The Hot 100 career quiz: “Moving to a US firm as a junior was a risky move back in 2005”
“My career has certainly not been one straight line from trainee through to partner. There have definitely been bumps along the way.”
My Pride Story: Institutional support is key for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace
My journey to being out at work has taken in several different firms and spanned literally thousands of miles but has underlined, at least for me, that institutional support is key for LGBTQ+ people to be openly out and to thrive in the workplace. I started my career in Perth, Australia fresh out of university […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: Simpson Thacher’s Geoffrey Bailhache
Name: Geoffrey Bailhache Organisation: Simpson Thacher Role: Partner Location: London Trained at: SJ Berwin Year qualified: 2005 Read his Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? I remember being a bundle of nerves! Very excited about starting, but with no idea what I was letting myself in for. Thankfully I […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “I had to order my wedding dress secretly so my supervisor didn’t hear”
Name: Lynn Dunne Organisation: Ashurst Role: Partner Location: London Year qualified: 2007 Read her Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a pupil? Although I have lots of good memories of my time as a pupil, two things really stand out for me and, while not the most uplifting, both helped shape […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Focus on what matters and don’t get distracted worrying over the outcome”
Name: Sapna Dutta Organisation: Reckitt Role: Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Reckitt Health and Global Litigation & Investigations Trained at: Davis Polk Year qualified: 2006 Read her Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? Looking back, I have immensely positive memories of my early years as a lawyer – […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “I poisoned my fellow trainee”
“Sometimes it is best to see what opportunities come your way and seize them when they feel right for you.”
Obituary: Fred Banning
Fred Banning, one of the legal sector’s most popular communications professionals, has died after a lengthy battle with illness. He passed away on the evening of Friday 19 May, leaving behind his wife Lesley and his sons Ollie and Charlie, to whom he was a loving husband and father. Diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “I won’t forget dealing with FBI agents any time soon.”
Name: Farhaz Khan KC Organisation: 3 Verulam Buildings Role: Barrister Location: London Trained at: Outer Temple Chambers Year qualified: 2005 Read his Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a pupil? During law school I volunteered at Toynbee Hall LAC in Whitechapel and represented a whistle-blower in the Employment Tribunal (ET). The […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Putting myself forward for leadership has terrified me most”
Name: Jessamy Gallagher Organisation: Paul Hastings Role: Partner Location: London Trained at: Minter Ellison and Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney Year qualified: 2000 Read her Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? Realising with an abrupt and undeniable jolt that I was not cut out to be a litigation lawyer. […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “I raided a nappy company with a mobile phone the size of a briefcase”
“You must make time to go out of your way to understand people as people not just as lawyers or a line on a spreadsheet.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Learn a new skill every two years”
“If you want to succeed in a career in-house, work on a variety of different projects or roles which take you out of your comfort zone.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “It’s hard to be a barrister in second or third gear”
Name: Hugh Sims KC Organisation: Guildhall Chambers Role: Barrister Location: Bristol and London Trained at: Guildhall Chambers Year qualified: 1999 Read his Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a pupil? It is difficult to pick one out now, especially as it feels like such a long time ago. Perhaps I would […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “There’s no secret to success as a lawyer”
Name: Dan Preston Organisation: Fieldfisher Role: Partner, head of construction Location: London Trained at: Mundays (now part of Knights) Year qualified: 2006 Read his Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? I am still in touch with my training principal who remained at Mundays until his retirement a few years […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Not getting a training contract at uni was the best thing that happened to me.”
