England office takes in the beauty of the Northamptonshire countryside – passing through Grafton Regis and Stoke Bruerne and over the River Tove and River Nene.

Being a morning person, I’m a strong believer that an hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. Once my laptop is open, I make a (loose) plan for my day based on existing meetings, emails that have come in and outstanding tasks to complete.

Working with charities and not-for-profit entities, my typical workload is an exciting mix of:

• Governance advice (including decision making, structure, responsibilities and activities)
• Incorporating charities and not-for-profit entities
• Working with their regulators (including the Charity Commission and Companies House)
• Advising on a wide range of queries.

How my day is structured will depend on the type of tasks I’m carrying out and their level of urgency. Although, it can often be a case of ‘best made plans’ as unforeseen circumstances can crop up requiring urgent attention.

I try my best to ensure that I make time for a lunchtime walk. With our Central England office looking out over the River Nene, a post-lunch walk is the perfect way to reset the mind by taking in the local surroundings.

My afternoon consists of continuing my workload and regularly dipping into my snack drawer for a sweet treat. My colleagues keep a close eye on the amount of chocolate that I get through in an afternoon.

Advising charities dating back as far as the early 1800s means that it’s important to digest the often archaic wording within some governing documents so I can relay the necessary information as clearly and efficiently as possible. Yes, the chocolate does help with this.

Workload permitting, I aim to leave the office around 6pm. I’m a keen golfer so I try to call in at the driving range as often as I can. This tends to be once a week and is a great way to shift my focus (albeit from one results-based activity to another).

My fiancé and I will often cook together with our typical weekday evening meals including burrito bowls, fishcakes, pasta and salads.

I wish I could say that my downtime before bed includes reading or some form of “zen” activity. However, my way of winding down before going to sleep is watching golf or outdoor survival videos.