About

Team size: 18
Major law firms used: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, Hogan Lovells

Originally featuring as a Rising Star in the 2014 GC Powerlist, The Crown Estate GC Rob Booth has gone on to establish himself as one of the most well-respected in-house legal chiefs in the UK.

In particular, he has garnered a reputation for being at the forefront of tech and innovation in in-house law. In 2018, he introduced an initiative called The Bionic Lawyer Project, which seeks to drive extra value and competitiveness from The Crown Estate’s panel law firms.

This came after a year spent speaking to other GCs as well as legal technologists, investors and people outside the legal industry to crowdsource ideas.

Booth comments: ‘We think we buy as well as we can and have a roster of firms we really respect. It’s finding the things that are going to continue to push competitive advantage.’

He argues that it is not just a case of being demanding, as his firms have contributed to the project: ‘They have been amazing. I built it with them.’

Hogan Lovells partner Charles Brasted argues Booth is an ‘example of someone who brings the law into the boardroom.’ He adds: ‘The way in which he instructs lawyers and presents the business to the outside world – he is an incredibly value-driven leader. His leadership is very much based on the values of The Crown Estate.’