Herbert Smith planning partner Matthew White on local politicians' bad choices and Dracula's lawyer

What's the closest you have come to doing something other than law? At school in the 80s I thought I would go into what was then called "computer programming" before deciding that there was no future in that line of work – demonstrating my excellent judgement from an early age.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Patrick Robinson and Shelagh McKibbin at Herbert Smith, who between them somehow managed to pass on a little of their enormous knowledge, ability and talent to an unpromising young trainee.

What's your proudest professional moment? I think pride is something best reserved for your children and not your career.

…and worst day on the job? There have been a few dark days in the last 18 months when doing a terrific job for your clients felt utterly thankless because the market had fallen off a cliff.

Aside from your clients, which business figure do you most admire and why? Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice president for industrial design, is pretty much a legend. Do you think there's any chance I will get a free iPad for saying that?

What's the best business book you've read? Mr Nice by Howard Marks.

What's your motto? Mottos are for losers.

Most memorable deal you have worked on and why? Stratford City was (and remains) a once in a lifetime project with everything in it: high-speed rail, massive regeneration, tall buildings, complex strategic planning, joint ventures coming and going, political intrigue and the Olympics. We signed the biggest planning agreement ever seen in London on the day that the International Olympic Committee made its final inspection before awarding London the Games. We turned up on site to see huge printed banners saying "planning permission granted" even though completion had been on a knife-edge right up to the last minute.

What most annoys you about the planning authorities? Local politicians making poor decisions against the expert advice of their own officers leading to inevitable appeals, delays and frustration with the planning system.

To what extent do you think the legal profession needs to change over the next 20 years? More than we expect.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? "He's got his head in the cornflakes when he shouldn't have." I'm going to use that all the time. I have no idea what it means.

What's your favourite fictional representation of a lawyer and why? Jonathan Harker in Dracula. A newly-qualified lawyer with a straight-forward real estate instruction, he realises his client is a vampire. He escapes from Transylvania after a seductive encounter with the three brides of Dracula, tracks down the evil count in London, helps slay him, marries the lovely Mina and lives happily ever after. All in a day's work.

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 never really watched it but I do remember thinking that the unisex toilets were a good idea.

What's your favourite cheese? Epoisses de Bourgogne: the only cheese to be banned from French public transport.

Visit Legal Week's Dealmaker archive to read more profiles.