“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen” WINSTON CHURCHILL
The City of London Solicitors’ Company Court of Assistants
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CLARE MURRAY
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CLARE WILSON
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ASTER CRAWSHAW
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ALASTAIR COLLETT.
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The City of London Law Society
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*THE MASTER
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COLIN PASSMORE
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VICTORIA YOUNGHUSBAND
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ELISABETH BALTAY
VIRGINIA CANNON
SALOME COKER
*ASTER CRAWSHAW
ED CROSSE
SIMON DAVIS
CHRISSY FINDLAY
RICHARD HARRISON
†DAVID PATIENT
ALEX KYRIAKOULIS
CHRISTOPHER PUGH
†LAURA UBEROI
†CHRISTOPHER VIGRASS
NICHOLAS WRIGHTSON
†PETER YOUNG
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† Ex-officio as members of the Council of The Law Society
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Editor
Salome Coker
Editorial Board
Joel Leigh (Howard Kennedy LLP), Chair
Sophia Bell (Macfarlanes LLP)
Colin Passmore (Simmons & Simmons LLP)
Katherine Ramo (CMS)
Matthew Rous (CLLS)
Naureen Shariff (Blackfords LLP)
Elizabeth Thomas (CLLS)
Laura Uberoi (Addleshaw Goddard LLP)
Journalist
Maroulla Paul
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7 THE ART OF CALM
A look at how opening our eyes and our minds and seeing and enjoying the art that surrounds us every day can really silence all the noise in our heads.
18 SILENCE IS NOT ALWAYS GOLDEN
10 SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS SOME CARE
Elizabeth Rimmer, the CEO of LawCare, the charity that supports and promotes mental health in the legal profession, talks to us about what we can do as individuals and as firms to foster wellbeing. Two LawCare champions also explain how to look out for the warning signs of stress anxiety and how we can overcome them.
A stiff upper lip is not always the right approach. Wedlake Bell partner, Camilla Wallace, encourages us all to speak up.
21 NETWORKING. UNNATURALLY
Even the most brilliant networkers may find it a daunting and uncomfortable experience. Charlie Lawson, the founder of Unnatural Success, recounts how he learned to battle his own demons in this field and shares some of the secrets of his success.
We discover an unknown part of Tuscany and enjoy some Super Tuscans that literally redefine the meaning of
14 THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD IS THAT ONCE YOU START TALKING ABOUT IT, YOU REALISE THAT ACTUALLY YOU’RE PART OF QUITE A BIG CLUB
Richard Martin, CEO of Mindful Business Charter, shares his own story of mental health illness with us and explains how it led him to working to change the culture of the workplace to give permission to push back on behaviours that can cause stress.
The story of Martin Wade, a solicitor who advised the marines in Afghanistan and who had to make life or death (literally) decisions. We see how this impacted his mental health, his career and his life and how he found himself evolving from law to art.
36 ONCE UPON A TIME
We escape to the Lake District to hear about a real life fairy take that happened on Magic Hill (where else?) - and to taste some pretty fantastic food too.
Another year comes to a close - and what a year it has been.
We’ve seen a change of Government in our own country and the re-election of Trump across the pond. War continues in Ukraine and the Middle East. Climate change is causing problems globally.
For our magazine too, there have been changes. We would like to thank our new publishers, Benhams, for producing such beautiful work for us. And we hope you are enjoying reading a lot more articles with our increase from 36 to 48 pages.
But now, as we approach the holidays, it is time to switch off, to look back, contemplate, recharge and prepare for what lies ahead.
Switching off is a big topic at the moment; so much so, that the new Labour Government is considering the ‘right to switch of’ to be a part of employment law.
Switching off is an important issue in our own profession so we have dedicated both this and the Spring issue to subjects concerning stress and mental health.
WELCOME TO THE WINTER EDITION OF CITY SOLICITOR MAGAZINE.
We hope that you will find the stories people have been so brave and generous to share both informative and helpful and, as ever, we would appreciate any feedback you may have.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and healthy time over the holidays and may 2025 bring peace and joy for us all.
Salome Coker Editor mail@citysolicitors.org.uk
THE ART OF CALM
Nobody is exempt from suffering from anxiety, stress, depression and all the other manifestations of mental health struggles. These issues do not differentiate gender, class, age, colour - anything. We are all vulnerable. Not experiencing them is not a sign of strength nor is it a sign of weakness. Speaking about them is a sign of strength and not a sign of weakness.
“Mental health is a subject that is being discussed much more openly in the legal profession than it ever was in the past.”
