Why did you become a lawyer?
I was advised pretty early on that law or accountancy would be good platforms from which to do other things. As I find maths a challenge, law seemed obvious. In the event, I didn’t use law as a platform, but stuck with it.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
Peter Turnbull, who was head of the company department throughout my time in the firm until he retired in 2000. Any number of Macfarlanes partners, ex-partners and alumnae will tell you he was incomparable and is much missed. He laid the foundations for our success in private equity (deals and funds) and M&A.
What’s your proudest professional moment?
Pride — seventh of the deadly sins and not one to admit to. I’d happily admit, however, to taking pride in becoming a partner in the firm and in a number of the deals. Examples would be the acquisition of Allied Domecq for Pernod Ricard, which was long in the making and complex; and the pre-conditional scheme agreed between CSN and Corus at the end of last year, which was novel and tactically very helpful to CSN.
Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why?
Steven Turnbull — no relation to Peter. We worked together quite a bit in the two years before I became a partner and in the following few years. Steven may not have the profile of some Links partners, but he is a truly excellent lawyer, generous to a fault and a consummate professional. I learned a great deal from him.
What’s the best part of your job?
Winning new work, forging relationships and justifying the faith shown in my team — in essence, the people.
As a public M&A man, do you ever get sick of people going on about the firm’s private equity work?
Not at all; in any event, I’m not sure the distinction between private equity and public M&A holds water any more. These days, private equity houses are players or competitive threats in a pretty high proportion of public M&A situations.
What is the most common misconception trainees have about the firm?
These days, trainees are very clued up. That said, new arrivals are often surprised how hard we work and the obsession with the quality of our work product.
How do you think assistants in your team view you?
I asked one of them this morning and was flattered with “exacting, astute, supportive and intuitive”. I thought it best to make no further enquiries.
What advice would you give to young lawyers starting out?
Get as broad an education as possible. Clients need help with all sorts of situations, not just deals. Long hours are inevitable (get a chair that doesn’t ruin your back), but it’s a marathon so pace yourself, maintain perspective and while it is a serious business, you still need a sense of humour. It is best not to be fixed on doing ‘big’ deals; modest deals are likely to matter just as much, if not more, to the client and often set greater challenges. Most importantly, we all need people to help us (colleagues, clients, other professionals), so look out for the ones that can help you.
What is your favourite joke?
I love jokes, but am not one of those people with a ready favourite. I rely on one of my litigation partners, Willie Manners, to keep me supplied.
What most annoys you about the legal profession?
Not much really. I like being a lawyer.
What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
It’s a bit late to be changing course at this stage and I suspect deal lawyers are not particularly good at anything else. If, however, I were to start again and possibly make a career out of a pastime then it would be something outdoors — up a mountain or on water. If stuck indoors, a football commentator. If we get into the realms of fantasy, the Arsenal No. 4 shirt.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I’ve been pretty focused and need to remain pretty focused so I haven’t given the subject any serious thought. My children will be at university when I’m 54 so, provided I can make a worthwhile contribution, I’ll still be looking after clients. At 44, 54 seems a very long way away.
What’s your favourite cheese?
The best cheesemaker in the world is a Devon-based man named Robin Congdon and his best cheese is Harbourne Blue. His others are delicious too. Anyone wishing to test me on this should visit Rippon Cheese Stores,
Dealmaker returns in two weeks.
