CC's London corporate head on an early morning career epiphany and his hopes for private equity

Why did you become a lawyer? The essays for economics were too long and maths was too hard.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? My last supervisor when I was a trainee, Clive Watts. He really knew how to deliver a great legal service wrapped in a human way.

What's your proudest professional moment? The first time I got a direct instruction from a client – it's that buzz of them coming to ask you personally to do something that still fires me up.

…and worst day on the job? Having to tell lawyers in our group that they were being made redundant in 2009 was awful. I don't want to do that again.

Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why? My wife, for combining a successful legal and academic career, dealing almost single-handedly with the chaos of our family life, and, especially, for allowing me to buy that Springsteen and Clarence Clemons 'Born to Run' photo last year.

What's your strongest characteristic…and worst trait? Strongest – being positive. Worst – I guess the reverse, when I let optimism rule over realism.

What advice would you give to young deal lawyers starting out? Be yourself. Everyone has their own style and you should be comfortable with who you are and how you do your work.

What's the best part of your job? Hearing from partners and associates in the practice about their successes.

What's the toughest ethical/moral dilemma your job has ever presented you with? We (as a buyer) got a schedule of the prices all other bidders had put forward in an auction. We discussed it with our client and he agreed we should shred it without us telling him what it said. Mind you, I am not sure I would have wanted to tell him by how much he overpaid…

What most annoys you about the legal profession? People who aren't trustworthy. Sadly one sometimes comes across that but you note it, make sure you are aware of it, then work around it and move on. I am not naming any names though…

Most memorable deal you ever have worked on and why? Probably the first corporate deal I ever did, when we bought a manufacturing business from an administrator at 2am on a Saturday morning – it was then I knew I wanted to be a corporate lawyer. Honestly!

What's the worst corporate event you've ever attended? The Arsenal/Man Utd Champions League semi-final second leg in 2009 – over in 10 minutes, then 80 minutes of Man U fans going on…

Do you see yourself having a career outside law? My role is a mix of law and business advice now, and that suits me pretty well.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? In the late 90s I was working on a high-yield issue when the (US) lawyer on the other side said that the situation was not "a black crepe scenario". I eventually figured he meant that this was not as bad as a funeral. I just told him that the documents were not yet ready to tie a yellow ribbon around…

Do you think private equity is ever going to return to 2007 boom levels again? If so, how long will it take? If not, why? Private equity is just another form of investment, and institutions will always want smart people to invest their money, so it will come back. It will be a few years though until we are at 2007 levels again in Europe, I suspect.

What's your favourite item of clothing? I asked at home and apparently it is a pair of brown shorts I wear most weekends that should have been thrown out ages ago.

What's your favourite cheese? Halloumi fresh off my BBQ, with a sprinkling of fresh thyme and lemon juice, served with a glass of ros