Bird & Bird commercial partner Simon Shooter on Latin proverbs, fly fishing and the 2:30 at Kempton

What's the closest you have come to doing something other than law? I came within a trice of becoming a soldier, then my mother found my letter of acceptance to university and the chance of escape was gone forever.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? My children, as they make retirement to a riverbank a dim possibility.

What's your proudest professional moment? Being right – see answer to next question.

…and worst day on the job? On my second day of qualification I was told by my client on the phone from the US at 3am that he hoped I had got the right answer to their problem as, if not, 250 people would be out of work the next day. It was a sobering moment.

Aside from your clients, which business figure do you most admire and why? Carphone Warehouse co-founder and chief executive Charles Dunstone for seeing the opportunity like the rest of us but actually doing something about it – unlike the majority of the rest of us.

What's the best book you've ever read on business? Liar's Poker.

What's the worst character trait of the archetypal commercial lawyer? An unshakeable belief in their own infallibility.

Has the recession changed the face of the legal profession? Just a tad. What price now for a derivatives specialist?

To what extent do you think the legal profession needs to change over the next 20 years? Twenty years is one heck of a long time. If the profession doesn't change significantly in that time it will surely no longer exist.

What most annoys you about the banking profession? The fact they can afford cars that I can't.

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

What's your motto? Dum spiro spero – while I breathe, I hope.

Most memorable deal you ever have worked on and why? A matter I am working on at the moment, as it combines racing cars and IT – if it could also include fly fishing, food and wine it could reach perfection.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? 'The four nuns'. In my deafness I misunderstood a Northern Irish client's reference to the "four nines" as a service level – when I realised my mistake and resolved my confusion the whole room wept. I have now adopted the term.

What will be the most significant market trend in terms of your practice
area over the next 12 months? Dear Santa – please bring us a sled-load of outsourcing.

What's your favourite fictional representation of a lawyer and why? This Life – it bore very little relevance to my early years in the law and made me wonder what I was missing and why.

To what extent would you agree with the following statement: 'Ally McBeal was a crime against a) the legal profession, b) television, c) the public'? I disagree entirely – it amused some, bemused others and irritated many, much like the legal profession.

Do you consider yourself a risk-taker? What's the biggest risk you have ever taken? Not really – £25 each way on the 2:30 at Kempton.

Favourite lawyer joke? What's black and tan and looks good on a lawyer ? A Doberman.

Do you see yourself as managing partner material? Certainly.

What's your favourite cheese? Lancashire poacher – provided it accompanies Chorley cakes.