Reed Smith finance partner Phillip Slater on his Soviet shenanigans and the lessons learned from Mr Fox

What's the closest you have come to doing something other than law? I have always leaned towards the law but did come close to not actually practising. After finishing my law degree I seriously contemplated taking a research post and becoming a lecturer – the thought of mooching about in jeans and a brown corduroy jacket with a relatively relaxed timetable, drinking decent bitter and pontificating to people who didn't really care about the finer points of jurisprudence was very appealing. I quickly realised that wasn't going to buy me the sports car I wanted.

What's your proudest professional moment? Closing the multibillion-pound funding package that supported The Co-op's acquisition of Somerfield Stores in the middle of the credit-crunch.

…and worst day on the job? Being on the receiving end of a well-publicised (at least at the time) and quite rude email (inadvertently copied to the worldwide mailing list) during the first seat of my training contract at Clifford Chance (CC). Wasn't quite the start I was hoping for.

What's the best business book you've read? Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl. Being savvy, quick-witted and working as a tight team are very effective ways of taking on the big guys even if they appear to have everything one could possibly want at their disposal.

What's your motto? 'It can't be that hard.'

Most memorable deal you have worked on and why? At two years' post-qualification experience I was tasked with advising the government of a former Soviet Union country in relation to the privatisation of certain of its assets. During the three months I spent in the jurisdiction I had my passport 'taken away for safe-keeping' (so I couldn't leave until the deal was finished), was taken to the US embassy for safety during a political coup, was repeatedly offered wine with my breakfast, got asked every evening at 9pm whether I would be requiring electricity, watched one lunchtime as the table next to me was surrounded by men in black leather coats and hats and covered in Kalashnikov rifles and, together with a colleague both bedecked in business suits, pushed our Trabant taxi 1km when it ran out of petrol at midnight on our way back from a meeting. I am still dining out on this particular deal!

What most annoys you about the banking profession? That those of my contemporaries who became investment bankers have retired by now.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? While discussing a potential solution to a thorny problem that was 'being run up the flagpole' (presumably to see if anyone saluted it) we were politely reminded by one of our number that 'one size doesn't fit all' and therefore we would be best placed to 'knife and fork it'. Sounded forkin' ridiculous and, yes, I was forced to excuse myself.

What's your favourite fictional representation of a lawyer and why? Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men. He could handle the truth.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? There are probably two. One, Leeds solicitor Jeremy Shulman (of Shulmans). I was lucky enough to do a work placement with him when I was 16. He was the epitome of everything I wanted to be – a sharp, quick-witted and business-savvy workaholic who seemed to get the best results for his clients. Two, David Bickerton of CC. He was my second seat supervisor and I learned a significant number of my lawyering skills, both hard and soft, from him.

What's your favourite cheese? Cheddar. Nothing complicated or flash – just does the job and does it well (particularly when accompanied by a Jacob's cream cracker).

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