Lessons I Learned in Law (Heriot Brown)

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Alice England. Alice is General Counsel for a London and Toronto listed natural resources royalty and streaming company, Anglo Pacific Group PLC, where she heads up the legal team and also takes a lead role on the business' environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) agenda. Alice is also a Non-Executive Director at Be Confident Group, comprising of Cycle Confident and BikeRight. Alice shares the three lessons she has learned in law including: 

• Build a strong support network of like-minded people that can help and support you along the path of your career.
• As a lawyer, always try to be a facilitator rather than a blocker.
• Demonstrate your worth, show that you are a valuable asset to the company and make sure other people understand the value you bring.

Alice also reveals why she thinks time measuring stop clocks are counter productive in the legal profession and should be confined to Room 101.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Katy Beilin speaks to Janine Esbrand. Janine is Founder of Career Change Makers, where she coaches and teaches high-performing female professionals in Law and Finance how to take control of their careers and leverage their strengths to transition into more fulfilling roles, with confidence. Janine has a background as a lawyer, having practiced both in Law Firms and In-House, so is very well placed to advise Lawyers on these issues!

Guest host Katy is a Consultant at Heriot Brown and loves a chat! As someone keen to get involved in blogging and podcasting, we thought it made sense for her make her podcast debut in a discussion with Janine whose Coaching business supports strong working females. Katy and Janine sat down to have their conversation on International Women’s Day, which was very apt.

Janine shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• As a lawyer, you don’t need to know all the answers. Lean in to your ability to find out the answers!
• The power and importance of networking to build relationships.
• In your career, your destination becomes your starting line. Reassess your goals and ambitions regularly.

Janine also shares the advice that she would give her children, should they ever decide to embark on a career in the law.

Presented by Katy Beilin of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Karen Shafrir-Vladeck. Karen was an Employment Lawyer in the US and has recently pivoted into a role in legal recruitment with Whistler Parters. Karen is the perfect modern-day example of a legal recruiter, with industry experience and a passion for building community.  You may also recognise Karen from her TikTok skits with one of our previous podcast guests, Alex Su!

Karen shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Cast the widest net that you possibly can and see what comes back to you.
• Always be open to new opportunities, and not necessarily in jobs.
• Social media can be a really great connector for your working life.

Karen’s pet hate in the legal profession is imposter syndrome and she explains why she would banish it to Room 101.

Have a listen to Karen’s podcast called In Loco Parent(i)s where she and her law professor husband Steve, "discuss parenting and lawyering - in that order".

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Troy Atkin, aka @The_weightlifting_lawyer.

Troy Atkin is a trainee in his first seat with Portsmouth based firm, Biscoes. 

Troy shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• Use rejection as fuel!
• Be yourself, know your values and understand your worth.
• Be limitless with your goals, and in your pursuit of them.

Troy also discusses his 3 passions in life: ensuring good legal advice is accessible for all, smashing the stigma of mental health (especially in legal professionals) and lifting heavy weights.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Randal Barker.

Randal is Group General Counsel of Lightsource bp, a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects.

Randal shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• You should focus on what you want to achieve in your career and how that fits into your life. Law can offer a variety of roles to suit your lifestyle and work for you!
• Taking ownership of issues as an in-house counsel
• Often as a General Counsel, you have to take role as Statesman, enforcing the Company’s values and ethics

Randal reflects on his education and upbringing, including at an outward bound school in Canada!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Welcome to Lessons I Learned in Law.

Each week I, Scott Brown, sit down with someone from the legal profession to explore their professional successes as well as the challenges they've faced in their legal career. Hopefully the lessons they've learned in law can help you in your career. 

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Abigail Dean.  Abigail is legal counsel at Google as well as author of Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling novel Girl A, which was published in January 2021. 

Abigail has always loved reading and writing and discusses how her law career has helped shape her career as a successful author. She also shares three lessons she learned in law including:

• Consider the importance of words, and the impact that your choice of words and pronunciation can have on your writing.
• You will require a tolerance to boredom, as many jobs will include elements that you mind find uninteresting. All you can do is work on the ratio.
• Law is good for teaching you that you can do hard and difficult things, and they will rarely be as frightening as you imagine.

Abigail’s choice for Room 101 is the legal profession’s tendency to aggrandize certain members of staff; something she finds very unhelpful.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Kaleem Khan. Kaleem is a Tax Associate at Travers Smith who advises on all tax aspects of private equity, M&A, corporate finance and banking transactions.

Kaleem has been registered as blind since childhood, and in this episode he discusses his experiences of being a disabled person working in law – from the firms that helped and supported him, to the roles where the accessibility adjustments made for him were somewhat inadequate.

Kaleem also shares the lessons he learned in law including:

• Don’t compare yourself to people who might have more experience or credentials than you – everyone has to start somewhere!
• Don’t underestimate the importance of mentors.
• Be aware and have an understanding of those you work with who have a disability. Bear in mind that accessibility adjustments in the workplace don’t eradicate the challenges being disabled causes in doing a job.  Putting adjustments in place for a disabled colleague is not a magic trick through which a disabled person can suddenly be treated as though they have no disability – everyday brings challenges to day to day work regardless of how effective adjustments are. 

Kaleem is launching a blog which will be available very soon, called The Legally Blind Guy.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Sara Scott.

Sara is Senior Counsel, Regulatory Counselling and Litigation at British American Tobacco.

Sara shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• How to build a team and invest in people that can support you
• How you shouldn’t tolerate bad behaviour, and how best to challenge behaviour you’re not comfortable with
• You won’t know it all, and that is OK!

Sara also talks about her role in the Military Wives Choirs charity, and recognises the inspirational people in her life that have helped her in the course of her career.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Amy Wallace.

Amy is Chief Legal Officer at Yoto, a tech company that creates a screen-free audio player for children, providing a world of stories, music, activities, podcasts, radio and other inspiring audio for kids.

Amy shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• There is something for everyone in Law!
• Being sued gives you bruises, but will build your experience and help you focus on what’s important.
• If a deal doesn’t seem to make sense to you, it’s probably because it doesn’t make sense!

Amy also talks about her experience on-boarding at Yoto during the pandemic, and reveals why her family at home speak ‘Greek-lish’.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Adam Baldwin. 

Adam's career has comprised a broad mixture of legal and business positions. He now works as Head of Functions and Business Engagement for the banking group BNP Paribas. Adam has launched, invested in and advised various start-ups across multiple sectors, including technology, sports, fashion and entertainment.

Outside of the office, he is passionate about youth education and sport, volunteering with various initiatives including acting as a Non-Executive Director and Trustee for the NET Academies Trust and volunteering with the Saracens Foundation.

Adam shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• Tailor your message to your audience.
• Compassion is key.
• Make your own luck. If you have a particular ambition or goal you want to work towards – let people know!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Daniel Glazer.

Daniel is an American technology lawyer, strategic business advisor, and the Managing Partner of Wilson Sonsini's London office. 

Dan advises high-growth UK/European technology and life sciences companies on raising capital in the US and UK/Europe, expanding their businesses into US markets, and connecting with investors, corporates, and advisors.

Daniel shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• Building a career in the law is like building a start-up.
• Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.
• Strive to find a career at the intersection of what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, what allows you to earn sufficient compensation and what creates value for society.

 Dan was appointed as a GlobalScot trade advisor by the Scottish Government. Scott and Dan have a bit of fun discusising all things Scottish Football related!! 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Jamie Pearson who is General Counsel at Genomics PLC and Sarah Marshall, VP & Head of Legal International & Japan, Alexion (AZ Rare Disease).

Jamie and Sarah met whilst working for a company that meant they shared a considerable commute! Now, together they run the High Five Project to support lawyers entering the life sciences sector, as well as in-house lawyers more broadly.

Sarah and Jamie share the lessons they’ve learned in law including:

• You should have ownership and agency over your career path.
• A change of role or environment can re-energise you – find an organisation with a culture in which you can thrive.

Sarah, Jamie and Scott share their perspectives on the differences between in-house roles compared to working for law firms, and how you can potentially make the transition between the two or between different sectors.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Fraser Simpson.  Fraser is Associate General Counsel for Wellcome Trust, a charitable foundation focused on global public health, where he heads up the Ethics, Governance & Compliance Team. Fraser qualified at Magic Circle firm, Linklaters, but pursued a career in-house where he has worked across a range of impactful organisations. He has experience in designing and building teams.

