Employee Spotlight: Meet Matte Brasenell.

This month, we’re shining the spotlight on Matte Brasenell!

Matte joined Lanyon Bowdler as a legal support assistant in our Court of Protection Team in March 2023 after completing his law degree at Aberystwyth University.

Fast forward to September 2026 he has progressed internally and recently begun his journey as a trainee solicitor, with his first seat in the Court of Protection Team.

How are you finding Court of Protection so far?

Although the surroundings are the same, the tasks that are now being passed in my direction are noticeably more complex and it has been a good test of my already established knowledge of the processes and procedures of the Court of Protection.

One of most enjoyable parts of working in Court of Protection is that no two days are ever the same and priorities always change. I hope that learning to adapt quickly will stand me in good stead for my remaining seats and my career in law.

I have also enjoyed the aspect of liaising with other professionals which make up a client’s Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The MDT meetings have demonstrated the importance of shared decision making and are helpful in managing the client’s goals and targets. Working in the Court of Protection Team is extremely rewarding and you get to see how your work positively impacts clients and their families.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My partner and I have recently purchased our first home and I spend the majority of my spare time painting and renovating our house. There have been several occasions where my DIY skills have sadly let me down so this is perhaps something that I need to work on!

I think it’s also important to be able to switch off from work and the best way of doing this, in my opinion, is by going on holiday. Whether this is a staycation or a vacation, I find that a refresh is needed every once in a while, in order to mentally recharge.

What drew you to apply for a training contract at Lanyon Bowdler? Has this always been one of your aspirations?

Having been at Lanyon Bowdler for almost four years, I knew after the first couple of months that this was where I wanted to progress and complete my training contract. The initial support that I received from the Court of Protection Team definitely solidified this and it was clear that there was a focus at the firm on supporting career progression. This inevitably made me want to continue my legal career at Lanyon Bowdler.

Following conversations with solicitors who had progressed through the ranks at Lanyon Bowdler and the feedback that they had given me regarding their training contract experience was really important. This further confirmed my own understanding of what being a trainee was like at Lanyon Bowdler.

With Lanyon Bowdler being a local but well-established firm, this offered me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge in various departments and areas of the law. I believe that this will make me a more well-rounded solicitor in the long run. Another important reason why working at Lanyon Bowdler stood out to me was because of the client exposure that they provide to trainees. I think it’s crucial that trainees are provided with a platform to establish professional relationships and a training contract must reflect the day-to-day responsibilities of a qualified solicitor. This is certainly my experience so far.

If you could instantly master any skill or hobby, what would it be?

I think I would like to be able to speak another language. I studied German throughout school however, never continued this at university. I recently visited Berlin and it highlighted how out of my depth I was when trying to communicate with the locals. A few Duolingo exercises on the flight just didn’t cut it. I hope to pick this up again in the future by attending evening classes.

This being said, Sunday mornings would be a lot less stressful if I was a professional golfer!

In general, what seats would you like to go into during your training contract?

In the first few weeks of my training contract, this is probably the most asked question (naturally). I think it’s important to be aware of the business needs but areas that appeal to me are: Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Private Client and Dispute Resolution. It goes without saying that Court of Protection was also a department which interested to me.

Which fictional character or TV/movie character would be the best colleague, and why?

I have just completed watching Ludwig which is a British TV comedy/drama series featuring David Mitchell. Without spoiling the series, David Mitchell plays Ludwig whose background is making and solving puzzles but finds himself solving crimes.

Due to his background, Ludwig is naturally a great problem solver which would inevitably assist us in solving legal conundrums and queries. Although Ludwig has a serious side, there would also be comical value in having him as a colleague which would keep the spirits high.