Rob Booth is the legal guardian of a substantial part of The Queen's UK property portfolio. Just 34 when he took up the role of GC at The Crown Estate in 2016, Booth holds legal responsibility for the company's £14 billion of property assets. The portfolio includes London's Regent Street, much of St James's and about 340,000 acres of rural land. Before his current role, he was head of legal, having joined the company in 2012.

Here, he talks to Legal Week about who has inspired him during his career, his memory of the 2005 London bombings, his favoured law firms, and his love of Game of Thrones.

Why did you become a lawyer?

Looking back, it seems almost inevitable that I would make the choices I did and end up where I am today – 20:20 hindsight is seductive in doing that. But the 'why' grew on me over time and all I can say is that the more I scratched beneath the surface, the easier the decisions became.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

I can't narrow this to one, and five is as low as I can go. So very briefly: my wife for forcing me to be brave; Alex Peeke [Landsecurities head of legal] for defining class and decency; Nicholas Cheffings [Hogan Lovells former chairman] for giving me a glimpse of the leader I would like to be; Srin Madipalli [Airbnb project manager] for entirely removing the concept of boundaries; and Dame Alison Nimmo [Crown Estate chief executive] for her faith in a young general counsel.

What's your proudest professional moment?

Helping the UK Government to devolve The Crown Estate's activities in Scotland to the Scottish ministers. While a third of a billion pound statutory demerger might not hit the 'mega-deal' scale, being involved in that process stretched me so far beyond the humble property lawyer who joined The Crown Estate. It was a privilege to be involved from the beginning to the end and to see it work so well.

What's the worst thing that's happened to you while on the job?

The darkest point was being in the City as a trainee on the day of the July 7 bombings in 2005. Witnessing an event of such cowardice – while huddled with my colleagues in the central core of a building – will live with me forever. But if ever you needed a reminder of why the rule of law and societal inclusion are so utterly fundamental, that was it. I'm proud to be part of a profession and a city that would never let events like that diminish or toxify our values.

What's your strongest characteristic?

I'm pathologically incapable of staying in my box, and question everything.

… and most unfavourable trait?

I'm pathologically incapable of staying in my box, and question everything.

What advice would you give to young lawyers starting out?

Be excited by the huge potential the world presents to you and be a 'spanner'. Span the boundaries of the legal industry and bring back knowledge and experience that will make your perspective unique.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best thing is undoubtedly my team – every day, I find myself both delighted and relieved that they consent to my leading them. The worst thing is having to prioritise and choose what I get involved in – if I could borrow Hermione from Harry Potter's [time-turning] watch, I would gladly use it.

What is the most common mistake that external counsel make when dealing with you?

The biggest mistake counsel make with me and my team, is failing to listen. We try super hard to be clear on what we are looking for and to allow providers to give of their best. Many still think they can succeed with something less than a responsive, thoughtful and bespoke offering. They can't.

In your experience, how much difference is there in quality between different law firms?

The quality difference is vast – but there are an increasing number of firms that are doing the 'outside-in' thinking needed to make a service special.

Which are your favoured law firms?

My team's purpose demands that we work singlemindedly to find a select group of firms to partner with. All of those firms deserve recognition, so: Hogan Lovells, BCLP, CMS, Womble Bond Dickinson, Burges Salmon, Forsters, and Cripps Pemberton Greenish.

How does working in-house compare with private practice?

I have enjoyed both immensely – but in my in-house role I am embedded in the strategy and structure of a £14.1bn property company, operating alongside my board and exco. The sense of ownership and pride that presents is something that I value above anything I experienced in private practice.

What do you hope to do when you retire?

If I learn something meaningful in my career, then I would love to mentor or teach.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard?

It really annoys me when powerful concepts like 'innovation' and 'collaboration' are horribly misdefined and appropriated by marketing teams. It seems to me that it is a real art to make something compelling into something daft.

What's the most outdated thing you've experienced in the industry?

An ongoing assertion that the issues facing our industry – especially: diversity, inclusion, mental health, and wellbeing – are terribly difficult or even impossible issues to solve.

… and the most innovative?

The most innovative things I see are still outside our industry – but I think the tipping point has come and I have huge confidence in what the next few years will bring.

How many all-nighters do you tend to do per year?

My last all-nighter was driven entirely by a one-week-old… and he's now four.

Have you ever broken the law?

I'm reliably informed that my singing voice is a crime..?

Describe your commute in 10 words or less

A Brompton is a design classic and an engineering marvel.

How many unread emails do you have in your inbox?

3,332… yikes! Let's hope they're all spam…

Favourite boxset(s)?

Game of Thrones. For its rampant escapism and in no way connected to the fact that my ultimate boss is The Queen…

Favourite pastime?

My wonderful children – except when they are being awful; and then it is probably the relaxing influence that is my garden.

Have you ever had a spiritual experience?

The fact that I had to think about this probably means the answer is 'no'.

What would your motto be?

"I have a voice and will use it to challenge the status quo." I suspect that would sound snappier if it was all in Latin…