“Time has flown over the past few months,” says Courtney. “My time in Residential Property was great, exposing me to the different processes involved in both sales and purchases of freehold, leasehold, registered and unregistered land. It was a privilege to work closely with experienced partners, gaining exposure to various different types of cases.”
Courtney says she’s been able to have some choice in the seats she’s taken so far.
“I’ve had so much support and been given lots of advice,” she adds. “I worked with John Spence in Property Litigation when I first joined here as a Paralegal and he encouraged me to gain experience in commercial and residential property, as well as contentious and non-contentious work.”
She hopes to spend time in both Employment and Private Client before her training contract finishes.
Courtney joined CooperBurnett having previously worked as an in-house paralegal, with her interest in our firm being the opportunity to work closely alongside experienced partners, manage her own caseload and have more client interaction.
“I discovered there was an opportunity at CooperBurnett, and since joining, everyone has been very supportive and friendly,” says Courtney. “You are really valued and the mentoring I have received has been excellent across the firm.”
Partner Joseph Oates is Courtney’s training principal, and he says: “It’s great to see how Courtney is thriving as she progresses through her training contract here at CooperBurnett. As a firm, we recognise the importance of embracing and supporting aspiring lawyers and it’s wonderful to see members of our team continuing to grow and excel here.”
We are talking to her as CooperBurnett’s new branding is being rolled out and Courtney says: “It’s fantastic to have something modern and fresh, which really emphasises the three Ps here at the firm. The rebrand shows that the Partners really care about us as a team and about our clients.
Courtney was born in South Africa and says she always wanted to be a lawyer. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce (Bcom) in Law degree at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, following which she moved to the UK in January 2020 where she completed her Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) at BPP London, followed by her Masters in Legal Practice (Solicitors) at BPP London, Holborn.
Courtney’s only just started in Commercial Property but says Partners Jonathan Rowe and Thomas Lumsden have already got her involved in numerous cases. Having now worked in various departments, Courtney says she ‘really enjoys drafting documents’.
The Commercial Property team has a weekly catch-up meeting, which Courtney is finding useful.
“It’s really interesting to find out what everyone is working on across the team and to see how everyone works together,” she says.
In her current seat, Courtney is working alongside Imogen Fleur, who qualified at the beginning of 2024.
“It isn’t that long ago that she was in my position, so she’s great at explaining all the different terminology and making sure I understand everything,” adds Courtney.
When she’s not at work, Courtney enjoys travelling. This has opened her mind to different cuisines, and inspired by that, she’s discovered the joy of cooking at home.
