Chair of Blake Morgan, London
I was managing partner of Piper Smith Watton when it merged with Blake Morgan a decade ago. We chose to merge to support the continued growth of our firm. The timing was in part dictated by the lease coming to an end for our office in SW1, which inspired conversations about the next decade.
Typically, the expectation for a City law firm such as Piper Smith Watton is to choose another London-based firm to join with. While we were open to this, our priority was to merge with a firm that matched our positive and inclusive culture. Our senior team travelled all over having conversations with a mix of London-based firms, and firms with a national reach and regional presence. We spent a lot of time getting under the skin of their businesses. Blake Morgan stood out.
Many law firm mergers fail. I believe it was the clarity over what matters from an early stage that has made us one of the exceptions. Because of the focus on culture and time spent on integration, we quickly became one firm. I feel fortunate that the decision was a success and that I am now chair at Blake Morgan.
At Blake Morgan, we believe in the importance of being a ‘responsible business’. One that both recognises that organisations have the capacity to do a tremendous amount of good – for clients, employees and wider communities – and, crucially, acts upon it. This was inspired by a formative project at the Jamaica Council for Human Rights while I was a law student at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Working with the pro bono arms of City law firms to support individuals on death row, my summer in Jamaica fuelled an understanding of those firms that work with charities and support individuals who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice in the system.
'For firms to grow and succeed, we have to think like a business. My MBA gave me the tools to combine my legal acumen with the essential commercial perspective for success. These are the ‘law plus’ skills'
This experience sticks with me even now as chair of a law firm. It feeds into one of the many reasons why, despite global trends in recent years pushing against these objectives, I’m proud that we’ve been able to double down on our commitments to championing EDI, social value and ESG.
I completed an MBA in law firm management in 2005, when I was already a partner. I’ve always been interested in the commercial side of firms. As lawyers, we are of course focused on providing sound legal advice to clients, but for firms to grow and succeed, we have to think like a business. The MBA gave me the tools to combine my legal acumen with the essential commercial perspective for success. These are the ‘law plus’ skills that include a clear understanding of people management, change management and solid business instincts.
I have drawn on the knowledge I gained from the MBA, alongside my experience, as I’ve developed my management style. My dissertation was on law firm mergers, which set me up well for leading the merger with Blake Morgan 10 years later.
In many ways, the approach I take as chair ties into my specialism as head of private client at Blake Morgan. In the private client field, being able to build personal and professional relationships with clients and understand their personal needs has a clear read-across to respecting and responding to the needs of my colleagues.
When I started my career, private client lawyers would sell services like products - for example, a fixed-fee will. However, it has become much more about understanding the wider context for the client and their families, and building a relationship with them over many years. Private clients often need wider legal support. A real advantage of being part of a full-service law firm like Blake Morgan is that there are so many specialist lawyers across other practice areas I can introduce clients to.
Management is an essential part of being a good lawyer. It is a profession and a business, so management is not optional. This doesn’t always mean managing other people, but it does mean playing your role in the firm and taking a share of responsibility for its success. Self-leadership is key. There are plenty of ways to do this – from supporting your firm’s external profile at a networking event to running a training session for colleagues. I’d advise lawyers to say ‘yes’ to new experiences and never stop learning.
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