Work Life Quiz: Will Robertson, Bond Pearce

What was your first-ever job?

Selling ice creams on a push bike.

What was your worst ­experience as a trainee?

‘Helping’ a client whose elderly mother was being prosecuted for a motor offence, rubbing the CPS up the wrong way and then receiving a fax from the CPS adding further charges. I got her off all charges in the end though (much to my relief).

Where’s the best place to go if you want to find out what’s really going on in the office?

If I told you I’d never get any more gossip.

What time do you usually leave the office?

There’s no such thing as usual, and with the ­wonders of modern ­technology the office often continues at home in the evenings.

What do you do at weekends?

Enjoy family time, plus a surf or game of golf ­whenever possible.

What’s your favourite ­restaurant?

With three kids under three-and-a-half the only place that will let us in is Pizza Express. Otherwise Hotel du Vin is always a pleasure without the entourage.

If you weren’t a lawyer what would you have been?

I would have started a small internet-based ­business, like Facebook or maybe Google.

What’s your favourite film?

Gladiator.

What was the first record you ever bought?

Agadoo by Black Lace. My sister left it in the sun and it melted, but luckily the record sleeve with the dance moves on it ­survived.

Who’s your hero and why?

Anybody who dreams of being or doing something and actually achieves it, because life rarely runs a straight course (this excludes all professional footballers).

What’s the best thing about your job?

Every day brings a new challenge (in a good way of course) and I’m lucky to work with a lot of great people.

What’s the toughest thing about your job?

The role has so many facets and you need to excel at all of them.

What’s your biggest work/career mistake and what did you learn from it?

Shorts are not acceptable on dress-down Fridays, not even in the regions.

What car do you drive?

A Chrysler Voyager. Boring but practical with the aforementioned three

kids.

What book are you currently reading?

No time to read really, but I love and subscribe to National Geographic ­magazine.

What’s your favourite ­children’s book?

The Gruffalo by Julia ­Donaldson is a current favourite in our house.

What’s the most exciting deal/case you’ve worked on and why?

Most of the really ­interesting work I do is confidential, I’m afraid.

If you were stranded on a desert island what two luxury items would you take?

A surfboard and a bottle of Peroni.

What’s the worst partner ­conference location you’ve attended and why?

I’ve not been to enough partner conferences to make a fair judgement, but as long as there are good biscuits I’m happy.

What’s the longest you’ve worked without sleep?

Three days straight.

If a movie was being made about your life, which actor would play you and why?

Will Ferrell. Even if he couldn’t make a lawyer’s life look interesting on film, at least he’d make you laugh.

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Any Big Brother ­contestant. I have issues with this modern concept of ‘celebrity’.

Tell us two truths and one lie about yourself (in any order)

I once managed a surf shop and commuted to work barefoot on a skateboard; Gianfranco Zola once bought me a beer and after 30 minutes of chat I asked him what he did for a ­living; I have worked for three days straight without sleep.