“Career paths are sometimes wiggly, but if you trust your gut, you’ll probably end up in the right place.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: Gateley CEO Rod Waldie
“There is no substitute for a positive attitude and playing to your strengths.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Pupillage in the ’90s really prepared you for the gritty parts of life at the Bar”
“Politeness and kindness costs nothing and is a powerful tool as well as the right way to behave.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: Asda senior legal director Graeme Morrison
“It is okay not to know the answer but have confidence that it is only a matter of time until you will figure it out.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Good things come to those who work their a%$! off”
Name: Sarah de Ste Croix Organisation: Stephenson Harwood Role: Partner Location: London Trained at: Clifford Chance Year qualified: 2007 Read her Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? I trained at Clifford Chance in London back before the GFC. It is difficult now to explain to my junior colleagues quite […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: BT’s Prash Mehta
“My grandfather said to me when making big decisions, visualise yourself in 20 years from that decision and try and live and breathe how that decision may look and feel.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Wear colour, break the mould and be unique”
“Be authentic and human. In the work I do people buy people and your charisma and personality can take you a long way.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: Zodia Custody legal head Alasdair Pitt
“I subscribe to the idea that a certain amount of hard work is a necessary precondition to becoming competent in anything.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “I was the Lord Chief Justice’s ball girl”
“Don’t undersell yourself and have the confidence to push yourself towards new roles and unchartered territory – even when you don’t feel 100% sure or ready.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: Eversheds corporate crime chief Zia Ullah
Name: Zia Ullah Organisation: Eversheds Sutherland Role: Partner – Head of Corporate Crime and Investigations Location: London/Manchester Trained at: Porters Year qualified: 1999 Read his Hot 100 profile What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee? I have many! One of the stand-out work related memories is going on my first prison visit to […]
The Hot 100 career quiz: Squire Patton Boggs partner Prew Lumley
“What you want when you are 25 might be very different from when you are 35 and, inevitably the working world will have changed too.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Why I never wear a green shirt in the office”
“Work hard, embrace opportunities that come your way even if they take you outside of your comfort zone and learn from your mistakes.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: Pinsent Masons partner Joanne Gillies
“Have confidence in your own opinion; focus on doing the best job that you can in the way that best suits how you work.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “The idea of the ‘genius’ barrister is a myth”
“Winning cases is about knowing the facts and the law inside out; and preparing for every judicial question that might come your way.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: the Commonwealth Games’ Caroline McGrory
“Sometimes it is okay to take calculated risks (even though lawyers tend to be more risk averse) and to follow your heart to do what you really want to do.”
The Hot 100 career quiz: “Never be afraid to look stupid in order to make sure you understand something fully”
“Be pragmatic in the advice you give clients and be bold enough to give a view. Bland technical answers setting out options with no guide as to which are most suitable are not useful to clients.”
Beyond the Bubble: Two new managing partners set out their mid-tier visions
Cripps’ new leader sets sights on further growth Tunbridge Wells: Gavin Tyler stepped down as managing partner of Cripps at the end of April after a long career at the firm. His leaving dinner was apparently a highly emotional occasion, not least in gratitude for the sense of calm and stability he brought during the […]
Weightmans’ boss Schorah: We need to be more aggressive
Liverpool headquartered Weightmans has enjoyed a comfortable few years, which has seen it keep hold of its position of as one of the UK’s top 50 firms by revenue.
Ashurst: Overhauling remuneration is not enough
Paul Jenkins was a bold choice for managing partner, and now he’s running the firm during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. 15 July: Ashurst partners: ‘We can turn things around’ 26 July: Ashurst CFO quits
Deloitte Legal: “We want to be the law firm of the future”
The story of the re-entry of the Big Four accountancy firms into legal services has occupied many minds in the last year or so. But in the UK, there is one notable absence – Deloitte. While its rivals EY, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers have all been busy hiring senior lawyers from top private practice firms Deloitte has stayed away from the UK market.
Irwin Mitchell private wealth: Big, but not a threat
Last November Irwin Mitchell announced that it was acquiring southeast firm Thomas Eggar. The deal gave the northern-focused Irwin Mitchell an additional six offices in the south of England and has boosted the firm’s turnover to £250m.
A&O’s new management: turbo-charging strategy
Allen & Overy’s (A&O) new management outlined their strategy to partners last month in the 45-degree Dubai heat. But what were the hot topics on the agenda?
Edmonds Marshall McMahon: The small firm making waves in fraud disputes
Private prosecution boutique Edmonds Marshall McMahon caused a stir earlier this year after it made the biggest lateral hires in its short history.
Orrick’s global boss: Our new strategy to bring London up to scratch
Orrick’s global boss and London head talk about bringing the firm’s base in the capital up to scratch to meet the needs of global clients, Microsoft and Instagram.
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Linklaters’ new boss: I’m reviewing everything
Linklaters’ new managing partner Gideon Moore speaks out about his plans to review everything at the firm to “check that what we’re doing still makes sense”.
Is HSF laying the groundwork for a US merger?
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) launched a new plan of action on Thursday (28 April) that gave an enticing hint at its plans for expansion in the US.
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BLP legal services head: I’ll triple our size in Manchester
Manchester has become a competitive breeding ground for back office-style legal processing centres and Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) wants to be one of the city’s biggest players.
