The Bar
Atkin Chambers’ David Barnes talks to Bar editor John van der Luit-Drummond about the ever-increasing movement of barristers, why good clerks are in demand, wellbeing in chambers, and why the Bar can’t afford to rest on its laurels
How have the roles of senior clerk and chief executive changed/evolved during your time in chambers? Roles have had to evolve in response to the changes in the commercial environment in which barristers’ chambers operate. I started my career in the early 1980s and at that time there were no titles such as CEO. The …
Continue reading “There is a war for talent”
Interview with...
King & Wood Mallesons China’s managing partner talks ensuring continuity of client service, taking a people-oriented approach in management, and says associates must stay hungry and foolish to make partner
How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? If I had to summarise our culture in one word it would be collaboration. By that I mean not only collaboration internally and with clients, but also with other professionals, including from other law firms. Client-centric, commitment and dedication, collaboration and …
Continue reading “Wang Ling: Dare to tackle new areas”
Interview with...
The managing partner of Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ Hong Kong office talks about structural pressures, predictions for Asia’s financial hub, the link between talent retention and transparency, and how a ping pong table helps bring his team together
How would you define your firm’s culture, and how important is that culture to you? Weil has been and continues to be a first-mover in partnering with clients to understand the full picture of their needs and help them achieve strategic goals; as a pioneer in numerous fields such as restructuring, private equity, patent litigation, …
Continue reading “Tim Gardner: Belief in a single-minded focus”
The Bar
Steven Fennell, company and insolvency specialist,
Exchange Chambers (Call 2014; Solicitor 1996)
My route into law started with a training contract in 1994. Before then, I completed a postgraduate degree and taught at a university for a few years. I decided to go into practice because academia wasn’t as interesting or rewarding as I thought it would be and even then, the system seemed to be offering …
Continue reading “Exchanging places”
Interview with...
Stewarts’ head of financial crime talks trading chambers for a law firm environment, the challenges ahead for the criminal Bar, and the current trends in financial crime
Why did you decide to leave the independent Bar and 2 Bedford Row to become a partner at Stewarts? At the Bar, I was involved in many large cases working as part of a large legal team. Over time, I realised that I enjoyed running these teams and empowering the other professionals I worked with. …
Continue reading “Richard Kovalevsky QC: We are in for a buoyant period”
The Bar
Bill Braithwaite QC, head of Exchange Chambers
For many years there has been talk about the amalgamation of the solicitors’ and barristers’ professions; a fused profession, a one-stop shop, and so on. It seems to have gone quiet at the moment, but maybe that’s because it’s happening stealthily! Some of our most successful barristers (over 10%) are former solicitors, and it’s fascinating …
Continue reading “Making a successful transition”
Interview with...
Eversheds Sutherlands’ European managing partner talks about her new role, continental growth, cultural alignment, and challenges facing the real estate world
What are you planning to focus on in your new role as European managing partner? This is a really exciting time to take on this role. Eversheds Sutherland is going through a period of growth and investment across our European business. For example, in Germany and the Netherlands in the past six months we have …
Continue reading “Helen Thomas: Without a planet, all this tech is pointless”
Interview with...
Pinheiro Neto Advogados’ managing partner discusses Brazil’s economic uncertainty, how technology is forcing lawyers out of their comfort zone, and why there is no magic formula for talent retention
How would you define your firm’s culture? The most important thing in a firm is culture because it is a singular factor in these days of greater dissemination of knowledge and access to national and international good practices. We have a distinct culture because we are both traditional and modern at the same time, and …
Continue reading “Alexandre Bertoldi: Every plan is a big bet”
