In this edition of Realm Talks To.. we spoke to Duncan McGregor, Residential Property Partner at Kuits Solicitors. During our conversation, Duncan gave us an insight into what career he would have chosen if he had never become a lawyer, what he looks for when recruiting for his team and what show he’s currently binging on Netflix.
If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what would have been your plan B?
I think teaching might have been the plan B – Maths or English. There is a coaching and mentoring element to what I do now, so I suppose a little bit of plan B survived!
What does the rest of 2022 look like for you and your team?
It’s an exciting time. The market has been strong over the last two years and the recent cessation of the SDLT incentive hasn’t really changed that. The move to flexible working has made people consider what they want from their living space, with many deciding to relocate to properties that have gardens or rooms that can be used as home offices. Even when the current restrictions are eased, flexible working is probably here to stay.
When it comes to recruiting, what do you look for in a lawyer?
We have a wide variety of clients at Kuits; HNW individuals, directors of SMEs, investors and landlords, property developers, property traders and so on. As a firm we pride ourselves on providing service excellence to our clients, which for us means understanding our clients and their goals, and delivering on those goals – so being an effective communicator is essential for the benefit of clients. We work collaboratively with our colleagues in our Commercial Property and Tax and Estates Planning departments; as you might imagine, there is a large crossover there and again effective communication is very important. We want our lawyers to always want to improve and increase their skills and knowledge and we want to make sure we provide the right environment and tools for them to do that. We’re also proud of our connections in our community, in Manchester and the North West generally. You don’t have to be from here, but we do want our people to be aware of those connections and how they and we can improve things in our community.
Is there anything career-wise you’d still like to achieve?
I’m looking forward to playing my part in taking the business onward over the coming years and one of the things I’m looking forward to most is seeing my team achieve their career goals here at Kuits.
What TV show are you currently bingeing?
You on Netflix – very creepy but it definitely grabs you in!
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Sit Down by James – an oldie but a goodie!
About Duncan McGregor
Duncan is a Partner in the Residential Property Team at Kuits Solicitors. Duncan advises high-net-worth individuals, professional property investors, LPA receivers and charities in all aspects of residential property transactions.
He heads up the firm’s Community Involvement Team as he is passionate about helping the community in Manchester and, through this role, he supports local charity, Wood Street Mission.