Getting to know our board of directors – Jade Gani

Lifetime Lawyers is a membership organisation run by its members for its members.  It comprises of a board of directors, a chief executive officer, a chief legal officer, and an administrator.  In addition, it has an advisory board and an expert panel.

The Lifetime Lawyers board is comprised of Accredited Members or those invited to be a director by the chairman of the board based on their skills and/or experience. The board meets four times a year and is responsible for setting policy and strategy for The Association of Lifetime Lawyers.

In this feature we’re shining the spotlight one of the directors so you can get to know them a little better and learn more about the work they do both within and outside Lifetime Lawyers.

This month we’re featuring

Jade Gani

I joined Lifetime Lawyers in 2020 after I heard about the organisation through the interviewing process of the British Wills & Probate Awards 2020. Lakshmi Turner (Lifetime Lawyers chief executive officer) was one of the judges for my successful ‘Young Practitioner of the Year’ Award submission and felt I would be a good fit for the organisation. In 2021, I went through the interview process to become the Regional Director for Berkshire and secured that role which saw me forming a committee and organising events for local members. Then, in April 2023, I was invited to interview for the main board – which was a daunting process – and the rest is history.

I setup my own law firm, Circe Law Ltd, back in February 2023. Day to day, I am in charge of the general running and development of the business (including all training, recruitment, third party contracts, compliance and office management) as well as managing a full case load of clients too. I am the Training Principal for the firm and particularly take joy from helping to shape our future lawyers. As an accredited member of Lifetime Lawyers and STEP, I am a specialist in all things private client with a varying caseload including complex wills, Lasting Powers of Attorneys, estate planning, estate administration and trust work. I often provide talks, training, and articles on technical matters, as well as things like female empowerment, sustainable working practices, and overcoming adversity.

Charity has always been very important to me, and I founded the charitable will organisation, focusing on local smaller charities, known as The Wishing Will Foundation CIC. Throughout the pandemic, I provided a free wills service for all NHS staff across the country, and I also provide free wills for patients and staff at Thames Hospice, as well as providing support and seminars to local groups like Alzheimers Dementia Support. In addition to this, I am currently working with Royal Holloway University to support their students working in their law clinic.

I am not really a ‘typical’ lawyer, having come from a low-income background, being mixed-race, having ADHD, and living with chronic illness and disability. I was the first in my family to get A Levels and go to university. However, I feel the adversity I have faced in life makes me more relatable to the clients I serve and offers me greater insight into their struggles. I enjoy eating carbs smothered in cheese, holidaying in new exotic destinations, and I am an avid reader (mostly fantasy). This year, I have started writing my own fiction book which I hope to publish in 2025. 

Lifetime Lawyers has a unique way of seeing the person behind the condition, teaching knowledge mixed with compassion, expertise with empathy - and I genuinely feel it teaches me the skills to be a better lawyer. The main board do important work in bringing first class training and support to its members, so I genuinely feel privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to its success. I would highly recommend all private client practitioners enjoy the benefits of Lifetime Lawyers by becoming accredited members.

(Author: Jade Gani, Lifetime Lawyers director)