Legal Adviser to private clients: Meet our expert Lily Parisi

Lily Parisi is based in the Kreston Reeves’ Horsham office and joined the team in 2023. Originally Lily wasn’t considering a career in law, it was when she took A Level Law that her interest in the subject grew, and it is the people side of her legal work that she really enjoys. 

Lily explains: “After school I did a law degree at Sussex University and worked as a legal secretary for a year before doing my Legal Practice Course qualification in Guildford. I then worked with a local high street law firm with offices across Sussex and decided early on that I preferred Private Client law. I’m very personable and I enjoy going out and meeting people and helping them to solve problems. I feel like we are making a real difference to their lives and building long lasting relationships with them. I often get referrals from the friends and family of clients which is nice that they are happy to recommend me. I also get a lot of internal referrals from the internal tax team who we work closely and existing clients who come back” 

“It’s not an obvious choice for a young solicitor to move to an accountancy firm but I was looking for a change and I’m enjoying working with different types of clients and a different team. Working within an accountancy firm means we can give clients a much broader and comprehensive service, so if a client comes in for a Trust and it is clear they also may need tax advice, this can be done together in one meeting under the same roof. I like this holistic approach for clients and the seamless service that we offer to them. Also, if I need to check something I can call a colleague from another team and chat to them so I can get a faster response for the client.” 

“Every week is different for me but typically I might have client meetings in the office or home visits, depending on the nature of the inquiry. I would then draft LPA’s and Wills or update existing Wills for clients as well as handling an estate for probate. I might talk to them about setting up a Trust – it varies depending on their goals and the legacy they would like to leave for their loved ones or to charity. As a team we also catch up regularly to discuss ways to improve our knowledge and systems internally.” 

“At the moment a lot of my work is around estate administration and probate, drafting and updating Wills, LPAs and Trusts. A lot of people have been reviewing their plans since the budget to ensure they are still up to date.” 

“Longer term there is the opportunity for me to progress here at Kreston Reeves within a growing team and we are always busy. Work is always varied – rarely just a simple Will. I’m very keen to expand my own knowledge of Trusts over the coming years as there are so many complexities to them. I would certainly recommend to a young lawyer moving to an accountancy firm. I feel like I learn so much speaking to other colleagues across the firm. It’s a supportive environment to work in surrounded by a great team who work well together and are all friendly.”  

Outside of work Lily loves the countryside she lives in and walking and running, as well as looking after her two cats. In September she embarked on a three-week trip around Australia to see family and friends, which included the opportunity to go skydiving – a real once in a lifetime trip. 

To learn more about how our dedicated Legal team can help you and your family, contact us today.