Sue Russell, Partner, Residential Property
What motivated you to become a lawyer?
I didn’t leave school wanting to be a lawyer, I had actually wanted to be a nurse, and my career actually happened by chance. I had applied for a secretarial job for a local authority and it so happened to be within the legal department. Had I been placed into the finance team, I might have ended up as an accountant!
Whilst in the job, I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to start studying the law and was able to progress up through the team which gave me a real sense of achievement. Eventually I moved to a law firm and began to see the law from that side, cementing just how much I enjoyed working in that area.
Why do you specialise in residential property?
Once I left local government, I had to decide what area of law I wanted to focus on and managed to get a job with a local firm in the Forest of Dean to do residential conveyancing. I found quite quickly that I really enjoyed it and found it very rewarding to help people in buying and selling their homes. It is quite a life changing moment for people in that situation and it is a privilege to support them at a time when they need it.
Can you highlight a case or a standout moment that was particularly interesting ?
Whilst working in local government as Head of the Property Team, I oversaw a very high-profile project as the council looked to complete a series of compulsory purchases for a new bypass. It was a very interesting and in-depth piece of work that required a lot of hours and attention to detail and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it through to completion.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love being outside and try to keep myself very active with sports like tennis and golf but will also often be found out walking or gardening. It is beautiful in and around Lydney and you are only a few minutes away from nature wherever you are, so I do feel very lucky to live and work in this area.
Name one thing that makes your life better?
My daughter. As well as being very active and sporty like me, she is an aspiring sports journalist and I couldn’t be more proud of her.
View Sue's professional profile and get in contact here.
