Brachers’ Michael Cressey wins ‘Best Will Writing Paralegal’ at National Paralegal Awards 2021

Michael Cressey, a paralegal in Brachers’ Private Client team, has won ‘Best Will Writing Paralegal’ at this year’s National Paralegal Awards and awarded highly commended in the ‘Paralegal of the Year- South region’ category.

The National Paralegal Awards showcase and celebrate paralegal talent from across the UK, recognising individuals who can demonstrate outstanding legal skills, client satisfaction, innovation and development. Michael’s win in the ‘Best Will Writing Paralegal’ recognises his exceptional commitment to his work, clients and to the profession.

Michael joined Brachers in 2010 and has since gained his paralegal qualification and Court of Protection ‘Specialist Practitioner’ status. Alongside supporting clients with creating their Wills, Michael also advises on Court of Protection, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the creation of personal injury trusts.

Alongside being recognised for his expertise in Will writing, Michael’s win also acknowledged his dedication to providing an exceptional service to his clients, particularly his passion for improving accessibility to legal services and demystifying private client issues. In 2020, Michael implemented a successful series of free, weekly webinars. The webinars provided valuable legal advice and updates to the public, incorporating topics such as the importance of having a Will, the different types of Will structure and information of executors of a Will. He also spearheaded a series of pro-bono legal Q&As for clients and the wider public, on the issues of Wills as well as tax planning LPAs and discretionary trusts.

Michael also regularly meets clients at their homes to undertake advice, to simplify the process of dealing with legal issues. This is to ensure equal access to legal services to those clients who may have difficulty in attending the office, particularly those with mobility issues, or those who may have anxieties around meeting in a formal setting.

Michael said: “I am over the moon to have received the Best Will Writing Paralegal award. My clients are always at the heart of everything I do, so I feel honoured that this has been recognised with such a prestigious award. Having a Will is so important but currently only around 30% of adults in the UK have one in place. My aim has always been to provide clear, succinct information around Wills and to support people to in creating Wills that provide them with peace of mind that their wishes are protected.”

Mary Rimmer, Partner in Private Client, said: “Michael is so deserving of this award. His dedication to his clients is admirable and he always has their best interests at heart. He has been instrumental in implementing new initiatives to promote the importance of having a Will and to make information about Wills more accessible – something which we know our clients and the public have found really valuable. He is an asset to our team and we are really proud of him.”

Brachers has had a number of successes recently in relation to its personal law services, including winning Probate Law Firm of the Year at the UK Probate Research Awards 2021 and Private Client Team of the Year at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020.

This content is correct at time of publication