What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

I have a key role on Reach’s Executive Committee, directly shaping strategy while leading legal and regulatory matters with significant business impact.

A key focus last year has been resolving the long-running phone-hacking litigation, a matter that had dominated the company’s risk profile for more than a decade. On taking up the role of GC, I took a fresh approach persuading the Board to shift from a reactive stance to a resolution-focused strategy, which has paid dividends. By navigating sensitive negotiations and aligning multiple stakeholders, we’ve resolved a large number of the claims, and effectively ended new claims, reducing future legal exposure, and unlocking cash flow previously tied up in liabilities, thereby improving operating margins and freeing capital for reinvestment.

I also handled a complex legacy Barber issue within one of Reach’s pension schemes. (Barber is a ruling which stated that Trustees must pay equal or comparable benefits to men and women). The resolution of this matter has paved the way for the scheme’s buyout, strengthening the balance sheet and providing long term certainty for members.

In parallel, I advised on two CMA Phase 1 investigations into proposed mergers in our sector, ensuring that the company’s concerns, and the impact of proposals on the sector as a whole, were well understood by regulators.

Beyond litigation and regulation, I spearheaded the rollout of AI tools across the business, embedding governance frameworks that balance innovation with legal and ethical safeguards. I also advised on the expansion of Reach’s publishing portfolio in the US with Spanish-language editions, a first step to our opening new markets in Spanish speaking countries and diversifying revenues.

Together, these projects reduced obligations, improved cash flow, and supported growth; demonstrating how a forward-thinking legal strategy creates measurable strategic and financial value.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

Several cases have shaped both my development and the wider media landscape.

Early in my career, I defended The Independent on Sunday and The Observer in reporting a large-scale child abuse scandal in North Wales. The subsequent libel action ultimately led to the Waterhouse Inquiry, multiple convictions, and reforms to institutional safeguarding.

I also defended The Guardian’s reporting on Parliamentary corruption, resulting in the Downey Inquiry and the resignation of two MPs accused of accepting cash for raising questions in the Parliament. In another case, I represented The Guardian in a libel action over alleged institutionalised police corruption in Stoke Newington, this case setting an important legal precedent by establishing a qualified privilege defence, strengthening protections for public-interest journalism.

Beyond litigation, I shaped press regulation during my time at the Newspaper Society, helping with the formation of IPSO and training national and regional media outlets, laying foundations for greater public trust in newspaper reporting.

These experiences taught me that high-level lawyering is about the ripple effect on law, policy, and society. They reinforced the value of trust, communication, and principled decision-making, qualities that continue to guide my approach as a General Counsel today.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Modern in-house counsel must be true business partners; anticipating risks, moving quickly, and providing pragmatic, solution-oriented advice that enables progress. Adaptability, speed, and a strong ethical compass are essential, especially in an environment of heightened scrutiny, and good communication skills are paramount. Genuinely understanding the company’s strategic imperatives and using the law as a tool to help them accomplish these, rather than a barrier to progress is fundamental.

A recent example was changing the approach to Reach’s phone-hacking litigation, after almost a decade of entrenched strategy, by building trust with the Board and securing alignment across senior stakeholders. This allowed the adoption of new ways of working that mitigated legal risk while unlocking significant operational and financial benefits.

Ultimately, the role is about combining legal expertise with strategic insight, helping shape the organisation’s future while ensuring the law remains an enabler for doing what is right.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

Social mobility is deeply personal to me. Having spent part of my childhood in foster care and being one of the first generation in my adopted family to attend university, I know first-hand how systemic barriers can hold back talented individuals.

I volunteer as a mentor, speak in schools and universities, and create practical pathways into the profession. Within Reach, I supported a graduate to qualify via the SQE route, offering qualifying work experience and paid study leave. I’ve also collaborated with our panel firms to broaden development opportunities for early-career lawyers.

For me, this is both a moral imperative and essential for building a more diverse and resilient profession. That commitment shapes how I lead my team; championing talent, potential, and inclusion at every level.