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Michael Ricketts who is retiring from Trethowans. DB3784P2

WHEN Michael Ricketts retires at the end of this month as Salisbury law firm Trethowans' longest-serving partner, he will look back on a career which has given him enormous pleasure.

That pleasure, he says, has come from helping people.

His work has been in property, wills, trusts and tax planning, which has involved close contact with clients.

"I have been able to do important things for people, applying a little bit of knowledge and a lot of common sense," he said.

"I have enjoyed seeing clients for whom I have acted go on to enormous success, and many have become friends.

"What I have tried to bring them is the three As - availability, affability and ability."

Mr Ricketts trained in London with a firm in Lincoln's Inn Fields and transferred to commercial law firm Berwin Leighton (now Berwin Leighton Paisner) where he met John Fletcher, now Trethowans' senior partner.

"I decided that in doing commercial property work, I wasn't getting enough of the people side of the firm - I wanted to be more of a traditional solicitor," he said.

"After a couple of years, the job came up with Trethowans in Salisbury, then a five-partner firm."

He started in January 1973 - and Mr Fletcher joined 18 months later.

"John and I drove' the firm for a while," he said, "and now it is time to move onto the next generation.

"It has been a privilege to work with such a variety of nice people."

He recalled one of his earliest experiences.

"One of the first tasks Monty Trethowan gave to this sharp city type' was to put up the runners' and riders' boards at Point to Point meetings!" he said. "He was a supporter of the Wilton Hunt and expected people in the office to do so too." Mr Ricketts was a trustee of Salisbury HospiceCare Trust for ten years and a governor of Chafyn Grove School for 20, including a spell as chairman. He believes it is vital Salisbury's professionals continue their support for the community - and he hopes to do more for his community in retirement.

He also intends to play more golf and tennis, and learn a language.

He and his wife, Alix, live in Bishopstone and have two children, Justin, and Olympic triathlete Julie Dibens.

Mr Ricketts, who will remain attached to the firm as a consultant, said Trethowans was five times bigger than when he joined, and it had achieved this great growth "without losing the personal touch".

3:21pm Thursday 27th March 2008

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