After studying law at Oxford, where I was also a choral scholar, I joined Linklaters. As a trainee, I did a seat in Hong Kong, then six months in Moscow and two years in Singapore as an associate. When I made partner, National Grid was one of my most significant clients, stemming from my time in Singapore; I handled most of their significant deals. I built a practice acting for FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 corporates, a number of German corporates and various media companies. Overall, I had a brilliant, fulfilling career over my 27 years at Linklaters and the next 4 years as Global Vice Chair M&A at Paul Hastings.
After leaving full-time law, I planned to pursue a mix of paid senior advisory roles and voluntary work. When the news of my leaving Paul Hastings was out, Eversheds Sutherland asked if I’d be interested in working with them on a two-year contract. As a senior strategic advisor, my role was to help the firm with its M&A practice and am now thinking about offering similar support to other firms. It was interesting and good fun and they’re doing brilliantly. I’m also a senior advisor to legal recruitment firm Montresor Legal, helping firms and candidates with their strategies and careers, and I’ve been doing ad hoc consulting for former clients.
Some time ago I collaborated with Boris Johnson on the Mayor’s Music Fund, where I was director and trustee of a music education charity providing musical opportunities for underprivileged children in London. The focus wasn’t so much on achieving musical excellence, but rather about helping these kids use music as a tool to increase their confidence, and benefit from all the good things associated with music. I also was on various committees at the Royal Opera House; Sir Simon Robey, when he was global co-head of M&A at Morgan Stanley was also the Chairman of the ROH at that time, and he suggested I get involved, prompting me to join the ROH Advisory Committee and also the Development Committee. I was later asked to join the Board of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (I’m a former violinist) and I now Chair its Advisory Council.
When I was a trainee I dabbled in singing, but I often joke now that I would have been a very hungry singer if I pursued it professionally.
I’m really pleased to be actively involved in music, which has always been a passion of mine. When I was a trainee I kept up the singing, but I often joke now that I would have been a very hungry singer if I pursued it professionally. I know a lot of musicians and I understand the world they are in, to a degree, as I’ve done performances, recordings and tours. When I first joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra it was at a Royal Festival Hall rehearsal – when I introduced myself, I shared that the last time I stood on that stage I was doing a solo as a member of the National Youth Choir. It’s nice to know that rather than just being some bloke in a suit, the players recognise that I understand a bit of what they are about and their world.
Sheffield United are my boyhood football team. Through a connection made at a match, I had the opportunity to meet the CEO and then the Chairman, and I am now Vice President – a sort of senior advisor or non-executive ambassador role. Essentially, I’m part of a small group of people offering support in any which way needed, short of getting my boots on and getting on the pitch. As an ambassador, I go to a lot of the games and do my bit on behalf of the club. Last year in the Premier League was tough but interesting although we’ve made a good start this year. It’s a fascinating role and it’s my team – so there’s something very exciting about that.
I had one boss who essentially said to me ‘don’t ever book anything outside of work because you’ll never be able to make it’, which I thought was quite defeatist. Attitudes among partners towards outside interests vary; they can be frowned upon, or positively encouraged – in that it can make you a better lawyer if you’re sitting on boards and gaining new skills. Also, it’s a valuable networking opportunity; it’s a more organic way of building contacts. So, while there were many times when things were cancelled, or I couldn’t make it, I was always keen to try and keep things up if I could do.
Being a corporate lawyer, and having been in many different managerial positions, I’ve had the opportunity to see so much. Some still say that companies don’t like having lawyers on boards, fearing they will approach matters in too much of a narrow, legalistic way. They argue if legal advice is needed, they can go to their general counsel or external law firms. There are a lot of lawyers who I recognise do fit into that category, but there are many others as well – and I like to think I’m one of them – who can think much more broadly as a commercial advisor.
Many people in law reach the end of their careers without having thought at all about what they want to do afterwards. It’s a massive shock.
Leaving full-time law introduced a bit of uncertainty into my life. I read law at university and then went into a big firm, so I’d grown used to a certain amount of institutional support. So suddenly being essentially self-employed was a shift. However, I found enjoyment in taking the time out to have lots of conversations, pause and think about what I wanted to do. And so I was busy, but just in different ways.
Many people in law reach the end of their careers without having thought at all about what they want to do afterwards. They haven’t built up any hobbies or been on any boards, so then it’s a massive shock because they’ve gone from 100 miles an hour to ‘what now’? I think I was lucky – I had my passions and things I wanted to do. So it wasn’t so much a shock; it was more of a time to pause and choose what felt right for me.
There’s no denying the amount of time that needs to be devoted to the job. That said, I would encourage individuals to identify what they enjoy outside the job and the ways in which they can contribute to broader society. There are a huge number of organisations that need pro bono support; what I have found, particularly in the charity sector, is people recognise that you’re busy and are just grateful for whatever support you can give. A lot of people will not do it because they think they don’t have time, but if you’re upfront with people and give an honest view of the time and support you feel you are able to give, then what you’ll likely find is that they are incredibly grateful.
Law firms should actively encourage their people to get out and engage with the wider community, whether it’s business, charity, arts and culture or sport. This can only enhance your own effectiveness – you learn so much, and can meet a more diverse range of people. On the London Philharmonic Orchestra board, a third of our members are from the orchestra itself, so it’s really interesting to hear their perspective, as opposed to lawyers and bankers etc – it’s just a completely different diversity of thought.
My mantra is ‘can I make a difference, and will it be fun?’ So far, what I have been doing has certainly been fun, and hopefully I’ve been making a difference, and so that will continue to guide me in the next stages.