Genealogy Case Study:

The digital age has enabled genealogists to work with people located anywhere. At Pro-Gen-Research, we help clients all over the world; it’s however always rewarding and interesting to work with individuals and professionals in the Norfolk community.

The Need for a Genealogist

Spire Solicitors is a local law firm with roots in East Anglia dating back 250 years. Based at the Norwich office, Lauretta works in the Private Client Department. Having used genealogists in the past, Lauretta was looking for someone, ideally local who could provide a cost effective and professional service. A secretary working within the firm recommended Pro-Gen-Research.

‘Sam was described as very friendly, approachable and incredibly professional so I thought I would trial her services. It was nice to have someone local since the genealogist company I have used in the past is based in London.

A recent example I have of my experience of Sam’s work is on an intestacy I am working on where a man from Norfolk died without a Will. I needed to trace the beneficiaries of the estate which I knew would include various branches of the deceased’s family. Sam was helpful and professional. She traced all beneficiaries and prepared a family tree and produced evidence of their entitlement. Sam provided a comprehensive report of her findings and she also provided the contact details of the beneficiaries. This was all done in a time efficient manner and at a very reasonable cost to the estate.’

A Second Pair of Eyes

The Solicitors at Spire will always try and trace beneficiaries themselves if possible but some people are very difficult to find and it can be very time-consuming. At Pro-Gen-Research, we won’t give up until a person is found. With many years’ experience, we have a trick or two up our sleeve if an individual is a proving a challenge to locate.

‘We were trying to find a beneficiary for some funds we held and had taken the time ourselves to investigate: local searches, directories, trying to obtain a death certificate, everything we could think of. We just couldn’t find her and had reached a dead end. Sam located her without any problems. Sam’s report showed that the beneficiary had re-married and again all necessary evidence by way of a birth certificate and marriage certificates were provided.’

The Advantages of Using a Local Genealogist

Working within the community has the advantage of allowing more availability for face to face meetings. Building relationships with clients is important so it’s always a pleasure to meet and discuss cases in person.

‘In my experience, clients in Norwich like to engage local services. They like someone they can easily contact and meet. This is now not a problem since Sam operates locally. It is beneficial for Solicitors in the area to have a local genealogist who can assist with cases and to have someone like Sam who has the skills, the expertise, and is passionate about her work which is always a good indicator for excellence. Furthermore, my experience with Sam is that she turns over the work relatively quickly.’

Final thoughts from Lauretta…

‘Sam is incredibly friendly, she is very approachable and her reports are always clear and thorough. She really does provide a high-quality service and the most important thing is that the lines of communication are always open. Sam is always happy to help and answer any questions. This makes it easy for me to recommend her service to my clients.

I am glad to have made acquaintance with Sam. It is re-assuring to know that a local genealogist and tracing specialist is there if needed. As a solicitor, everything I do is in my clients’ best interests. I have to consider how much time it will take me to do the additional investigation as opposed to passing that aspect of the work to someone like Sam who has the necessary resources to conduct the investigation much faster and more efficiently than I can. It makes a great difference having Sam and the service she provides is excellent and cost effective for my clients.

I have no hesitations in recommending Sam’s services to other Solicitors and professionals.’

If you’re a Solicitor working in the Norfolk and Norwich area, contact Pro-Gen-Research on 01603 561105 for advice on genealogy services.