Mental health is a subject that is being discussed much more openly in the legal profession than it ever was in the past. Concealing how we are really feeling is no longer the norm; it is not expected and it is most definitely not healthy.
We need to recognise the red flags both in ourselves and in others in order to take the care required to minimise the effects and to find mechanisms and strategies for coping, surviving and thriving.
In the following pages we explore what is currently available to help people in distress, what more we can do to further improve things and we hear stories from those who have suffered themselves. We see the power of speaking up, and of giving others the permission to do so.
But alongside the more serious problems we will be delving into, each and every one of us can benefit from some escape from the day job and from the adrenalin by an injection of calm into our days.
It is all too easy to get caught up in our own heads, in a world where work trumps all else, in forgetting to breathe and look outward. And in doing so, we are taking the first steps to damaging our mental health.
Small things can have a big positive impact. We all know the benefits of a walk in the park, a yoga or meditation session and simply taking some deep breaths. But there is beauty all around us if only we take the time to look and see. In our own area in the City, we have so much beautiful art on our streets and in our buildings - but do we even notice? We have filled our pages with some of the art that is currently on display in the City in this issue - not just to make the articles look better but to show the power of creativity - what it says and how it can make us feel.
Research proves that looking at art can reduce stress and lower blood pressure and heart rate. It also reduces stress-related hormones in the body. It can help us focus on the present and to connect with how we are feeling. It connects us to emotions that perhaps cannot be put into words and helps us to gain some understanding of things we are going through. It makes us more confident and more resilient. It has even been shown to improve our memory and our reasoning.
Eminent Consultant Psychiatrist and Jungian Analyst, Spyros Kavournis, had this to say on the subject;
“Saul Bellow in his acceptance speech for the Nobel prize in 1976 said ‘Only art penetrates what pride, passion, intelligence, and habit erect on all sides — the seeming realities of this world. There is another reality, the genuine one, which we lose sight of.’ In the delight of looking at art there is the learning of looking artfully. This is engaging absolutely, taking it in, and discovering the reflections within. Suffering needs equally looking at it from in and out. When we experience the inner as our own, then the outer is clear what it is for itself.”
Take the time to really look at the art - not just in the magazine but as you walk from the tube to the office or as you rush from one client meeting to the next. It can transport you to a different world, it can hush the noise in your mind, it can really help - and it can really delight.
All art featured in this article is from Sculpture in the City https://www.sculptureinthecity.org.uk/ artwork/13th-edition/
Photography by Kristos Georgiou
Photography by Kristos Georgiou
ALL WE NEED IS SOME
sometimes care
There are times when things get too much; when we don’t feel seen or understood. Perhaps we feel we are not good enough, that we are in the wrong place. It is easy in those situations to make rash decisions, to just flee, escape. But often all we need is some empathy and understanding, to feel validated, a space where we can speak freely and really be heard. And then, somehow, whilst obviously the problem has not disappeared, it may seem something that we can tackle and deal with rather than it becoming something that overwhelms us.
LawCare is the charity that supports and promotes mental health across the legal sector in the UK. It has been in existence since 1997 and was born out of an initiative of the Law Society of England and Wales. There was a concern about how much solicitors were using alcohol and a group was set up to look into this. The charity was originally called SolCare as it only was for solicitors and its focus was primarily on the abuse of alcohol. Over the last 25 years this service has expanded to cover everyone in the legal sector in the UK including CILEx lawyers, judges, barristers, trade mark attorneys, patent attorneys, notaries and people who are on the pathway into the profession like apprentices and those doing the SQE. Its focus is divided into two main sections; support and advocacy and education.
The support service comes in the form of a telephone helpline, webchat and email and is available Monday to Friday for anyone studying or working in the law - not just people who are legally qualified but also HR, business services etc - this is important as 50% of people working in
“We wonder whether this is a result of the massive self reflection that lockdown engendered and people really asking if this is really what they want.”
law firms are not lawyers. LawCare is there for everyone. The support provided is a safe, confidential space, anonymous if wanted, for people to talk about whatever is bothering them. People call about feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, worried that they are not cut out for the profession. Maybe they are returning to work after being ill, they may be being harrassed, possibly facing investigation from the regulators - whatever the trigger, LawCare tries to offer support. There is also a peer support service where they are matched with someone who has been through a similar experience to provide some hope that whilst it may all seem too much right now, here is living proof that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. There is also a small fund that can help people in acute need to access formal psychological support - bearing in mind LawCare’s support is purely emotional. Because everyone volunteering at LawCare is from the legal profession themselves, they can instantly understand and relate to the problems. All of the volunteers are obviously trained to equip them with the necessary tools to be able to provide the emotional support that is required. There is a mindset a lot of lawyers share that spans from perfection to catastrophising; if there is a problem, they think it is somehow all about them. The reality is most often it is not. They need to see that perhaps it's the wrong environment, the wrong practice - talking and getting emotional support from other lawyers can help find that clarity. Despite all the progress that has been made in society around recognising mental health issues, in our profession there can still be a stigma about it - and that silences people. There is that background fear that speaking up may be seen as a sign of weakness, or is a barrier to their career progression. LawCare offers a way of speaking up - safely and confidentially.
