He's stumped by basic sartorial questions but Gareth Edwards still heads Pinsents' corporate practice

Why did you become a lawyer?

I was working in Germany during a gap year. The best mate of my employer was a lawyer. Every Friday night he would drop in for a couple of beers and after several months of beer and chats, he persuaded me (or I persuaded myself) that law looked like fun.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

It is difficult to name one person. The partners I worked for when I was an assistant all had an effect on my outcome as a lawyer, both positively and negatively.

What's your proudest professional moment?

Winning my first client and thinking: 'Amazing , I can do it!'.

… and worst day on the job?

Being newly-qualified and overseeing the creation of a completion bible for a very important client, which ended up with half the pages upside down. The partner had a short temper and threw it out of the 7th floor window.

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

Neil Hyman of Slaughters for his ability to stay calm in a tempest and calm others.

What's your strongest characteristic… and worst trait?

Commitment to the client and the job, in focusing on getting the job done. That is also my worst trait – it drives my wife bonkers.

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

Be prepared to work very hard but never lose your sense of perspective or your sense of humour.

What's the best part of your job?

The completion of a long and difficult deal.

What's the toughest ethical/moral dilemma your job has ever presented you with?

I don't recall a situation where the right course of action was not clear.

What most annoys you about the legal profession?

Lawyers taking irrelevant points to demonstrate their intimate knowledge of arcane areas of law – life is too short.

What's your strongest card – technical wizardry or smooth client skills (you can only pick one)?

Cutting through to the real issues in a deal rather than getting bogged down in trivia. [Having picked neither, Deal Week is going to call that technical wizardry.]

What's the worst corporate event you've ever attended?

Cheesemaking for beginners – I could not get the smell off my hands for days.

Most memorable deal you ever have worked on and why?

The last deal is always the most memorable.

Who is Pinsents' funniest partner?

Martin Webster – he can even make anti-money laundering regulations sound amusing.

As head of corporate, where do you see the firm's M&A practice going over the next three years?

Increasingly international, both in terms of the nature of our client base and our offices.

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

Dealing with the downturn and looking for different sources of capital, deals and spotting the restructuring opportunities before they become insolvency opportunities.

Do you see yourself having a career outside law?

Yes but not one job. I would look for more of a portfolio of jobs to replicate the variety of businesses and issues you come across as a corporate lawyer – that's what makes it interesting.

What's your favourite item of clothing?

Eh?

What's your favourite cheese?

Depends on my mood – it can go from St Agur to aged Edam.