Fraser shares the lessons he learned in law including:

• Try new things, and do not be afraid to take a chance.
• Kindness repays. Invest in nurturing relationships.
• Don't be constrained by precedents and templates. Be creative and focus on user experience.

Fraser also reflects on how valuable he found the shared parental leave that he was able to take around the birth of his children. Meanwhile his hatred of ties sees workplace dress codes confined to Room 101.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Frances Coats. 

Frances began her career as a Corporate M&A Lawyer in private practice (in both London and UAE) with time spent in leading US law firms White & Case and Latham and Watkins before moving to the Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance. She now works as Group General Counsel at International Insurance company, Howden Group Holdings

Frances shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Say ‘YES’ to opportunity!
• Look beyond the ‘sexy’ industries. Fascinating and fulfilling legal roles can exist in all areas of society.
• When recruiting hire people better than you, then look after them.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Peter King.

Peter King is the Legal Director at HM Treasury.  He leads a team of some 90 lawyers which provides in-house legal advice to Treasury ministers and civil servants.  Previously he worked as a corporate and M&A partner at Linklaters.  He is also a trustee of several charities, including the Salvation Army and Riot Ensemble, a contemporary music group.

Peter shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• The power of networking for developing your career and client list.
• Learn to say ‘No’!
• The importance of being able to recognise the signs of stress in other people.

Peter also talks openly about his faith and how he views the legal profession as his vocation.

If you’re interested in exploring a career with the Government’s Legal Department, click  Here.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Rohan Paramesh.  

Rohan is general counsel for Habito the UK’s leading mortgage company.

Rohan shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• How having the confidence to let your true personality shine through at work can be a huge boost to your career.
• Always be open minded and don’t be afraid to take risks.
• Always be an entrepreneur in everything you do. Think of yourself as a business builder first and a lawyer second.

Rohan also talks about becoming a dad, why he thinks he would do a great job as Arsenal Manger and how he came to sing on MTV!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Tonia Lovell.

Tonia spent 21 years working at Unilever, including as their Chief Legal Officer. She now has a portfolio career in non-executive roles and as an Executive Coach to lawyers and company secretaries.

Tonia shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• You do not have to be perfect. Being part of a team is often about helping to solve problems by seeking answers, rather than knowing the answer straight away.
• If you know what career role you want, speak up!
• Take some time to know what your personal values are, and always make sure your employer aligns with those values.

You can find out more about Tonia’s coaching at tlcuk.coach

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Scott reveals the result of your vote at the end of season 3 - which element of life in law have you chosen to confine to Room 101?

Plus - A brand new series of Lessons I Learned in Law launches very soon.



Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Mollie Stoker, who leads the legal team at Ocado Group as their Deputy Group General Counsel. She’s also held general counsel and other in house roles at DWF Group and Suntory Beverage and Food.  Prior to moving in house, Mollie started her legal career at Slaughter and May and spent over 12 years working as a corporate/M&A and capital markets lawyer in UK and US law firms.  

Mollie shares the lessons he learned in law including:

·      Be yourself, because everyone else is taken!
·      Be the best leader, or boss, that you can be. 
·      Bring solutions, not problems. 

Mollie shares her obsession for buying business books (but admits to not always reading them)! A particular favourite read is Jim Collins’ Good to Great.

Mollie is also a trustee for Only a Pavement Away, a charity that helps the homeless gain employment in the hospitality sector. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks Martin Nolan. As General Counsel at Skyscanner, Martin is responsible for Skyscanner’s Legal and Public & Regulatory Affairs teams and also acts as Company Secretary to Skyscanner’s group companies. Prior to moving in-house, Martin spent ten years working as a corporate lawyer in private practice, specialising in corporate finance, M&A and Private Equity.

Martin reveals some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      Be your authentic self. Trying to be someone else at work will be exhausting!

·      Take your blinkers off. Your legal skills are extremely transferrable so don’t look exclusively at what you’re doing now to inform your next career choices. 

·      Fail fast, fail forward. If you don’t ever make mistakes, you’re playing it too safe!

Martin is two years in to a mammoth home renovation project. Hear how that’s progressing!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Rob Chesnut. Rob retired last year after spending more than 5 years as General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer at AirBnB. During that time he grew the legal team from 30 to over 150 legal professionals in 20 offices around the world.

 Rob is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Virginia, and previously worked at the US Justice Department where he prosecuted bank robberies, kidnappings, murder, and espionage cases. He also led eBay’s North America legal team and is the author of Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead an Ethical Revolution. 

 Rob reveals some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      Integrity matters in business. There’s an expectation now that businesses do good, not solely exist make money. 

·      There can be ‘creative’ solutions to ethical problems, which means integrity can actually be subtle and isn’t always an absolute. 

·      Diverse organisations actually perform better than homogenous ones. The best person for the job, is the person who brings a different perspective to the team. 

Rob also shares some fascinating social experiments on the subject of integrity. How honest and trustworthy, are people in everyday life?  You might be surprised by the findings!!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Jonny Parker, Legal Counsel at what3words. Jonny trained at international law firm Taylor Wessing and is also the co-founder of a challenger beer brand - YABBA which launched in May 2021.

Jonny shares some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      The ‘right time’ might not be the right time for you. You can deviate from the traditional routes through legal training to explore different options and find what works best for you.

·      Appreciate the value of your passions and outside interests, in terms of how they can make you a better person and a better lawyer.

·      Don’t get bogged down in the finishing touches. Sometimes that extra time to make a project ‘perfect’ can be too costly and inefficient. 

Jonny also reveals that his favourite pastime is surfing, and explains how he finds time for that in and around a demanding career in law. He also talks through the work that went into launching his beer brand. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown talks to Founder and CEO of Beam, Alex Stephany.  Launched in 2017, Beam is an innovative tech platform supporting homeless people and refugees into stable jobs and homes. Before launching Beam, Alex was CEO of JustPark where he led the largest ever crowdfunding round for a tech startup at the time.

Alex explains the mission behind Beam and what motivated him to start it. He also shares some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      If you can, give back. 

·      Don’t underestimate the importance of attention to detail. 

·      Impress everyone. This is a small, interconnected world so try and do right by everyone you come across. 

An expert on the sharing economy, Alex is the author of The Business of Sharing.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Laura Frederick, Founder and CEO of How to Contract, a global leader in practical contract training for lawyers and professionals. She is also Managing Attorney at Laura Frederick Law, PLLC as well as a best-selling legal author and a LinkedIn influencer.

 Laura shares some of the lessons she learned in law including:

·      Make sure you always know the context, whenever you’re doing anything for your clients. 

·      No job is worth destroying your relationships or your mental health. 

·      Therapy is by far the best investment you can make to achieve career success and happiness. 

 Laura also fondly looks back on her time working as in-house counsel at Tesla. She reflects on how their very flat corporate structure worked to reduce bureaucracy and made it an enjoyable and efficient place to work. 

Laura shares details of her book which offers valuable advice and tips for anyone who is having to draft a contact. The book is called How to Contract: Learn How to Draft and Negotiate from a Former Big Law and Tesla Commercial Contracts Lawyer. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.  

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Scott Yelle, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at KingMakers where he has also been Interim CEO. After leaving corporate private practice at Olswang in 2009 Scott moved in-house holding senior positions at WorldPay and Sky Sports before becoming General Counsel and building the Legal and Compliance function at Sky Betting and Gaming for over 5 years.  

Scott shares some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      The more your career in law advances, the less it becomes about the law. 

·      Progress your career by seeking out different types of work in-house. Stretch yourself into different areas, beyond your comfort zone. 

·      Try and offer concise, proactive, simple advice where you can. Make your voice heard to help the business or organisation forwards. 

Scott also explains how he made the transition from lawyer to company interim-CEO, and how he felt when stepping up to take on that role. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Richard Flint, founder and Deputy CEO at broadband provider Swish Fibre.  

Richard’s career began in private practice where he specialised in oil and gas and energy from waste. In 2017 Richard moved to an in-house role as Head of Legal at Ingenious. Here Richard focussed primarily on renewable energy, but remained at the forefront of deals; working closely with the commercial team and, where necessary, external lawyers.

Richard shares some of the lessons he learned in law including:

·      The transferrable skills you have as a lawyer are super valuable – more valuable even than you realise!

·      To deliver value for the client, try to remove the noise. Keep it simple. Remove any low-level decisions so your client can focus on the big questions that matter. 

