In my teens I was inspired by my Police Inspector father, Keith Butler, to become a lawyer. I studied Latin which was a requirement for doing a law degree in those days and got the necessary O-levels, A-levels, S-levels, degree and Legal Practice Course to enable me to qualify. I was finally enrolled as a solicitor in June 1977 after two years as an articled clerk with the firm of Oddy & Vincenzi at 9 Sunbridge Road, Bradford. My principals were Roy Oddy and Chris Vincenzi, two very idiosyncratic but excellent lawyers who were very well known in Bradford. Chris Vincenzi decided to become an academic and I went into partnership with Roy Oddy in 1977. Thus started my years of experience as a general practitioner, undertaking almost every type of legal matter needed by the man in the street in Bradford.

In 1980 my partnership with Roy finished and I started my own firm at 15 Sunbridge Road, Bradford. As well as building up my own practice I did work as a locum for other lawyers, a side of my practice I have kept up throughout my legal career. Many solicitors have called on me for help and assistance over the years and I am always available for consultation by them. My main and most enjoyable area of work is helping members of the public with their problems and legal requirements.

I have been dealing with house sales and purchases since my very first day in a legal office in 1975. At that time Bradford properties had just qualified for compulsory registration at the Land Registry and it was my job to prepare enormous bundles of deeds for the registration process. Very few lawyers have as much experience as I do in dealing with unregistered land.