Interview with Jason Bradshaw, Partner at Cunningtons Solicitors

 

 

At the Chamber of Commerce events, naturally. But also weekly at Hove Albion BNI, sometimes the quarterly Property Professional lunch at Pub du Vin, and one or two other events, such as the networking run at Grosvenor Casino on the last Wednesday of the month. 

 

Speak to different people, and be interested in what they have to say. Even if you feel you have no need of their services at the time, or can’t see any synergies, you just never know what might crop up in future.

 

It was such a shock to wake up on the morning of 24 June last year to the news the country had somehow voted to leave the EU. It was all everyone could talk about at the Chamber breakfast that morning. What would it mean for business? Will it affect the property market? If so, would the impact be positive or negative? I remember speaking to a local business owner, running a shop in the North Laine area, and they were very concerned at the pound plummeting making the goods they imported from the continent more and more expensive.

 

As with a lot of major events there are winners and losers, and how you fare as a business can change from the short to longer term. The life blood of the economy are the SME, of which there are lots in Brighton, and especially in the Chamber. Some will start to struggle as the economic effects take hold, such as the possible rise in inflation squeezing household budgets, so the pace of hiring new staff may slow, with its knock on effects. Brighton also has a lot of language schools and the current uncertainty is definitely having an effect on student numbers, and so leading to an uncertain future for some of these schools or at least the number of classes they can run.

 

I’m an early riser, so definitely in the morning, I usually get into the office around 7.30am to get ahead of the day. It’s a good time to check what the priorities are for the day, see if any cases need chasing, and catching up on the emails which arrived overnight.

 

It’s difficult. Being a conveyancer is no longer a 9 til 5 job, despite what most people think of solicitors!  The phones might stop after 5.30 in the evening, but because of the volume of calls and emails one receives in the day, you often have to stay late, or start very early to keep on top of things and give the level of service customers expect. (And often customers and estate agents are appreciative when I can respond to a query which might have occurred to them at an odd time, of an emailed reply out of hours). To relax I play the occasional round of golf, and socialise with friends. I do enjoy a good film, or a TV box set. Current favourites are the Walking Dead and The Blacklist.

 

There are so many in Brighton and Hove! I love the Coal Shed, they do amazing steaks, perfect for a special dinner, or entertaining an important client or supplier.  I really like Al Frescos on the seafront, good uncomplicated food, and fantastic views. If I’m after a coffee and a tasty sandwich then its Café Coho on Ship Street. 

 

We’re approachable, and communicative. I’ve had more than one local estate agent express surprise at being able to actually speak to me about a case. So often you hear of consumers moving house and estate agents saying they can never get hold of their solicitor, at what is often one of the most stressful times of their lives, when really what they need is a solicitor who picks up the phone, or answers their email in a timely fashion. Well that’s us all over!