·      Be in the moment. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by workloads, but giving people time and not being distracted in meetings is so important. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Alex Wilson, EMEA Legal Director at CBRE. Alex trained at Osborne Clarke in Bristol, before working at Carey Olsen in Guernsey and Foot Anstey in London. She also worked as an in-house lawyer at News UK. She is also the Solicitors with Disabilities representative on The Law Society Council.

Alex shares some of the lessons she learned in law including:

·      Focus on a life-work balance, not a work-life balance; life very much coming first!

·      Networking isn’t just wine and nibbles. It’s actually really crucial to build real and authentic working relationships. 

·      A diverse and inclusive workforce is not a tick-box exercise. It’s actually the most important and powerful tool the legal team or business can have. 

Alex also reveals her passion for rowing. She even gets up very early every weekend to row at the docks in South East London, no-matter the weather! Alex also reflects on her diagnosis with MS and what businesses and legal teams can do to be more inclusive. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Anna Butler, Group General Counsel at Long Harbour Ltd, an investment and asset management firm with £3.6 billion assets under management.

Anna trained at US law firm Mayer Brown and after six years there, moved to city law firm RPC. She moved in house to head up the capital redevelopment program at UCL and since then has had a number of leadership roles in different sectors.

Anna shares some of the lessons she learned in law including:

·      Law is a people business. It is crucial to build relationships both inside and outside your law firm or business. 

·      Be open to opportunities. There is no set career path to General Counsel. 

·      Work in a business that you believe in and are passionate about. The more invested you are, the better you can deliver.

Anna also reveals how tv show LA Law was the inspiration for her career in the legal profession!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Helen Lowe, Head of Operations for the General Counsel’s office at easyJet. Helen is an operational change and transformation specialist with experience both as a consultant with KPMG and in industry with Sellafield Ltd and the Co-op.

In this episode Helen reveals what legal ops is, what her role can involve and how legal ops can shape and enhance a business.

Helen also shares some of the lessons she learned in law including:

·      Think harder! You need to be able to explain yourself clearly, think through any proposal and consider that there’s always something new to be learned.

·      The relationships with law firms can be fractious, but they can also be really fun! Learn to know how, and when, to respectfully push boundaries. 

·      Be patient! Legal teams can be very busy so make sure you allow projects sufficient time to develop and progress. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Xavier Langlois, Chief Legal and Impact Officer at Beamery. Beamery is a HR SaaS tech company that provides a Talent Lifecycle Management platform which allows enterprises to create talent centric, human centric experiences for all talent

Xavier, or X, trained at Field Fisher and since 2013 has worked in-house for tech firms and in venture capital. Xavier has held numerous senior roles across various industries, including legal tech, private equity and tech more broadly. He has led numerous funding rounds, M&A, and advises management/founders on a wide range of legal and business issues and company strategy and growth.  

X shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

·      There’s no one way to have a legal career. X reveals how his secondments into industry firms opened his eyes to the possibilities of an in-house career; something that he wasn’t aware of when entering into the legal profession. 

·      When you come to work, bring your whole self to work. Be unapologetically you! 

·      Don’t just be the lawyer. Get into a position where you fully understand how the business works and how you can help with strategy and growth. Nurture internal and external relationships and apply your unique perspective to help teams across the business, regardless of what they might be working on. Bring solutions, not problems.
 

X talks about his experiences of sharing his whole self with his colleagues, specifically his sexuality as a gay man. Whilst he says he doesn’t like the term ‘coming out’, he instead tried normalise his experiences through honesty with his team. He also reflects on lockdown and how that often created deeper more meaningful conversations and relationships with colleagues, despite being remote. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Lara Oyesanya, Chief legal Officer, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary at Zepz which is a leading provider of cross-border payments and remittance services through its two brands, WorldRemit and Sendwave.

Lara shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

·      Don’t be intimidated by the status of others or allow yourself to be overwhelmed by anything they try to say to you. Remain calm and fully focussed on your brief.

·      Be curious. You are always learning and your career will provide you with many opportunities to try something new. 

·      Seize all opportunities – you never know where they may lead!

Lara discusses her work on the privatisation of British Rail; a project which saw the privatisation of 93 separate businesses and the formation of Train Operating companies. She explains how her curiosity exposed her to a range of legal concepts and different ways of doing things.  

Lara also reveals how she became an independent non-executive director, and what the role involves. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Inside the Agency: Lucy Taylor

Welcome to the first episode in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency,  where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers.

On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!!

We begin with Principal Consultant, Lucy Taylor, who specialises in placing lawyers in-house into the Media, E-Commerce and Luxury Goods sectors. 

• Lucy trained as a lawyer and qualified into litigation
• Learn how and why she decided to step away from practice
• How Lucy believes having  a legal background can make you a better legal recruiter

Lucy spills the beans on what has made her such a success at Heriot Brown and why she feels there is an in-house legal career which could suit everyone!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Dina White. Dina is General Counsel at Zodia Markets, where she leads the Legal function, including providing guidance and direction on strategic, governance and risk issues. Prior to her current role, Dina spent much of her career at Bank of New York Mellon and U.S. Bancorp, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, corporate trustee work and complex financial products. 

Dina shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

·      Lawyers have a privilege and its our duty to give back to society. 

·      Do the work you love, but don’t ignore the boring parts of the job!

·      Communication and connection are key to our work and our wellbeing. 

Dina discusses the powerful impact that lawyers can have on society, supporting people in need and providing access to the law to those who need it most. To this end, she describes how rewarding she found some of the pro-bono work that she’s carried out throughout her career.

Dina writes regularly on LinkedIn about developments in the world of digital assets, and was named one of Financial News’ Twenty Most Influential Women in Crypto. If that’s a subject you’re interested in, definitely give her a follow on LinkedIn.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.  

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Adam Woodhall, founder and CEO of Lawyers for Net Zero - a non-profit that supports GCs and their teams to utilise their position as a corporate leader to enable effective engagement with climate and ESG issues.

Adam shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

·      General Counsel are the most influential individuals in the legal sector. They interface with many colleagues in different roles across the organisation, and choose which law firms to work with. 

·      General Counsels have gone way beyond the ‘Department of No’! 

·      This is not theoretical - GCs are working on ESG and advocating for change in their organisations right now! If you, as a GC, are thinking of working in this field then know there are many others similar to you who are already making it happen. 

Adam reveals how many GCs are using ESG initiatives as a way of exercising their leadership. GCs often sit on the board of organisations or advise very senior management and are doing so with regards to issues on sustainability. 

 Adam has worked with over 100 in-house lawyers via Lawyers for Net Zero's ‘Leaders Programme’, including the global GCs from Rolls Royce, WPP, BUPA, Centrica, National Grid and Specsavers. Hear all about the programme which focusses on supporting GCs to generate action via their role through peer-to-peer networking and training. You can find out more about the programme here. 

Fancy a giggle?  Check out Adam’s sustainable stand up on YouTube where he purports to be Head of Sustainability for the Death Star! Watch it here.  

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Welcome to the second episode in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency,  where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do.

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers.

On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!!

This week we're chatting to Zoe Dales who is a Consultant specialising in the recruitment of in-house legal professionals across the Telecommunications, Betting, Gambling and Sport sectors.

Zoe shares:

• Her career path into her role at Heriot Brown
• Her advice for those considering a career change.
• Her passions outside of work.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Welcome to the third instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Emma Bower who is Head of Community with a proven track record of bringing together in-house counsel and fostering a strong sense of community, both at The Lawyer and now at Heriot Brown. 
Emma shares: 

• Her career path into her role at Heriot Brown. 
• Her techniques for overcoming shyness when networking. 
• The key skillset she thinks a recruiter should have.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to James Morgan, Managing Director and the Co-General Counsel for EMEA at Japan’s largest bank MUFG. James is responsible for overseeing all legal issues of MUFG Bank, including litigation and enforcement matters, corporate structure and acquisitions as well as regional corporate governance.

James shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

·      Be adaptable. When changes happen try and embrace them. 

·      Don’t be siloed. Try and be generalist in your approach to your career and any opportunities that may arise along the way. 

·      Be patient. A legal career can be a bit like climbing a mountain. You may need to sidestep, or even move down in order to move up. Don’t feel you need to achieve giant strides in a short space of time. 

