<strong>What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that you have been involved in?</strong>

Throughout my career, I have been involved in a range of strategic and complex matters spanning regulatory issues, significant corporate transactions, strategic opportunities and turnaround situations.

I began my career in private practice before moving into my first in-house legal role with Stobart Group. I subsequently joined boohoo Group PLC, where I progressed through a number of roles and ultimately became General Counsel and Company Secretary. I then recently moved to KCR Retail, continuing to build on my experience as a senior in-house legal leader.

I have played a central role in supporting businesses through periods of significant change and transformation. Key matters have included advising both private and public companies on a rebrands, M&A, refinancing initiatives, equity raises, strategic commercial projects, international restructures and complex regulatory matters.

My work has often involved managing matters with significant commercial, financial, reputational and regulatory considerations, working closely with finance, communications and executive leadership teams. I have particularly enjoyed operating in fast-paced and challenging environments, providing pragmatic legal and strategic advice while helping businesses navigate change, manage risk and identify opportunities for growth.

As the legal landscape evolves, what steps are you taking to foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the legal team, ensuring that they are all well-equipped to address future legal complexities?

I am passionate about continuous learning and development within an in-house legal team. It is something I feel particularly strongly about because it has been central to my own career trajectory. By developing both my legal and commercial skills, I was able to progress to General Counsel relatively quickly, and that experience strongly shapes my approach to developing and leading teams today.

I actively encourage discussion, learning and, importantly, speaking up. I am a firm believer that people develop most effectively through exposure to a broad and diverse range of work, taking ownership of matters, working collaboratively with the wider business.

I also make a conscious effort to create opportunities for knowledge sharing across the team, whether through regular discussions, sharing lessons learned from matters or encouraging individuals to share their particular areas of expertise.

Ultimately, I am a strong believer in creating an environment where curiosity, learning and collaboration are embedded in the culture of the team. I am naturally curious myself and continue to ask questions myself and learn every day, and I think it is important as a leader to model that behaviour and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable doing the same.

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

From my perspective, particularly in an entrepreneurial business like KCR, some of the most important attributes are agility, commercial awareness and the ability to operate at pace.

Businesses going through growth move quickly and do not want to be slowed down by process or overly cautious advice. You will also be dealing with a wide range of personalities and different parts of the business, so the ability to communicate effectively, liaise with stakeholders and empathise with diverse perspectives is essential. It is important to learn how to move at the pace of the business, adapt your advice and style accordingly, and ensure your input is practical, efficient and solutions focused.

It is very easy for legal teams to be seen as blockers and drains, so you have to work hard to be seen as and acting as an enabler whilst ensuring that risks are properly managed, but doing so in a way that supports the commercial objectives of the business.

For me, an important part of that is maintaining a seat at the commercial and executive table. This is where decisions are being shaped, not over emails or memos! Be visible, accessible and commercially engaged.