“Be strategic with your time – it’s a finite resource”

 What’s your astir vivid representation from being a pupil?  

No 1 forgets their first outing arsenic counsel. As a pupil successful my 2nd six, my first proceeding was to take sides a £10,000 default judgement obtained successful a conflict betwixt a separated couple, pursuing an acrimonious break-up – very different from nan commercialized disputes that has ever been my breadstuff and butter.

As it happened, it was connected nan Western Circuit and I grew up successful Somerset. So, I went location nan nighttime earlier nan proceeding successful Bristol, and it felt for illustration heading disconnected to schoolhouse nan adjacent greeting (albeit somewhat much smartly dressed than I ever was for school). Waiting extracurricular nan courtroom to beryllium called connected for that first proceeding was 1 of nan astir nerve-wracking waits I’ve ever had. I tin retrieve that but not nan proceeding itself, oddly enough, different than nan result.

My pupil supervisor cheerfully told maine arsenic I near chambers nan erstwhile time that I was going to lose. It was very satisfying to travel backmost and show him that I had won! I knowledgeable a ‘circle of life’ infinitesimal precocious erstwhile my superb first pupil (now tenant – Rose Edwards) went disconnected to person her first proceeding arsenic counsel – though I told her that she would win, and she did!

Tell america astir a sliding doors infinitesimal erstwhile your profession could person gone successful an wholly different direction?

In nan 3rd twelvemonth of my history grade – and looking to widen my assemblage profession by astatine slightest different 2 years – I filled retired 2 exertion forms. One was to study for an MPhil connected 18th period governmental and economical history (having written an undergraduate dissertation connected nan emergence of Pitt nan Younger) and nan different was to publication a 2nd BA successful rule (I was wished to debar aliases put disconnected nan rule conversion people astatine each costs). I only pressed nonstop connected 1 of those applications.

Just complete 15 years later, I’m still school rule astatine Downing College (where I applied to study law) alongside practising astatine nan bar. I’m beautiful judge if I had pressed nonstop connected nan different form, a profession successful rule – and surely successful ineligible academia – would person passed maine by altogether. Rather than arguing caller points of rule successful tribunal (which appears to beryllium an progressively communal taxable successful my lawsuit load), I’d beryllium penning articles connected moreover much obscure topics for history journals.

What’s nan hardest mobility you’ve ever been asked astatine interview, and really did you answer?

I was erstwhile interviewed by a sheet which included Lord Justice Tomlinson and Professors Adrian Briggs and Edwin Peel successful which I was asked to supply nan juridical justifications for non-contractual anti-suit injunctions and damages claims for breach of jurisdiction agreements. My encephalon was thing of a mush by nan extremity of nan conversation.

I attempted to revisit nan taxable precocious successful a insubstantial for a convention to people Professor Richard Fentiman’s status – but I deliberation nan assemblage is still very overmuch retired connected whether I did a amended occupation 2nd clip around!

Like galore people, I struggle to contradict nan logic that you ought to beryllium capable to declare damages for breach of a jurisdiction agreement, successful nan aforesaid measurement arsenic immoderate different contractual term, moreover if nan process for moving retired nan losses flowing from that breach looks horribly messy (which I conjecture is why location person been very fewer cases).

What proposal would you springiness to personification who wants to get to wherever you are/do nan occupation you do?

The emblematic answers to that type of mobility counsel difficult work, seizing opportunities, building relationships, and having nosy successful nan job. And each of those things are surely true.

But I besides deliberation you person to beryllium strategical pinch your time, because it’s a finite resource. This is simply a really awesome play to beryllium a commercialized litigator: location are truthful galore absorbing cases around, and you tin only do truthful galore successful immoderate fixed twelvemonth (and, of course, astir disputes don’t extremity aft conscionable a year). So not jumping astatine nan first lawsuit that comes successful erstwhile you person capacity, but taking connected nan instructions that fresh pinch your chosen specialisms aliases different profession plans is, I think, really important.

To springiness a caller illustration from my ain practice, having had a tally of very dense cases pinch ample counsel teams (often led by aggregate silks) I made a determination astir a twelvemonth agone to attraction overmuch much connected doing unled cases – which must person worked fixed I ended up successful The Lawyer’s Hot 100! Of course, it’s easier to springiness that proposal than travel it – I’m still being told disconnected by my clerks (and my wife) for saying ‘yes’ to caller cases excessively often.

Tell america astir 1 erstwhile workfellow who you miss, and why? 

Oliver Rule, who was my supervisor successful my litigation spot during my training statement astatine A&O (now a partner astatine Enyo), and who has been thing of a mentor ever since. We did immoderate awesome cases together including nan Lehman Bros ‘Waterfall Application’, a conflict complete Argentine inflation-linked bonds, and a performance statement reverse takeover investigation by nan Takeover Panel.

Oli taught maine nan worth of focusing connected nan points that really matter successful a lawsuit and shaping nan remainder of nan lawsuit astir those points. It’s thing tons of litigators opportunity but nevertheless not practised astir arsenic overmuch arsenic it’s preached. Perhaps that’s because it takes existent intelligence assurance to hone successful connected 1 aliases 2 points and fto nan little bully arguments go. Oli was (and is) superb astatine it.

I was beautiful judge earlier starting pinch Oli arsenic a trainee that I wanted to beryllium disputes lawyer but came distant six months later convinced of it (still true, moreover if I americium now a different type of lawyer). I besides came distant pinch much trivia astir classics, cricket, and choral euphony than I knew what to do with. Since I moved to nan barroom it’s go thing of a contented for maine and Oli to drawback up complete a agelong meal pinch plentifulness of reddish nutrient and reddish vino successful nan summertime each year.

Read much Hot 100 profession quizzes