People are the essence of the Hazlewoods Legal Team and, in this series, we strive to get to know more about them. The first person in our series is Senior Manager, Jack Hayman.
How did your career with Hazlewoods start and evolve?
Being Cheltenham born and bred; after Graduating with an Economics degree, I wanted to make some use of it by moving back home. I joined the Legal team, and my technical knowledge and forward-thinking attitude has led me to become involved with large law firms and M&A activity. I was fortunate to be chosen to represent the firm for a secondment at HLB network firm Withum in their Manhattan office, literally two blocks from Times Square. Cheltenham certainly felt a lot smaller and quieter when I came back!
What drew you to Hazlewoods originally and how has the firm changed since?
Hazlewoods, having an exceptional reputation in the area, an impressive graduate scheme, as well as being accountants for my late grandad’s printing business for 30 years, seemed like a no brainer. The firm has changed considerably over the 10 years I have been here, with various office expansions and new specialisms. We have outgrown all our previous Christmas party venues, and I expect the bar tabs have reached new heights!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy the variety, there is always something unexpected to deal with almost daily. Whether it be assisting with potential acquisitions, restructuring advice, compliance queries or back to basics with double entry queries, the role has very much diverged from the ‘faceless blue suit accountant’.
What has been your greatest achievement to date?
I worked on a project last year that ended up being four times as long as my dissertation (which took me a year to do). It was a skilled piece of work involving two highly successful top 200 law firms and I ran the project and delivered the report. Given this report could ultimately affect many people’s livelihoods, there was a huge amount of responsibility. It also gave me great knowledge of how two successfully law firms were being ran.
What should clients be currently thinking?
There are numerous external challenges but also lots of investment in law firms currently. Law firms should be seeking to review their 5 and 10 year plans – the firms that have these well thought out are coping best just now.
How do you see the Legal team changing in the next 10 years?
I would imagine our client base will continue to span all over England and Wales. We currently have clients in most major cities and I hope we can keep expanding our client base to give us an even better advisory capacity. Most importantly, I would hope firms in our existing client base continue to grow.
What do you enjoy about the office locations?
Being in the centre of Cheltenham is very fortuitus, the numerous festivals that the town hosts are a stone’s throw away (although the racecourse would need a world record stone throw). The town is always attracting tourists and the hotels are regularly full which speaks volumes.
What is the best advice you can give to someone just starting out in their career?
Just be honest and true to yourself, most of your time awake during the week is spent working which means putting on a front is not a good idea. Being dedicated to whatever role you choose to do is important as it gives a great sense of fulfilment at the end of the week to know you’ve done your bit.
What would you do (career-wise) if you were not in this current job?
Pilot, although I don’t think I’ve got that pilot voice that we all know and love!
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Becoming a dad in 2021 means my spare time is mainly taken up spending it with my family at the weekends. I am member at Cheltenham Racecourse and have managed to convince my wife it is the perfect place to take our baby (the one who can’t talk definitely agrees).