The Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom partner on sarongs, cheddar and standard underwriting and offer documentation

Why did you become a lawyer? It's a family tradition.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Tommy Stockdale of Erskine Chambers indulged my fascination with the finer points of schemes of arrangements and meeting procedures – the bedrock for a series of adventurous transactions that launched my career.

What's your proudest professional moment? Seeing revisions adapted in standard underwriting and offer documentation that originated from one of mine.

…and worst day on the job? Watching a company collapse for reasons outside its control or making.

Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why? There are several. Common characteristics are significant ability, commitment,  integrity and a good sense of humour. Happily, the list is long and it's impossible to single out one, even two.

What's your strongest characteristic… and worst trait? Perseverance – and perseverance.

What are the best and worst parts of the job? The best: achieving a positive impact for a deserving client. The worst: charging for it.

What advice would you give to young lawyers starting out? Test as many alternative areas of practice as you can and pursue what you enjoy or branch out.

What's the toughest ethical/moral dilemma your job has ever presented you with? A great lawyer once told me that everyone deserves the right to be represented. I later discovered that was not true.

What most annoys you about the legal profession? The gradual sacrifice of professionalism.

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

What's the worst corporate event you've ever attended? All recollection of it has been obliterated.

Most memorable deal you ever have worked on and why? That's tough. In terms of sheer scale of the personal challenge, the flotation of TSB Group. In terms of the most impact, the privatisation of the regional water companies. And in terms of entertainment value, the original purchase of NCP and the follow-on for RAC Road Services.

What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you've heard (and did you smirk)? "Our knowledge awareness is a trump consideration" – and it was more of a chuckle than a smirk…

What will be the most significant market trend in the law over the next 12months? Fee pressure.

Do you see yourself having a career outside law? House clearance.

What's your favourite item of clothing? A batik sarong.

What's your favourite cheese? A sharp and crumbly cheddar.

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