Linklaters corporate partner Tom Shropshire reflects on the agony of choice and listening to Mom

What's the closest you have come to doing something other than law? I crossed the "chasm" early in my professional life when I was in strategic planning and business development for Philip Morris at its headquarters in New York. I spent lots of time in darkened meeting rooms plotting the fate of the free world. Not much has changed, except my job as a corporate lawyer makes it slightly less awkward for my kids to answer the question, "What does your dad do?"

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Without question, my mother. I was only presented with three alternatives growing up: doctor, lawyer or PhD – and the other two were just so I wouldn't think I didn't have options. She grew up in the Southern US during the first half of the 20th century, which didn't present many opportunities for African Americans except those you made for yourself. Both my parents built their careers from scratch and wanted me to have control over my career and professional options and my mother in particular felt being a lawyer would give me that ability.

What's your proudest professional moment? The first time I walked into the office after being elected a partner. It was something that I had worked long and hard for and when I entered the building, I had a moment when the feelings of pride, accomplishment and relief all came together.

…and worst day on the job? During the internet boom, walking a soon-to-be millionaire through a directors' and officers' questionnaire prior to the IPO of his company, thinking to myself, "…this guy is my age (20s at the time), can't fill out this form and is about to be monumentally wealthy – where did I go wrong?"

Aside from your clients, which business figure do you most admire and why? My father. He was brought up in Little Rock, Arkansas in the 1920s and 1930s, was in the US Navy in WWII and started in his job as a salesman in the 1950s making perhaps $2,000 per year. He worked his way though his company to become the chairman and MD of their Middle East and Africa operations in the 1960s, becoming the first African American chief executive in a Fortune 500 company. He then moved us to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he was part of the team that turned around and ran Miller Brewing Company during the 1970s and 1980s. Through hard work, intelligence and a fair bit of goodwill and luck he made himself quite a career and a life for his family.

What's the best business book you've read? A book that was given to me when I started this career, True Professionalism, by David Maister. It's a great book about the importance of the people you work with, your clients and developing your career.

What's the worst character trait of the archetype commercial lawyer? Arrogance, as it can lead to behavioural and substantive shortcomings.

Has the recession changed the face of the legal profession? The recession has changed, and will continue to change, the commercial dynamics of the markets in which we operate and, as a result, the legal profession needs to change in response to that. There is a great deal of competition for the work from many skilled players and therefore we need to stay close to our clients, working with them regularly and proving why we are a valuable business partner to them.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? "We are going to upsize our optionalities". Raised eyebrow, no smirk.

What's your favourite cheese? Gruyere is always nice.

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