How two of our solicitors are supporting clients from their dining room table during lockdown

There is a Turkish proverb that no road is long with good company and husband and wife legal team Fred and Laura Maltby are a fine example of how this can be so.

Fred is a trainee solicitor in the Private Client Department and Laura is a solicitor in the Commercial Property Department at Boys & Maughan. Fred is usually based at our Margate branch and Laura serves clients from our Canterbury, St George’s Place office. 

Laura and Fred have joined their two departments into one room with a neatly divided extendable dining room table and they are proving that despite lockdown they can can still make good progress for clients.

Laura explains, “We are living in very extraordinary times and, of course, for a lot of our clients, it is certainly not business as usual. Like everyone, Fred and I are closely following the news and wondering what lies beyond the horizon.

“Many of the people I am assisting either find themselves in the middle of transactions, which simply cannot be put on hold, or require work to be completed in readiness for when the lockdown measures are lifted.

“By being easily contactable, with work calls being forwarded to my mobile, being readily available on emails and with full access to our case management system, Fred and I are able to provide some much needed business as usual and continuity for clients. 

Laura is dealing with both her own matters and has taken on additional transactions from colleagues who are currently on furlough leave. 

Laura adds, “It is incredibly important for those clients whose usual legal professional is currently unavailable to know that there is someone actively covering their matter whom they can contact easily and can provide that important reassurance that they are being looked after. 

“A significant amount of property work was already carried out online in any event what with the digitisation of Land Registry title deeds, electronic Stamp Duty submissions. Underpinning this, our firm’s case management system ensures that all our staff can access clients’ electronic files.

“Apart from working across the table from my lovely husband, it is very much business as usual. All we need to do now is properly sort out our tea-making rota!”

Laura Maltby’s direct dial number is 01227 931060 and Fred Maltby’s number is 01843 269291. If you are not sure who to contact at our offices please call us on 01843 234000.