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Today we are celebrating our Wills and Estate Specialist, Trudi Dickinson  for having worked at David Allen for 10 years!

We asked Trudi to take part in a little Q&A to mark the occasion.

What roles have you done within the business and tell us about your progression path?

Having worked at HSBC for 27 years, latterly as a Financial Adviser, I initially came to David Allen as a Paraplanner.  When a vacancy became available as a Will Writer within the firm, I jumped at the chance to take on a new challenge.  I had missed building relationships with clients.

This new role quickly developed into a full-time position and included advising and drafting Lasting Power of Attorneys, arranging funeral plans, providing assistance on IHT and trust work as well as estate planning and probate.

What drives you to do what you do/what motivates you?

I enjoy finding out from my clients what is important to them and ensuring their wishes are fulfilled in a holistic and tax-efficient way, which in turn gives them peace of mind.

What is the top perk of working in #TeamDA?

The flexibility the firm offers, from glide time to working from home.  David Allen are very open to working alternatively providing it is for the benefit of you and the firm.

If you didn’t work at David Allen, what would you like to be doing?

I love animals, having a menagerie at home ranging from little dexter cows, rare breed sheep, ex-racehorses, goats, dogs through to poultry with an array of geese, ducks and hens.  I would definitely be connected to the welfare of animals.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

The best part of my role is speaking to my clients and getting to know them so that my advice is tailored to their individual needs.

What do you feel most proud of in your life to date?

I converted a derelict barn, it only had walls with no roof, into the home I live in today.  This took a couple of years and I tried to do as much of the ‘unskilled’ work myself which included dismantling the end section of the barn as this was just clay dab rather than sandstone, hours of sanding wood and decorating.  It was hard work with all my spare time being taken up by this, not sure I would take this sort of task on again but I am happy with the finished product.

What three words describe you the best?

I would like to think, approachable, enthusiastic and fun.

Trudi’s team described her as:

Warm, welcoming, kind, enthusiastic, vital, friendly, energetic, cheerful, self-sufficient and knowledgeable.

If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day, who would it be and why?

My initial thought was Doctor Dolittle as I would love to ‘talk to the animals’ but if it wasn’t a fictional character then Chris Evans.  He is successful, really enthusiastic, driven and engaging with everything he takes on but also has a very mindful and spiritual side to him.  I love some of the podcasts and books he recommends including people such as Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now and Michael Greger, How Not to Die.

What is your strongest personal quality?

Hard-working.

Why should a client choose to work with yourself and the David Allen team?

They will receive a first-class service from knowledgeable and down-to-earth people who talk in their language without the use of jargon.

What is the first piece of advice you would give to someone starting their career in Wills?

As with all jobs start with a positive and enthusiastic attitude, you’re not expected to know everything at the beginning but work with people who nourish you and help expand your knowledge.

Thank you Trudi for all of your hard work over the last 10 years, you are an asset to #TeamDA.