Sean Ward is a Manager for the South West and Wales offices and has been part of the team for nearly two years.
Tell us about yourself
I am Bristol born and bred but have had the privilege of living and working in a few overseas locations throughout my career. I am married to Angie and have two young boys aged 3 and 1 who keep me on my toes with their constant energy! I love most sport (strictly watching nowadays), travelling and spending time with family and friends.
Tell us about your career with Leonard Curtis and your wider insolvency experience
I joined LC in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Im pretty sure that my second day with the firm was the commencement of the first national lockdown so it was a bit of a challenge trying to get up to speed with the new applications and systems remotely! I must say that the team made a grand effort to make me feel at home right from the start and special mention must go to Karen who invested a lot of time and patience in bringing me up to speed. I manage a portfolio of cases as well as overseeing some of the other team members. Im also starting to take on a more pro-active role in the teames business development initiatives and meeting with directors seeking advice.
Prior to joining LC I have had the chance to work for a few different firms in the South West and also offshore in the BVI and Guernsey. I started my ACCA training contract with Mazars way back in 2006 and most recently sat and passed my JIEB exams in the November 2018 sitting. I have fairly broad restructuring experience but would definitely say my expertise is larger scale formal insolvency projects.
How do you plan out your day?
I like to keep a to-do list up to date but the nature of insolvency means that planning too far in advance is always a hiding to nothing! The thing that works for me is to prioritise statutory matters in the first instance and spend time as and when I have time on case progression matters and general managerial duties. I think it is important not to become too disheartened when your to-do list is constantly expanding just as long as you have a handle on where you are with key case matters.
Whates your desk and workspace like?
Unfortunately I have never been somebody with the mantra tidy desk = tidy mind. Accordingly, my desk can get quite overcrowded with paperwork/filing/files etc. Despite its appearance, however, I like to think that have a good grasp on where everything is located!
What is the best thing about your job?
We have a great team here in Bristol and the wider South West. Everybody mucks in to help each other out and takes responsibility to progress and deal with all case matters diligently and with minimal fuss which is a refreshing change from some previous experiences. The work is beginning to get more interesting and varied as restrictions have begun to ease and government supports are tapered away and it seems that there will be an interesting but at times challenging couple of years ahead for UK businesses.
Tell us about your approach with clients
Im a fairly relaxed individual and I think that comes across in my dealings with clients. If they are meeting with me it is usually quite a stressful time for them and a degree of empathy and understanding is therefore paramount. I think it is important to have full confidence in the subject matter and not to become flustered by any difficult/curve-ball questions as clients will definitely pick up on any uncertainty that you convey. I try and think about how I would like to be treated if I was in a similar position and try to act on that as much as possible.
What are your interests outside of work?
I am lucky to live in a really thriving and bustling city such as Bristol with always something going on of interest. Moreover, we have the gorgeous coastlines of Devon and Cornwall right on our doorstep and as a family we try to head to the coast multiple times over the summer.
My wife is originally from Cape Town and we try and head back there every year or two to catch up with family etc and unwind from the chaotic world that insolvency is at times.
Feedback Form
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ultricies consequat.
News and insights
Get in touch
with Leonard Curtis
Forward
with purpose
Reach Commercial Finance Limited. Registered in England no 09056450. Leonard Curtis is a trading style of Reach Commercial Finance Limited. Leonard Curtis is a broker not a lender and is independent with access to the whole of market. We may receive commissions that will vary depending on the lender, product or other permissible factors. The nature of any commission model will be confirmed to you before you proceed. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA no. 753686. Registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office reference ZA069234
Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is a limited company, registered in England and Wales with registered number 09820186. Registered office: Riverside House, Irwell Street, Manchester M3 5EN. Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority with number 626004.