James explains how his Co-general Counsel role came about, and how MUFG have subsequently adopted co-head roles in other departments as a result of the proven gains in flexibility and performance. ‘One plus one equals three’, James says. 

James also reveals he’s a dab-hand at Karaoke – something that’s been surprisingly useful recently in his career! 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Maryam Ziarati McLoughlin, General Counsel at Paddle. She joined the team in 2019 and since then has led the business through two funding rounds, grown the legal team, put in place a training contract scheme and lead the people and talent function & DE&I.

Maryam shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

·      Lead with empathy and assume nothing. 

·      Value personal relationships and enjoy getting to know people on a personal level. 

·      Fortune favours the bold. Be prepared to take risks.

Maryam reveals that through law school she hadn’t wanted to be a lawyer as she hadn’t seen a side of law that appealed to her. That was until she was doing work experience and discovered the creativity inherent to problem solving and the potential flexibility of the legal system. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Francesca Porter, General Counsel and executive team member at Onfido, an AI company who digitally prove people’s real identities using a photo ID and facial biometrics. 

Francesca shares the lessons that she’s learned in law, including:

·      Smart people simplify. The power of lawyers is not only to understand and articulate the legal position, but also to convey a message to key business stakeholders and to drive influence on key risk areas. 

·      To be effective as lawyers we need to be more of an airbag than a seatbelt, helping businesses to grow and scale responsibly in an enduring way.

·      The power of the network is huge - particularly when trying to solve challenging problems at pace, it can save re-inventing the wheel.

Francesca explains what it’s like to work at Onfido, an agile, relatively new tech firm compared to Hewlett Packard where she worked as LegalCounsel. She details how she endeavoured to incorporate best practice from HP at Onfido, without slowing their rapid rate of growth. 

Outside of work Francesca loves to write. She details some of her literary works and the courses she undertook to help write her novels. She also explains how writing outside of work improved her ability as a lawyer, enabling her to be more energised and approach problems in a more creative way. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Ailsa Zoya Longmuir, General Counsel for Centrica Energy Marketing & Trading and Centrica Business Solutions.  Ailsa has been with Centica for 12 years and is responsible for all Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs matters for these business units globally. She is a  leading Executive Sponsor for Diversity & Inclusion and Charitable Initiatives and is also chairwoman of Centrica Energy Trading A/S’ board. 

Ailsa shares the three lessons she’s learned in law including:

·      Isolate the issue. Try to advise the business on what they need to know, rather than overdelivering with unnecessary information. 

·      Ask why!  You need to fully understand the business and its goals in order to effectively advise. 

·      Trust your instincts. If you have a gut feeling about something, it is quite often correct! 

Ailsa explains the structure of the legal team at Centrica, and why she thinks legal teams are integral to the success of the business they’re advising. Including the legal team in decision making will ‘improve their commerciality in the long run, and give them the ability to come up with more creative legal solutions to make what the business wants to happen, happen’. 

Ailsa also reveals the impact that the Russia-Ukraine war has had on Centrica as a business and the energy market more broadly. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to wellbeing advocate Emilie Berge. After an 18 year career in-house in the Tech and Defence sectors Emilie is now on a mission to empower high achievers to reach their career goals without burning out. She provides corporate training to companies who want to improve their staff wellbeing and host a retreat abroad once a year.

 Emilie shares the lessons she learned during her career in law, including:

·      Look after yourself, so that you can perform better. 

·      It’s OK to be wrong. Particularly in-house, you need to be able to negotiate and compromise to unblock a conflict.  Don’t allow your ego to get in the way.

·      Stay humble. 

Emilie began her mental health and wellness blog in 2017; she talks through her own struggles with mental health, how that inspired her to research and begin the blog, and how it has developed since.  Check out the blog here: How To Be Happier At Work - Me My Health And I

This episode is particularly appropriate as World Mental Health Day is coming up on October 10. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Olivia Sacco a Senior Consultant who's experience is in-house focused specialising across the Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences, FMCG, and Restaurant sectors. 

Olivia shares: 

• Her career path into her role at Heriot Brown. 
• The importance of good research.
• The common misconceptions about legal recruiters.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Mark Bailey who specialises for Heriot Brown in providing interim solutions for clients and consultants, ranging from fixed term contracts, maternity covers, short term assignments, to ad-hoc consultancy projects.

Mark shares: 

• His insight into the changing attitudes around the interim market.
• Thoughts on generational differences.
• The advantages and disadvantages of changing work practices.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Kevin Hunt who has 20 years recruitment experience in executive search, domestic and international. He has a strong track record in delivering projects in the Energy, Heavy industry and across several technical based campaigns.

Kevin shares: 

• His thoughts on the rise of LinkedIn.
• His expertise on the changing energy market.
• The biggest challenges in recruitment right now.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Michi Nishikawa who recruits at all levels. From paralegals to General Counsels, placing emphasis on cultural fit and transferable skills above sector specialism to cater to the adaptive nature of the regional market.

Michi shares: 

• Her route into recruitment.
• The benefits she's felt moving out of London.
• Why personality is key when it comes to smaller businesses.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Matt Wilson, General Counsel at TV Production company Fremantle. Fremantle produces over 12,000 hours of original programming every year across drama, entertainment, documentaries and film. Matt started his career with four years at Baker & McKenzie and has also worked at Arsenal Football Club (he is a huge Arsenal fan), as well as Telefónica and Uber.

Matt shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:

·      If you’re giving advice that you want to rely on or evidence in the future, make sure you write it down!

·       Never assume and always be curious. This applies when offering advice in a professional capacity but also in understanding people, maintaining relationships and managing teams. 

·      This, too, shall pass! A positive mindset is required when it comes to crisis management and response, and remind yourself that everything works out in the end. 

Matt explains the power of Personality Insights when it comes to understanding people and getting the most from your team.  When recruiting, Matt looks for people who are good at the things that he’s not so good at, to ensure diverse perspectives and a comprehensive skillset across the team.

Matt is well travelled and explains how a legal career can offer fantastic opportunities for travel, if that’s something you wish to do. Drawing on his own intriguing experiences living abroad, Matt showcases the monumental value of diversity and its role in enriching our teams.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Kenny Roberston, Head of Outsourcing, Technology & IP legal team at NatWest Group. In his role, he leads up a team which supports some of the largest outsourcing transactions in the UK and which continually pushes to be innovative and progressive and provide great customer experience for stakeholders. He is also Chair of the Law Society of Scotland’s Wellbeing Steering Group. 

Kenny shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:

·      Be Yourself! Giving legal advice is a relationships game, and its hard to build relationships without being authentic. 

·      Play with your head up (to use a sporting analogy). Be aware, be able to identify opportunities, adapt to change and be ready for whatever might be around the corner.  

·      Create and nurture a positive culture within your team.

Kenny admits that early on in his career he tried to live up to his pre-conceived ideas of what a lawyer should be, and how damaging this can be for lawyers’ wellbeing. He explores where these ideas might stem from, how the legal profession is changing and how developments such as AI may even alter the skillset required to be a lawyer in the future. 

Kenny shares details of his pioneering initiative in collaboration with the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Law Association. Kenny also reveals how he’s worked to cultivate a transparent and psychologically safe organisational culture within his team at NatWest. He elaborates on the three pillars that form the bedrock of his team's ethos: High Performance, Progressive Mindset, and Teamship, and how they factor into the bank's ESG agenda and climate goals. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Martin Evensen. Martin specialises in placing legal and compliance professionals into construction/infrastructure/transport/retail businesses on a permanent basis.

Martin shares: 

• His standout placement.
• How he moved from retail to recruitment.
• Why finding the right candidate is more important than a quick win.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Chris Fowler, Chief Operating Officer for Legal, Governance and Compliance at mining business Rio Tinto. Prior to that Chris spent 24 years at BT Group including as General Counsel for BT’s Technology division which builds and operates BT’s networks, its IT infrastructure and its research and development unit.

After a long career in telecoms, Chris explains his motivation for switching sector and how he’s finding his first few months with Rio Tinto. “Fundamentally I wanted to work in an organisation that's got some pretty big challenges, but also is somewhere that I found personally really exciting” Chris says. Chris also discusses the potential professional benefits that can arise from switching sectors, as well as the things you should watch out for. 

Chris shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:

·      If it doesn’t feel comfortable, you’re learning. Be prepared to test yourself!

·      As a lawyer you can have a huge impact on the people around you and their lives. Invest in people and value relationships. 

