Apax regular Stephen Lloyd is a partner in Ashurst's much-touted private equity team.

Why did you become a lawyer?

After university, someone told me I could be a student for two more years and get paid for it – I thought, "what can possibly go wrong?"

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

American clients – if you can meet their expectations you can meet anyone's.

What's your proudest professional moment?

I am not going to tell you what they were, but one of the all-time highs and an all-time low (in that order) actually came within about 10 minutes of each other – my trainee said: "Blimey, it's a rollercoaster ride, isn't it!"

…and worst day on the job?

See above.

Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why?

Mike Francies at Weil Gotshal & Manges – as well as a formidable lawyer, he is a thoroughly nice guy.

What's your strongest characteristic… and worst trait?

I am (apparently) rather driven… although sadly this hasn't led me to improve what my friends call my "Eighties dancing".

How do you think assistants in your team view you?

Hopefully approachable – I think that I ask for their advice as much as they ask for mine.

What will be the most significant market trend in terms of your practice area over the next 12 months?

Private equity funds will have to be increasingly open as they aim to acquire the biggest household name targets.

What's the best part of your job?

When clients value your commercial opinion rather than simply wanting legal advice.

What most annoys you about the legal profession?

I like my job and I like most of the people I work with; I don't worry too much about the profession beyond that.

Why does Charlie Geffen still look so suspiciously young – are we relying on an out-of-date photo, has there been any surgical intervention, or is there a haggard old portrait of him in the attic?

It is top secret but he no longer actually exists – we had him stuffed in the late 1980s.

What's the silliest bit of private equity jargon you've heard?

There is plenty of silly jargon in private equity, but I recently heard (on a tax structuring call): "There are some burrs under the saddle on that one, I still need to see the wiring and plumbing." Naturally, I put the phone on mute and shouted: "House!"

What's your strongest card — technical wizardry or smooth client skills?

A big part of my job is interpreting the specialist advice to the client and filtering out the things that the client doesn't care about. So I suppose it would have to be the latter.

What advice would you give to young deal lawyers starting out?

What goes around comes around. If you don't treat someone on the other side of a deal fairly, it is inevitable that they will remember that when they reappear one day as a client.

What is the most common misconception trainees have about Ashurst before they arrive?

They often say they are choosing us rather than a 'big' firm – we are pretty big these days.

Why should aspiring lawyers be looking to join your firm?

The firm is doing fantastically well at the moment and that makes it an exciting place to be.

Who is Ashurst's funniest partner?

David Carter.

What would you do if you hadn't become a lawyer?

My ISCO careers tests at school said I was ideally suited to being a prison guard. I got the same result twice.

Looking to the future, where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

If things go well, here. If not, presumably I will be running Cell Block H.

What's your favourite item of clothing?

I have a hat which I like a lot (but I never wear hats).

What would you put on your tombstone?

It was fun while it lasted.

What's your favourite cheese?

It has to be Parmesan. I keep a big slice in the fridge and snack on it in the middle of the night.

Dealmaker returns in two weeks.