FRANK MURPHY is a partner at Haines Watts accountants in Liverpool. He lives in Freshfield, near Southport, with his wife, Alison, and their two sons, Jim and William.

This is an account of his day:

6am:Up and showered, and then it’s my job to get our two sons up and ready and then have breakfast with them. This is quality time with them – we discuss what type of dog we should get. Alison and the boys want either a Border Terrier or an Irish Terrier. William has chosen the name already, Skipper, now we just need the dog.

6.30am:Check emails before I leave, as I am out of the office first thing.

7.05am:Leave the house and relax listening to Coldplay and The Killers on my drive in.

8.15am:Arrive at a McDonalds on the Wirral to meet one of my managers for a quick coffee (I manage somehow to resist the egg McMuffin) and update prior to meeting a client.

9am:We start the discussed meeting, which is to look at this client’s accounts and tax affairs, and also to run through our final proposals and calculations for an EMI share option scheme.

11am:Meeting went very well, now time to return to the office. Check voicemail messages in the car. One client has left an urgent message for me to call them. It transpires that they have a serious employment issue with a member of staff and want my advice. Since they are also Wirral- based, I decide to call in on my way back. We discuss the issues and I arrange for solicitors, with employment law expertise, to be immediately appointed to take on the case.

2.30pm:Get back into the office (where fortunately my secretary has organised a sandwich). After dealing with the day’s incoming post, responding to emails and calls, I have a client-planning meeting, with one of my fellow partners, Russell Silverman and our managers. This is a regular weekly meeting to discuss and update our staff planning for client assignments.

3.30pm:Another meeting, this time in the office with a client and his solicitor. This is to discuss the client’s proposed retirement from a professional partnership. There are a number of very contentious issues which have significant financial consequences and which need to be carefully discussed in order for a planned negotiation strategy to be put in place.

This is a very difficult meeting as many issues are very personal to the client, but both the solicitor and myself need to remain impersonal and most importantly commercial.

5.30pm:Check final emails, messages and sign out the daily post. I manage what is an unusually early dart, at about 6pm.

6.30pm:Get back to my home in Freshfield and spend some time with Alison, Jim, and William. We have dinner together and talk about each other’s days.

9pm:It’s time for me to put on my football boots and head out to my weekly five-a-side.

10.30pm:I get home and finally it’s time for bed. It’s been a busy and productive day, and I’m already thinking about what’s in store for tomorrow.