·      Say ‘yes’ when you don’t necessarily have all the facts. Take the leap!

Chris also shares how he made the most of his ‘break’ in-between roles, something he would advise everyone to do and to make the most of if you get the opportunity. 

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. 

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Stephanie Jones. Stephanie specialises in placing lawyers in-house within the financial service industry, working with a range of clients such as retail and consumer banks, global investment banks, private equity funds, asset managers and insurance companies. 

Stephanie shares: 

• What Rec to Rec means in the world of recruitment.
• Why the small details are so important to lawyers.
• Why a good client relationship is key.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. 

We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! 

This week we're chatting to Chloe Rowan. Chloe is our team’s Personal Assistant at Heriot Brown, responsible for assisting with the day to day operations of the business. With 15 years’ worth of administrative experience, 9 of which as a virtual PA, Chloe brings a wealth of expertise to the Heriot Brown team. 

Chloe shares: 

• How working from home has changed over a decade.
• Why user experience is so important.
• How Heriot Brown differs from other recruiters.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott meets with Maria Barros, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer at Booking.com.

Maria is a true Citizen of the World. Born in London, from a Brazilian family, Maria loves travelling (passion and profession have collided at Booking.com) and has lived in the UK, US, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium and is now based in the Netherlands, where, in addition to her role as Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer, she is a member of the Management Board of Booking.com and Board member of ACC Europe, the largest global association of in-house counsel. Before that, Maria was General Counsel Europe and Middle East of AB-InBev, the global brewer.

Maria shares her insights on how she has built a best in class integrated legal and public affairs function at Booking.com with a strong focus on developing talent.

We also discuss the importance of developing a strong reliable network and hear how the ACC has been a "home away from home" and a fantastic support network for in-house lawyers.

A really interesting story with a unique International legal career at some huge global brands!

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To find out more information on the ACC and how to get involved see the links below:

- How to learn more about the ACC – More information on the ACCE website: Europe | Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)

- How to become an ACC member - individual and group – see this link: Membership | Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)

- How to register for the May conference – see this link: Registration - ACC (acceurope.com)

In this episode of Lessons I Learned In Law, I am joined by Felicitas Stern, General Counsel EMEA at Omni Bridgeway, a leading litigation funder. 

Felicitas made the switch to Omni Bridgeway when she was on the brink of Partnership in a top law firm in Amsterdam, where she practiced Real Estate and Construction.

She wanted more variety in her role and worked with a coach before deciding a move in-house was the next step.

Felicitas shares her motivations for moving in-house, the differences between working in a law firm and in-house, and the various lessons she learned throughout her career. 

We delve into how she made the career switch and some of the challenges she has faced in making that transition. We also cover some of the cultural differences across countries in legal practices, and Felicitas' personal journey from her native Germany to the Netherlands - so not one to be missed!

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In this episode of 'Lessons I Learned in Law', host Scott Brown speaks with Francisca Comiche, General Counsel at Rabobank.

In her current role at Rabobank (the 2nd largest Bank in the Netherlands), Francisca is responsible for a global legal function of over 400 people.

This is a far cry from her beginnings with the group. Francisca shares her journey of joining DLL (a Subsidiary of Rabobank) over 26 years ago as only the 2nd lawyer in the team. 

During her 26 years, she has witnessed and driven significant change across the function. Her role has been constantly varied and where she has started to get itchy feet, she has sought out discomfort to keep herself challenged...this has been the key success to the lasting career at Rabobank.

We also discuss the importance of working internationally and hear how she has built the ability to connect the dots across jurisdictions. 

This is a really interesting conversation with a top European General Counsel...don't miss out!

On this weeks show, I am joined by Robin Carvell-Spedding, General Counsel at Protium, a company at the forefront of the energy transition, focusing on producing green hydrogen. Robin's career has spanned over a decade in various in-house roles within the oil and gas sector, working on international projects across South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
 
From carrying a massive flat-screen TV down five flights of stairs with his landlord, Michael Laudrup, in Copenhagen, to navigating complex legal landscapes in numerous countries, Robin's international experiences are both unique and insightful.
 
In the episode, Robin stresses the importance of thoroughly understanding any role or company before committing, sharing personal stories about the consequences of not doing enough upfront research.
 
Emphasising the value of seizing opportunities, Robin discusses how taking calculated risks has significantly benefited his career, especially in his international moves.
 
Hope you enjoy!!

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On this week's show, our host, Scott Brown, sits down with Alex O'Connell, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Fever-Tree. the global mixers and soft drinks business. What an apt guest / company for the wonderful British summertime!

They discuss the pivotal years in Alex's career, which started as a corporate M&A lawyer at Freshfields in London and Singapore, before taking his first in-house role at AB InBev, the leading global brewer. He joined Fever-Tree in 2021 and discusses how he has applied some of the best practice learned at AB InBev into a smaller organisation. 

Alex shares valuable insights on management styles, the importance of caring for team members and being open to new ideas. 

We also hear of Alex's incredible time as an Olympian Fencer where he competed for Team GB at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - what an experience!

His favourite drink is a gin & Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic water, served with pink grapefruit - the Drink of Champions / Olympians!


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How does a Legal career in the Seychelles or Mauritius sound? Awesome....

On this week's show, I am joined by Phil Norah - General Counsel for the UK business of the Holcim Group, which is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions and products. 

On top of delivering an ambitious M&A agenda, one of the key challenges for the Holcim Group is the decarbonisation of the cement industry, which is an existential threat. The Legal function is playing a pivotal role in that.

Phil manages a multi-disciplinary team across legal, compliance, insurance and real estate and is a member of the Holcim European legal leadership team. 

Phil's career started out in the City with Freshfields but took him to the idyllic paradise of Mauritius, where he was Regional Head of Legal for Barclays. Hear Phil's approach and discussing global opportunities, the effort required to seize them, and the professional challenges that arise.

It was great to hear these insights and this is a must listen to anyone who might hesitate on seizing the day and saying yes to opportunities.

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In this episode, our host, Scott Brown, sits down with Nicholas Cranfield, the Chief Legal Officer at Therme Group.

 Nick joined the business (a health and wellbeing company) at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic - we discuss the unique recruitment process and adjusting to a new role in such uncertain times.

 Nick also reflects on his previous roles at Dyson and Johnson Matthey and they discuss the importance of being open to unplanned opportunities as it’s led to exciting opportunities for him - including working in Asia with Johnson Matthey.

 Nick firmly believes in the value of curiosity and perspective in professional development and we discuss how he does this.

 Not to be missed!

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, we mix things up a little and uncover the dark arts of Law Firm Recruitment as our host, Scott Brown, welcomes Tom Coode-Bate, the founder and director of Rock Legal, a specialist in private practice legal recruitment. 

Working as an In-House Lawyer is a different career to that of a Lawyer in a Law Firm.

When Scott founded Heriot Brown, he consciously wanted to create a brand specialised and dedicated to the In-House legal profession. 

In this episode, Tom shares his journey from reluctant lawyer and eventually transitioning into recruitment. The discussion highlights Tom's current focus on the high-end London legal market, particularly U.S. firms and boutique work-life balance firms. 

They discuss the different approaches needed when recruiting lawyers in-house or into Law Firms and try to dispel some of the myths and stereotypes! Scott was actually surprised with the amount of common ground they found as our markets are very different.

They discuss the need for building strong relationships and the significance of maintaining professionalism and creating positive experiences within the industry. 

Tom and Scott also shared insights into traits that drive long-term success for lawyers and the nuances of navigating candidate relationships in a competitive recruitment landscape.

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Buckle up for another episode of Lessons I Learned in Law! 

This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Alison Malin Zoellner, the Group General Counsel over at Dentsu Group, on of the largest global advertising firms. 

Alison's career path is nothing short of impressive. 

She started out at Sullivan & Cromwell, then transitioned to in-house roles at The New York Times and Honeywell. It's a testament to the kind of adaptability and reinvention that's key to thriving in today's legal landscape. Throughout the episode, she shares some seriously valuable lessons and the importance of staying connected within the legal field, the responsibility of being a company's ethical compass. 

We also spend some time discussing how young lawyers can leverage emerging technologies like AI to future-proof their careers. 

Alison also opens up about her personal journey, how she balances those professional ambitions with family life and encourages her team to do the same. 

Plus, we explore that crucial partnership between the General Counsels and CEOs – to foster ethical business growth. 

