This month we are reintroducing our series of ‘in conversation with’ articles, where we sit down with one of the Mooneerams team to find out all about them, their career and what it takes to be a personal injury solicitor.
Today, we are chatting to Darren Hanney!
Hi Darren, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Darren: Sure! I live with my family in Pencoed, Bridgend and I work at the Mooneerams head office in Cardiff. I have worked at Mooneerams for over 6 years.
How did you get into law?
Darren: I had always had an interest in law and enjoyed watching films and TV series that were legal-based, so when I had the chance, I decided to go to University to study law. The rest is history!
What is it like being a personal injury solicitor?
Darren: I love helping clients and receiving nice comments back from a client after a successful settlement. It can of course be challenging, at times, when you have to make decisions that are in the best interests of your client.
Even though personal injury law has changed quite a bit since I qualified as a solicitor (I even wrote a dissertation on the costs and funding in personal injury claims for my master’s qualification!), ultimately the fundamentals have stayed the same – achieving a settlement for my clients who have a personal injury claim.
What do you like most about working at Mooneerams?
Darren: I really value our culture at Mooneerams. The team is really supportive, and I have learnt a lot from my colleagues. I also received a lot of support from Alistair (Managing Director) during my qualification to become a solicitor.
How have you found working at home during lockdown?
Darren: The lockdowns, as disruptive as they are, have allowed me to spend more time with my son, which I am grateful for. I feel I adapted well to working from home and it shows we can be on hand to offer personal injury advice wherever we are!
If you weren’t a personal injury solicitor, what would you be?
Darren: My main hobby is golf so I think I might have done something along those lines. I’m not saying I would have been the next Tiger Woods but who knows?!
What one piece of advice would you give someone who is thinking about becoming a personal injury solicitor?
Darren: If you are the sort of person that really strives to help people, personal injury is a really rewarding area of law to get into. For me, it’s about knowing you can help a lot of people get out of a bad situation and make it better. If you are thinking about becoming a personal injury solicitor, go for it!
What 3 words would someone use to describe you?
Darren: I would think that people would say I am approachable, happy and hard-working, which I hope are valuable qualities.
Who inspires you the most?
Darren: Definitely my family, friends, and work colleagues.
Tell us a little-known fact about you…
Darren: Hmmm, I would probably say it is that I am a scratch handicap golfer!
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A big thanks to Darren for taking part in our ‘In Conversation With’ series.
To get in touch with Darren to discuss your personal injury matter, call 029 2048 3615 or email darren.hanney@mooneerams.com
