You need more than legal flair as sector faces big changes

There has been a huge change in the role we play with a requirement for lawyers to behave like business people. Managing a successful practice is much like running any other business and the partners must have commercial acumen, it is not enough simply to have legal flair. The legal industry is facing some challenging times and the need for us to be ‘entrepreneurial advisers’ puts us in a much better position to understand the needs of our clients.

What law would you like to see changed?

There’s no single law that I have a burning desire to change, rather I’d like to see an overall reduction in the amount of bureaucracy, particularly cutting down on red tape affecting businesses to make it simpler for small businesses to operate effectively.

What is the most exciting work you’ve ever done?

One of the recent cases which stands out for me was advising the administrators on the successful sale of Overfinch Bespoke Vehicles in December 2011. The company had a worldwide reputation for producing bespoke luxury Range Rovers owned by the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and Steven Gerrard. We were able to rescue this British business with its intellectual property intact, so maximising return for creditors while also saving jobs – it was a great outcome, particularly as the purchaser was a Leeds company.

Who in the legal world do you most admire?

Roger Suddards, the founding partner of Hammond Suddards. When I started my legal career, I found him an inspiration and hope that I still embrace many of his values. Roger built up one of the region’s most successful modern-thinking firms, but still knew the names of everyone he worked with.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the profession?

Don’t just think in terms of providing legal answers, you need to really listen to clients, and empathise with them.