So, whether you're interested in the law, business, technology, or just getting some practical advice from someone who's been there and done that, this episode is for you.



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On the show this week, Scott Brown is joined by Lucie Grant, Vice President and Global General Counsel at Dura-Line which is part of the Orbia Group.

The story of Lucie is incredibly inspiring: from an intellectual property litigator to pivotal roles within giants like Thermo Fisher Scientific and BAE Systems.

As Dura-Line's first female VP and General Counsel, Lucie  significantly contributed to the diversification of the company, having increased the number of women in the organisation from 13% to an impressive 30%.

Lucie talks about the challenges and opportunities associated with remote working, especially in a global organisation like Dura-Line.

We cover the importance of mentoring and taking advice from all spheres in a business to diversify your experience.

Lucie is also a believer in putting family first and taking care of yourself before any professional commitment.

Whether you're an in-house counsel now or a law student headed that way, Lucie's stories and advice may prove invaluable.

Listen now and realign your view on legal leadership and career development.


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In this episode of 'Lessons I Learned in Law,' host Scott Brown talks with James Stebbing, who has held one of the coolest roles I can think of in law: General Counsel of Six Nations Rugby and the British and Irish Lions!  
 
They discuss James' career journey and how he made plans to land his dream role in Sports Law. 
 
They also discuss his early career shift from potential military service to law, which was spurred by personal circumstances. 
 
His career journey includes roles at prestigious firms and corporations like Harbottle & Lewis, Vodafone, Barclays, and eventually dream roles with the RFU and Six Nations Rugby. There are some fantastic learnings on transitioning between different sectors, such as financial services to sports, and the importance of leveraging your background and enthusiasm in making such moves.
 
James shares some fantastic lessons on importance of setting goals, continuously developing new skills and practically.... maintaining accurate records as a Lawyer!!
 
Not one to be missed!!

We return for another episode of Lessons I Learned in Law this week when Scott is joined by Leslie O'Callaghan, the Global Head of Legal at Adyen. Adyen was founded in Amsterdam in 2006 by a group of payments entrepreneurs. With Adyen they built a modern solution to displace the patchwork legacy systems that merchants were being forced to use through larger institutions!

Adyen is without a doubt one of the most exciting Fintechs on the planet and one of the top international successes from the Netherlands in the last decade. Leslie recently relocated to Amsterdam from New York with Adyen to take on a Global Head of Legal role in their Headquarters. She joined Adyen in San Francisco in 2019 and has risen through the team to her current role. It's interesting to hear about how her background in a large Institutional Bank at Wells Fargo has translated to the fast-paced world of tech. 

The discussion delves into Leslie’s extensive career journey, highlighting her transition from a large banking institution to a leading fintech company, Adyen. Leslie shared her experiences navigating international moves from San Francisco to Amsterdam and working in different legal environments. 

Key lessons discussed include the importance of having flexible goals, the value of delivering 'done' work over perfect work and recognizing shared experiences across different professions. Leslie also provided practical advice for future-proofing one's legal career and emphasized the significance of work-life balance. This episode offers valuable insights and advice for in-house lawyers and legal professionals aiming for success in their careers.

Not one to be missed!!

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott invited Volker Weishar, the EMEA General Counsel for Sonos. They explore Volker's remarkable journey from studying economics and law in Germany, experiencing a brief stint in journalism, to his pivotal role at Sonos over the past 11 years. 

Volker shares three critical lessons he's learned throughout his career: the importance of a broad understanding of the business, the necessity of close collaboration within the legal function, and the value of staying curious and engaged beyond the traditional scope of legal work. They also discuss the challenges and strategies for leading a lean legal team in a dynamic industry, the benefits of being integrated into company leadership, and the significance of communication skills.

Volker offers advice for aspiring lawyers, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and understanding modern business metrics and operations. This episode is a rich resource for in-house legal professionals aiming to navigate and succeed in their careers.

On this week's show our host, Scott Brown, was delighted to welcome Mary Pothos, one of the leading voices in the Privacy space. Mary has held Chief Privacy Officer roles in some of the largest tech companies. 

Mary shares her career trajectory, starting from her days in-house in the financial services sector at Visa, and they discuss how she accidently pivoted into privacy!

The Privacy Legal landscape has shifted significantly over the last two decades, so they dive into some of these changes and consider what the next 10 years might look like, as well as how top companies are currently navigating the risk.

Mary walks us through her 3 lessons—the 'three Cs': Calmness, Curiosity, and Courage. 

If you like understanding what it's like working in a fast paced constantly changing legal landscape, don't miss this one!

In this episode, Scott interviews Kate Southwell, the General Counsel for Corporate and Commercial at Anglo American PLC. 

Kate relocated to the UK for this huge role with Anglo after 12 years in Switzerland. She shares how she intentionally pursued an international and non-linear career path and we explore some of the benefits of diverse experiences in the legal profession.

As covered in the press, Anglo was subject to an unsolicited takeover bid by a competitor, BHP, in 2024. It was great to speak about this and hear about the role legal plays in such an event - some intense legal, regulatory, and strategic efforts involved!

Advice - keep calm and organised during crises and the value of a supportive, experienced team.

Kate also touches on the critical role of networking in career development, noting how it serves as a vital tool for personal and professional growth. 

Enjoy!

On this week's show, I am joined by Chantelle Zemba, Group General Counsel at Deliveroo.

Chantelle falls into the category of someone who was a relectant in-house lawyer. She was seconded to Deliveroo to help out with some fundraising and corporate matters whilst she worked at Norton Rose Fulbright. At that time she was a self confessed deal junkie Corporate Lawyer!

She joined them full time in the Corporate team shortly after and admits she has never looked back...nor had the time to do so!! 

The amount she has covered in her 10 years working with and advising Deliveroo is quite incredible.

In our conversation, Chantelle talks about leading Deliveroo’s legal team through its $2 billion IPO, and what she’s learned along the way. Her three key lessons?

• Be the person who gets things done—being action-oriented will always get you noticed.
• Simplify complexity—make sure you can communicate effectively; if you can explain it simply, people will listen.
• Step into others’ shoes—understanding different perspectives is critical for effective negotiation and leadership.

Chantelle also reflects on the challenges of moving from private practice to in-house, the value of mentorship, and what it takes to thrive in the ever-changing world of tech.

If you’re interested in leadership, creativity in law, and making things happen, don’t miss this episode! 

On this week’s show, Scott Brown is joined by David Lancelot, Chief Legal Officer and EVP for Advocacy at LawVu. 

With over 20 years of experience building and optimising international in-house legal teams, David is a real leader in legal innovation. In this episode, they explore his career journey—from traditional legal roles to his work at LawVu, a company transforming legal operations through technology.

David shares insights on the evolving landscape of in-house legal functions, highlighting the need for modernisation and a shift in mindset. They discuss how legal teams are moving from risk management to becoming key business partners, and the importance of aligning your career with what really motivates you.

They also cover leadership, managing teams, and how legal operations can help scale efficiency. David’s advice on networking, self-reflection, and embracing non-traditional career paths—such as privacy or legal operations—are just some of the key takeaways from this engaging conversation.

If you’re interested in the future of in-house law and want to hear from someone shaping the industry, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

In this episode of 'Lessons I Learned in Law', Scott Brown interviews Kelly Young, General Counsel and Executive Director at Marie Curie, one of the UK's biggest charities. 

Kelly shares her journey from private practice to in-house counsel, emphasising the importance of authenticity, curiosity, and understanding risk and governance in the legal profession. She discusses her role in building teams and navigating challenges in getting to that position, while also providing practical advice on personal development and setting oneself up for success in a demanding career.

If you're considering a transition from private practice to in-house, you won't want to miss this episode!

This week on Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown sat down with Sandrine Auffret, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Counsel, and Company Secretary at ASML. Sandrine invited Scott to ASML’s podcast studio on their impressive Eindhoven campus—a city with a rich legacy in tech and innovation.

Sandrine’s journey from healthcare law to tech is packed with insights. She’s been leading ASML’s legal team as it grew from 37 to over 100, all while adapting to one of the most rapidly evolving industries in the world. They dive into what it takes to lead legal in such a high-stakes environment, her approach to balancing growth and well-being, and why staying curious has been her superpower.

