Gilbert Stephens Hosts Annual Firm-Wide Training Day at Buckfast Abbey
3rd February 2025Last week we held our annual firm-wide training day at the tranquil and picturesque Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre. CEO Vicky Thompson kicked off the day with an upbeat roundup of the past year, followed by an insightful overview of the firm’s direction for 2025 and not to mention, a myriad of huge thank you’s to individual staff for contributions made to the business.
The morning featured a series of talks on risk management. Visiting speakers, Peter Bennett, Legal Management Consultant from London, Sonia Fisher and Andrew Allen from Francis Clark provided invaluable information and practical guidance.. Additionally, Richard Walford, Partner at Gilbert Stephens, offered recent updates direct from the SRA, to keep us all on our toes..
On wellbeing matters everyone then had the opportunity to hear live from Anthea Todd in Australia, author of What’s My Body Telling Me, who provided an engaging and informative session on menopause. Kim McDonald, Senior Lecturer and Solicitor at the University of Exeter and Director of the Exeter University Community Law Clinic, followed, addressing GS on the critical issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. Both sessions were met with great interest and appreciation firm wide, it was good to hear about topics that are too often not talked about openly.
A well-deserved break saw attendees enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by the team at Buckfast Abbey with some taking the opportunity to explore the stunning Abbey grounds, making the most of the unique setting for our training day.
Post-lunch, a surprise auction led by our new Financial Advisor Chris Bradley and Dana Mulligan our HR and Marketing Manager added an element of excitement to the day. Three hampers were auctioned off, with congratulations to Sarah Smith, Sean Middleton, and Wyatt Loake for their winning bids. The auction successfully raised £100 for our new Charity of the Year, Balloons—a fantastic contribution to a worthy cause.
The afternoon sessions were dedicated to enhancing client care and IT training, ensuring that the team continues to adapt to evolving professional demands with renewed confidence and expertise.
The day concluded with a final address from Partner, Catherine Rosewell, who led on our fundamental GS ethos, kindness—a strict core value at Gilbert Stephens.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our CEO, Vicky Thompson, and Office Manager, Ellen Medwin, for organising such an insightful and enriching day. Appreciation is also extended to the entire Gilbert Stephens team for their enthusiastic participation and commitment to professional growth.