My name is Reece and I joined Lewis Golden LLP after graduating from the University of Southampton with a Law Degree. I began my career at the firm by studying for the AAT while working in the management accounts department. This provided me with a strong foundation and several exemptions when progressing onto the ACA.

One of the things that initially drew me to the HAT group was the opportunity to work within a smaller to medium-sized firm. I felt this would allow me to gain hands-on experience and exposure to a wide variety of clients and industries early in my career – and that’s exactly what’s happened. Shortly after joining the audit and accounts team, I was offered the opportunity to go on a client secondment to a high-end car auction company. This experience was incredibly valuable – it gave me a unique perspective on an accounting role in industry, helped me understand how our work impacts real businesses and I was able to to apply what I was learning through my studies to real life situations.

Balancing work and study can be full-on at times, but the support from colleagues and others in my HAT intake makes a big difference. There’s a good sense of community, especially among people going through the same exams, so you always feel like you’ve got people to lean on. And outside of all that, I still make time for the gym and other things I enjoy – which I think is really important to keeping a healthy work/life balance.