Key Takeaways:

1. Adapting to New Challenges: Sandrine moved from healthcare to high-tech and learned the value of adapting and growing with each role.
2. Building a Strong, Strategic Legal Team: From 37 to 100+—Sandrine shares what it took to transform ASML’s legal function into a proactive partner in the business.
3. Authenticity in Leadership: Leading with integrity is non-negotiable for Sandrine, and she talks about the importance of keeping her team motivated and supported.
4. Navigating Cultural Shifts: Moving to a new country and industry brought challenges, but it’s shaped her unique approach to leadership.
5. Preparation and Resilience: Sandrine is big on preparation and resilience, encouraging her team to think ahead and tackle challenges together.

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown is joined by Anoop Joshi, Chief Trust Officer at Trustpilot. Anoop's unique career journey from private practice to leading trust, transparency, and legal operations for one of the world’s leading review platforms offers insights for any lawyer looking to break new ground. With a background that blends law, tech, and business, Anoop shares the key lessons that have shaped his approach to legal practice, leadership, and career growth.

Listen in as Anoop discusses:

• Why project management is a powerful skill for any in-house lawyer, and his approach to making complex projects succeed.
• The importance of broadening one’s perspective and looking beyond traditional legal disciplines.
• The value of defining and sticking to personal principles, even when navigating the complex intersection of law and ethics in tech.

Whether you're curious about the evolving role of legal leadership in the digital age or seeking practical advice on career management, Anoop's journey is filled with valuable takeaways for any legal professional.

Key Takeaways:

1. Project Management as a Career Supercharger: Anoop shares how developing project management skills can set lawyers apart in in-house roles and why empathy and understanding stakeholder needs are vital.
2. Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon: The impact of exposure to various disciplines is a recurring theme, as Anoop reflects on how his non-traditional career path has shaped his approach to law.
3. Stick to Your Principles: Learn why Anoop believes defining and adhering to personal values and professional "red lines" is essential, particularly in high-stakes roles that blend legal and ethical considerations.
4. Bringing Tech to Law: From his days in software engineering to leading Trustpilot’s legal operations, Anoop discusses the benefit of blending tech with legal for greater impact.
5. The Chief Trust Officer Role: Dive into what it means to head up trust and transparency for a platform like Trustpilot, managing everything from content integrity to compliance.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Connect with Anoop Joshi on LinkedIn
• The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
• Lex Fridman Podcast

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown is joined by Nick Raymond, General Counsel for Corporate and Group Functions at Swiss Re, one of the world’s largest reinsurers. Nick shares his unique career journey from private practice at Clifford Chance to leading a global team at Swiss Re, spanning legal functions like M&A, ESG, asset management, and more.

Nick’s reflections on embracing opportunities, lifelong learning, and prioritising team dynamics offer valuable insights for lawyers navigating career growth and leadership challenges.

Listen in as Nick discusses:

• The Role of Luck and Opportunity: Why recognising and seizing opportunities, even when they’re risky, can lead to career breakthroughs.
• Learning from Setbacks: How challenges and failures have helped him grow professionally, and why every experience is a learning opportunity.
• The Power of Teamwork and Fun: Why enjoying your work and fostering a positive team environment is key to long-term success.

Key Takeaways:

• Ride Your Luck: Nick shares how taking risks and being flexible have opened doors in his career, from private practice to managing a global team at Swiss Re.
• Continuous Learning: Adopting a mindset of curiosity and growth has helped Nick adapt and thrive in a complex, ever-changing legal environment.
• Have Fun Along the Way: Nick reflects on the importance of maintaining perspective, building strong team relationships, and not taking yourself too seriously in a demanding profession.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Podcast Recommendation: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
• Book Recommendations:
  • Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Amazon link
  • Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari Amazon link

Whether you’re curious about what it takes to lead a large in-house legal function or seeking career advice on stepping outside your comfort zone, Nick’s journey provides practical and inspiring insights for legal professionals at all stages of their careers.

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, we welcome Aki Hussein, a seasoned legal professional turned founder / entrepreneur. As Chief Legal Officer and Co-Founder of TerraPay, Aki shares his unique journey from Big Law to the bustling streets of Nairobi and eventually to founding an international payments company.

His career exemplifies the intersection of law and entrepreneurship, showcasing how legal expertise can drive impactful innovation.

We delve into how lawyers can harness their training to succeed beyond traditional roles, with actionable insights for legal professionals considering a shift in their career paths.

Key Lessons from Aki:

Focus on the Fruit Flies:

Aki shares how small, seemingly insignificant experiments in life can teach profound lessons.

Bet on Yourself:

Aki encourages legal professionals to trust their instincts and take calculated risks. Drawing from his decision to co-found TerraPay, he highlights how betting on oneself opens doors to creativity and professional growth.

Love vs. Fear:

Aki reflects on how decisions are often rooted in either love or fear. He challenges lawyers to overcome fear-driven mindsets and embrace opportunities for growth and connection.

This is real practical advice for lawyers considering non-traditional career paths, including the importance of incremental steps and self-reflection.

Book and Podcast Recommendations from Aki:

Book: High Output Management by Andy Grove – A tactical guide to systems thinking and team optimisation.

Podcast: The Professor G Podcast by Scott Galloway – An engaging resource for understanding complex topics like AI and market trends, with a dose of humour and practical insights.

About Heriot Brown:
 Lessons I Learned in Law is brought to you by Heriot Brown, the in-house legal recruitment specialists dedicated to helping lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Our mission extends beyond job placements, fostering a vibrant community that connects legal professionals with valuable insights and opportunities.

Subscribe & Share:
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In the final episode of Season 6, Scott Brown is joined by Katja Roth Pellanda, Group General Counsel at Zurich Insurance. Katja shares her journey from a corporate law associate to managing a global legal function of 500+ lawyers.

Her story is a masterclass in career growth, highlighting how being visible, strategic, and vocal can elevate your career.

Key Lessons from Katja:

1. Visibility Matters:
   Early in her career, Katja focused solely on delivering exceptional legal work, believing it would be enough for recognition. However, she realised that visibility and storytelling were equally important for career advancement.
2. Learn to Market Yourself:
   Katja speaks about shifting her mindset to actively communicate her value—not just in the quality of her legal advice, but in demonstrating leadership, innovation, and strategic thinking.
3. Transforming Leadership:
   Katja’s focus on visibility, paired with her curiosity and willingness to tackle challenges, has propelled her into a leadership role, managing a global legal function that spans continents and cultures.

Standout Moments:

• How Katja balances being a strategic leader while fostering a collaborative team culture.
• The innovative initiatives her legal team is implementing, from secondments with UBS to internal leadership programmes.
• Her advice for legal professionals: Be more than a “working bee”—showcase your strategic value.

Katja’s Recommendations:

• Book: Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire by Rebecca Henderson – Insights into integrating sustainability with profitability.
• Podcast: Rethinking by Adam Grant – Thought-provoking conversations on leadership and innovation.

About Heriot Brown:
At Heriot Brown, we help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Beyond recruitment, we foster a thriving community of in-house legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth opportunities.

Mike Sosso, EVP for Legal at BP, joins Scott Brown to discuss his transition from specialist competition lawyer to strategic global leader of a 400-strong legal team.

In this episode, Scott welcomes Mike Sosso, Executive Vice President for Legal (Group GC) at BP, overseeing a global legal team of over 400 professionals. Mike shares candid insights into his journey from an antitrust specialist to one of the most senior legal roles at BP, highlighting how curiosity, allyship, and commercial thinking shaped his leadership style.

Mike’s three powerful lessons focus on embracing curiosity over certainty, becoming genuinely commercial in approach, and proactively owning your career path. He openly discusses how stepping outside his comfort zone and seeking opportunities beyond his specialist background transformed his career trajectory, moving from deep subject expertise to strategic leadership roles across multiple business areas within BP.

Highlights from the conversation include Mike's reflections on the realities of leading a global team, the practical steps he recommends for lawyers aiming to become more commercially minded, and how a pivotal mentorship conversation changed his perspective on career growth. Mike also addresses the importance of allyship and diversity, sharing his personal experience as one of the few openly gay General Counsels at a global corporation, and how active allyship across different communities has influenced his leadership approach.

Mike closes the conversation with insightful recommendations:

Mike’s Recommendations:

• Book: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – an inspiring story offering powerful lessons on teamwork, leadership, and overcoming perceived limitations.
• Podcasts: 
  • Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! (NPR) – A humorous and informative take on current events. 
  • Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris – Practical mindfulness strategies for professionals seeking greater clarity and balance.