Pillsbury chair Rishwain on the firm’s Chinese “hub” strategy
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is among a minority of international firms to have by-passed Hong Kong and entered into Greater China via an office in Shanghai. Six years after its 2006 launch in Shanghai, the firm expanded its mainland China footprint to Beijing and most recently it announced a plan to set up a base in Hong Kong.
The JLD blog: Age and PQE do not stop you reaching top roles in the profession
Laura Uberoi is a Council Member at the Law Society and, alongside Kayleigh Leonie, represents junior lawyers of 0-5 years PQE. In October Laura was elected as president of her local law society and in doing so became one of the youngest and most junior solicitor to ever hold such a role across the country. […]
MIPIM Asia: Eversheds’ head of real estate feels like an ant on Everest
I feel like a tranquillised hippo. My limbs weigh two tonnes and my brain’s too heavy for my head. It’s November and I have 3,000lb-ungulate jet lag, so I must be at MIPIM Asia. For readers who only know MIPIM Cannes, MIPIM Asia is Cannes’ more refined Hong Kongese cousin. Each year about 900 property […]
Justicetech: Where the innovation is going to happen – and where it won’t
Julia Salasky, CEO of CrowdJustice, the online crowdfunding platform for legal action, spoke at the Law Society’s Future of Law lecture. In this adapted version she shares her experience using innovative technologies to connect lawyers and clients with funds to take legal action
Access to justice: digitisation of the advice sector is the last hope
While firms are beginning to embrace the opportunities that tech can provide, the advice sector remains underfunded when it comes to digitisation.
The JLD blog: five pieces of advice for vacation schemes
A few weeks ago, I was asked by a paralegal at my firm whether or not they should apply be applying for vacation schemes or if they should go straight to the training contract applications. To be frank, it stumped me, as it’s something I’d not given much thought to since qualifying. It brought to […]
Why e-signatures should be the de facto standard for executing deals
By Richard Oliphant The market for legal services is highly competitive. The recent report by The Lawyer and Intapp (‘Navigating a new reality in the client-empowered’) revealed how law firms are investing heavily in ‘intelligent automation’ technologies and using data analytics to improve client service and stay ahead of the pack. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning […]
More borders, more fees: opportunities for lawyers after Brexit
In the wake of the Brexit vote, there is a need for some clarity on the general subject of globalisation and a law firm’s strategic positioning. First, globalisation is not a decision. It is a force and, for all intents and purposes, a force of nature. It is the movement of people, ideas, products, services, […]
Into the brave, new world: life after Brexit
After last week’s historic decision by the British people to leave the EU many will want know immediately what the implications are.
Paddle GC Maryam Ziarati McLoughlin: “If you don’t like change, this place will give you whiplash!”
When Maryam Ziarati McLoughlin moved out of private practice, she was not met with the farewell she had hoped for. “When I decided to move in-house, a fellow private practice lawyer told me that they were disappointed that I was taking a step back in my career. I like to think that perceptions of going […]
In-house interview: Creating a first-class finance function – in Leeds
Leeds has a fantastic financial services sector, but does it have fantastic finance lawyers? That’s what UK Infrastructure Bank’s general counsel Davinder Mann is trying to get to the bottom of.
Alight GC: Why I swapped the partnership track to embrace the unknown
Energy is at the forefront of our shared consciousness. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raised grave concerns about Europe’s use of natural gas, and emissions from transport and factories the world over are not alleviating the climate crisis we find ourselves in. The importance of green energy is growing with each passing day – and Alight […]
Rohan Paramesh: Transforming mobile phone gaming at Pixel United
Aristocrat is a big name in the gambling industry. A major provider of slot machines at casinos around the world, in recent years the business has branched out into the mobile gaming industry with its subsidiary Pixel United, building up its brand with the takeovers of Plarium, Big Fish and Product Madness. In 2021, Aristocrat’s […]
How Ally McBeal drove one Swedish lawyer to the fintech frontier
It would be fascinating to see exactly how many young lawyers were influenced by Calista Flockhart’s 90s portrayal of Boston lawyer Ally McBeal. The show was a critical and commercial success, winning multiple Emmys and Golden Globes over the course of its five-season run. One lawyer who can vouch for Flockhart’s influence, and also to […]
Cancer Research’s Habibunnisha Patel on becoming a charity GC
After 10 years as a corporate lawyer at Slaughter and May, Habibunnisha Patel had a nagging feeling that told her she wanted to do something else. Exactly what, she wasn’t sure. “I’ve never had a 10-year plan,” she remarks. By this point, she had a broad range of experience under her belt in private practice, […]
From Wonga to Fluro: Jenny Steven on being a regulatory lawyer in fintech
It is a busy but exciting time to be a regulatory lawyer. Fluro general counsel Jenny Steven has done anything and everything in her career from bank charges litigation to regulatory advisory work. Trained at Hogan Lovells and qualified into retail banking, after a client secondment at Lloyds, she got a call to join payday […]
How to acquire a £9.3m painting: life as the National Gallery’s head of legal
Arrive at the National Gallery and you can tell that a lot is going on. Work on the outside to clean its 1830s stone facade; corridors lined with school groups, tourists and London locals; the extension of the Salisbury Wing in full swing – and yet there are still opportunities to calmly stare into paintings […]
Hot 100 alumni: Ashley Katz, Fried Frank
At the start of 2016 restructuring partner Ashley Katz became the latest big-hitter to move over to Fried Frank Shriver Harris & Jacobson’s growing London base.
Hot 100 alumni: Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti says she was surprised that the 13 January announcement of her imminent departure from civil rights charity Liberty attracted so much attention. Sandwiched between the deaths of celebrities David Bowie and Alan Rickman, the news still made the front page of several national newspapers, notably left-leaning The Guardian and The Independent
Hot 100 alumni: Tamara Box, Reed Smith
Since appearing in The Lawyer Hot 100 two years ago Reed Smith’s Tamara Box has taken on a new role at the US firm
Hot 100 alumni: John McDonnell QC, Three Stone
John McDonnell QC was named in the Hot 100 in 2005 for his diverse practice, celebrity client roster and the launch of his new chambers, Thirteen Old Square.
Hot 100 alumni: Helen Croke, Travers Smith
Now in her 16th year at Travers Smith, Helen Croke has been key to the success of the firm’s private equity group. One of eight partners in the firm’s dedicated private equity and M&A team, Croke qualified at Travers in 2001 and moved up into partnership seven years later. The team has remained largely unchanged […]
Hot 100 alumni: Cathy Pitt, head of funds, CMS
Cathy Pitt is building CMS’ strength in the ever-changing world of funds
Hot 100 alumni: Jonathan Berger, Harbottle & Lewis
Jonathan Berger has found the ideal place to pursue his media work
Hot 100 alumni: Dan Oates, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson
Dan Oates is helping to build Fried Frank’s London private equity team
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My career story: “I left law to become a poet”
Mona Arshi is a prize-winning poet and former human rights lawyer. She recently won the Forward prize for best first collection. You began your training contract at JR Jones in the same week that Doreen and Neville Lawrence instructed the firm on the murder of their son Stephen. How did that time influence the rest […]
My career story: “I trained at a high street practice and ended up as GC at a legal recruitment company”
Hays general counsel for UK and Ireland Evelyn Styles tells The Lawyer why she chose a role in-house over private practice. Did you start your career in-house? I trained at a small high street practice and it gave me first hand experience of dealing with all aspects of legal maters, such as contract and commercial […]
My career story: Travis Perkins general counsel Deborah Grimason
Travis Perkins general counsel Deborah Grimason grew up around business – though she’d be the first to admit that her father’s bakery delivery business in rural Northern Ireland was a far cry from the FTSE 100 company she now guides through legal minefields. Grimason knew two things growing up: that she wanted to enter a profession […]
My career story: “I left the criminal bar to become a reputation management lawyer”
Natalie Sherborn left the criminal bar and is now a senior associate at defamation and reputation management firm Schillings. She tells us about how and why she made the move. What’s your background? I went to a state comprehensive school in Essex. I don’t know if anyone in our family even knew what a barrister was, […]
My career story: “I moved into private practice after being an in-house GC”
Maclay Murray & Spens partner Jill Reid entered private practice after 25 years in-house with Chevron UK, Shell and Dana Petroleum. Why did you make the move into private practice? I feel that my role [at Dana] as General Counsel and Company Secretary in an oil and gas operating company having assets in multiple jurisdictions with […]
My career story: “I moved into management”
Travers Smith’s David Patient gives his advice for those moving into a management role. Was moving into a management position always a career objective for you? It has certainly not always been a career objective for me, but something that evolved over time. I had the good fortune to have the opportunity to open our […]