About Heriot Brown:

At Heriot Brown, we help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Beyond recruitment, we foster a thriving community of in-house legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth opportunities.

Lessons I Learned in Law with Amos Carrington, General Counsel & Company Secretary at Low Carbon

 Amos Carrington, General Counsel at Low Carbon, talks to Scott Brown about making the leap from private practice to leading a mission-driven renewable energy legal team.

 In this episode, Scott catches up with Amos Carrington, General Counsel at Low Carbon, a fast-growing renewable energy company. Amos shares practical, candid lessons about trusting your instincts, prioritising workplace culture, and seeing feedback as a gift.

He reflects openly on his transition from Herbert Smith Freehills—including his pivotal secondment in Tokyo—to leading an expanding in-house legal team through Low Carbon’s scale-up journey. Amos highlights why culture and mission alignment have been essential to his career fulfilment and shares personal insights from his time abroad and his passion for music.

A great listen for anyone at a career crossroads looking for genuine insights into in-house leadership.

Amos’s Recommendations:

• Podcast: The Age of Longevity – Music industry insights from artists who've stood the test of time.
• Book: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss – An entertaining, timeless cautionary tale on environmental responsibility.

About Heriot Brown:
 
At Heriot Brown, we help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Beyond recruitment, we foster a thriving community of in-house legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth opportunities.

Daniel Winterfeldt, General Counsel for EMEA and Asia at Jefferies, shares his powerful journey from Wall Street to London and from capital markets partner to in-house legal leader and diversity champion.

In this candid conversation, Daniel opens up about his early experiences as an openly gay lawyer navigating the stark culture shock of moving from New York to London in the early 2000s — a time when being out in the legal profession was far from the norm. This culture gap eventually led him to found the Interlaw Diversity Forum, a not-for-profit organisation driving inclusion, equity, and culture change in the legal sector for the past 17 years.

Daniel’s lessons are deeply human and widely applicable: the importance of putting people first in any legal function; how knowing what you don’t know is just as important as what you do; and why every problem has a solution — even if it’s not the one you expected.

This episode is packed with insight for anyone navigating leadership, career growth, or the structural challenges of the legal industry. Daniel also shares details of Interlaw’s Inclusive Recruitment Toolkit — a free, open-source guide every hiring manager should read — and some great podcast recommendations to expand your thinking.

Guest Recommendations:

• The Rest is Politics: US — Behind-the-scenes takes on US politics with Anthony Scaramucci & Katty Kay
• Blow Up — A behind-the-scenes deep dive into 90s fashion magazine culture
• Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell — Thought-provoking takes on overlooked stories and misunderstood moments

About Heriot Brown:

 At Heriot Brown, we help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Beyond recruitment, we foster a thriving community of in-house legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth opportunities.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Jules O'Riordan, aka Judge Jules. Jules is Partner at Music and Entertainment specialists, Sound Advice LLP. 
 
Alongside the likes of Carl Cox, Paul Van Dyk and Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules was one of the early superstar DJs in the 1990s. His music career has included top 40 records, music promotion, a show for 15 years on BBC Radio 1 which was a staple for kickstarting a Saturday nights for a generation, and being flown all over the world to play music at huge dance festivals. 

He is also one of our own! In his 40s, he decided to upskill and qualified as a lawyer. He is currently Partner at Sound Advice where he specializes in Music and Entertainment and still manages to balance this with being at the top of his game as an International DJ at the weekend! Jules shares his passions for both music and law and how he transitions between the two seemingly polar opposite worlds!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Steven Berry.

Steven is the Legal Director for the European Nuclear & Power and Aerospace, Defence, Security and Technology businesses of SNC-Lavalin. SNC-Lavalin is a Canadian headquartered company that provides engineering, procurement, and construction services across a variety of sectors. Steven qualified in private practice with Speechly Bircham (which is now part of Charles Russell Speechlys) before moving in-house to Atkins (now part of the SNC-Lavalin group). 

Steven shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Be bold enough to follow opportunities that align with your career interests.
• It’s important that lawyers are people too, so bring your personality and your whole self to work.
• Be prepared to take action, if you think there’s room for improvement in an organisation.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Jayne Bowie, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Amey PLC.  Jayne leads the Legal and Corporate Services team, advising the business on all legal and corporate governance matters. Jayne has led the team on complex litigation and key M&A opportunities. She has also facilitated a closer relationship between the commercial, risk and legal functions.

Jayne shares the lessons she learned in law including:

• Surround yourself with a great team - you’re only as strong as your collective team.
• Your legal skills are extremely transferrable – not just across the different areas of legal specialism but also across different disciplines within a business.
• It’s important to be flexible, and willing to adapt to change.

Jayne also reveals her fascinating ancestral connection to Japanese Samurais, and details her hobbies and passions outside of work.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Charlotte Pham, Lead Commercial Counsel for the EMEA team at TikTok.

Charlotte is an experienced lawyer working in global technology and content businesses. Charlotte has built and led teams inside hypergrowth businesses working with China and the US. 

She is also Founder of the Mary Keller Network for Women in Technology, Tech London Advocate and previously a legal mentor at Rise London.

Charlotte shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Keep going ‘til you find the right environment for you!
• Look for the opportunity in everything, and make the most of every situation.
• Build relationships above all else. The time you invest in people will pay dividends.

Charlotte also describes what it was like working for Tik Tok during its explosion into the mainstream.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Richard Mabey, Co-Founder and CEO of Juro. Juro is an all-in-one contract automation platform that helps legal counsel and their teams agree to manage contracts in one unified workspace.  

Richard shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Keep it simple and really understand the problem you are trying to solve.
• Love the details. Increasing the level of attention and craft put into a project will generate greater returns.
• Trust and deliver. Focus on results, but be flexible in how they are achieved.

Richard also reveals why he thinks Microsoft Word is hugely unhelpful in the legal profession and should be confined to the depths of Room 101.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks with TikTok sensation Alex Su.

Alex is a former lawyer who now works at the cutting edge of legal technology. He is currently Head of Community Development at Ironclad, a contracts technology company backed by Accel, Sequoia, and other leading investors. 

He is also @legaltechbro on Tik Tok, where he makes hilarious videos observing and poking fun at the legal industry. A must follow for in-house lawyers! He started his career as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell and clerked for a federal judge.

Alex shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• Know your strengths and weaknesses, and find yourself a role that best compliments them.
• Keep your eyes open for opportunities.
• Be aware of what the world is telling you in terms of feedback. Follow what works for you!

Alex also talks about his jump from BigLaw into the world of legaltech and sales!

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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• Sometimes the law doesn't always deliver what clients are looking for. As a lawyer, try and identify a clients’ wider needs beyond simply the solution to a legal problem.
• Be honest about your mistakes. The earlier you try to rectify them, the better. Learn from them and move forward.
• Have the courage to move on. Be honest with yourself if your current role doesn’t feel right for you, and be open to opportunities to seek out a better fit.

Elizabeth also reveals how the support that people sought through LawCare was affected by the pandemic, and how workplaces are changing to better support and retain people.

LawCare is an independent charity offering emotional support, information and training to the legal community in the UK.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Rachael Carolan.

Rachael is currently General Counsel and Director of Policy at London Based technology company what3words. Rachael was the company's first lawyer and has been responsible for setting up and growing the legal function. She qualified at Herbert Smith Freehills and moved in-house on qualification to Accenture and also spent time at 2 of London’s hottest startups, GoCardless and Deliveroo.

Rachael shares the three lessons she has learned in law including:

• Create your own path, rather than trying to follow a traditional one.
• It’s possible to add value as an in-house legal counsel, beyond the traditional legal role.
• In a B2C company, try to make legal part of the brand identity.

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott Brown speaks to Sterling Miller, author of the award-winning legal blog “Ten Things You Need to Know as In-House Counsel”. The blog could be a "how to" guide for In-House lawyers everywhere.
 
He is a three-time general counsel having served in that role at Silicon Valley-based Marketo Inc, including involvement in its sale to Adobe in 2019, and at Texas-based travel industry giants Sabre Corporation and Travelocity.com.

He is also the author of five books published by the American Bar Association and based on the blog.

Sterling shares the three lessons he has learned in law including:

• No-one is indispensable, so never get too comfortable and always keep grinding!
• Edit, be practical and ensure your written content is concise and easy to understand.
• Legal doesn’t run the business; the department exists to support the operation.

Follow Sterling Miller on LinkedIn or Twitter

Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.

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