Elizabeth Rimmer has been the Chief Executive of LawCare since 2014. She tells us that 2024 has been the charity’s busiest year even more so than during the pandemic.
“We are seeing a change in the kinds of things people are contacting us about. While stress and anxiety are still the top two issues, these are now closely followed by career concerns. This is people questioning their life in the law. We wonder whether this is a result of the massive self-reflection that lockdown engendered and people really asking if this is really what they want.”
Whilst it is crucially important that support is provided for those struggling, the goal is to prevent the distress occuring in the first place. This is where the second part of LawCare’s focus, that of advocacy and education.
“We want to do more around what good practice looks like for law firms so that they can be taking a more preventive approach to the issues we are dealing with. A lot of law firms are good at responding when someone is in crisis but by that point it's too late, the red flag is already up. We want to stop people ever reaching that point. We need firms to understand that some of our accepted practices can have a negative effect on people’s mental health - and we need to start changing and adapting. Healthy working environments and cultures lead to people being more productive and more likely to stay in their jobs, and better equipped to deliver competent legal services. In order to achieve this, leaders and managers need to be educated in how to create such environments. These skills do not necessarily come naturally. Just because someone is a good lawyer, that does not automatically make them a good manager. But they can be provided with tools, they can be trained.”
This work is crucial as evidence shows that the biggest support for one’s mental health is the relationship with the line manager. If you feel you can trust them and they genuinely hear you, you are more likely to share concerns early on and get the support you need.
To this end, LawCare is repeating a study carried out in 2021, ‘Life In The Law’, this time looking not just at causes but about solutions. The study will kick off in January of next year with the results being released in October. The study will be carried out by LawCare’s Research Committee which has two academics, one from the University of Sheffield and one from the University of Leeds and which has ethics approval from Sheffield. Four stakeholder round tables were run in the latter part of this year. All the main networks including Mindful Business Charter, Junior Solicitors Network were invited to take part to help shape the thinking and to build engagement. Burnout is one of the key areas the study will look into
as well as questions around what actually does work in practice in supporting mental health at work. These will allow LawCare to give constructive recommendations. In the previous study 1700 people participated and it is expected to be more this time. Elizabeth hopes the study will help build “a collective responsibility across the profession.”
Going forward, LawCare wants to widen its reach and wants to put a magnifying glass on legal education.
“We want to prepare people coming into the sector; to put more in their toolbox to help them have a flourishing and successful career. This is all about focusing on human skills. We would like to develop a set of resources and learning tools in collaboration with legal educators that can be taught and delivered in law schools. This would ideally be in person, not online. Recently the Guardian published a piece that showed how young people in the UK are way down the happiness index compared with their counterparts in other countries. We already know that 18-25 year olds in the UK are more vulnerable to mental health issues. These are the people just coming into the workplace, the lawyers of the future.
The artwork for this article is by Julian Opie and is entitled ‘Charles. Jiwon. Nethaneel. Elena.’ It can be found in Sculpture In The City.
It’s not just about the current cohort. We need to be creating environments which recognises and supports that new people coming in may well already have mental health concerns. A lot of workplaces are not as equipped as they should be. Yes there has been a massive shift. In the 1990s when I was a solicitor the attitude was ‘pull your socks up and get on with it;’ but now there is a generation coming into our profession who have a much greater understanding and awareness of mental health. There is more openness and young people want to talk about these things. The culture, values and purpose of law firms are high on young people’s agendas when choosing where they want to work. For firms to attract and retain good people, they need to have the right environments. Just look at our current Government, the right to switch off was one of the first things they looked at, and then the ability to request a four day week was proposed. There is a direction of travel here from the Government that is saying to the workplaces they need to up their game. I think this is just the beginning of a decade of change. If you look at Australia, they already legislated federally, across all states, that there is an obligation on employers to manage the psycho-social risks in their workplaces. Whilst it is implicit here, it is not enshrined. But the message is very much that whether you like it or not, the scrutiny around workplace mental health is only going to become bigger - not just from employees but from Government, from regulators, from insurers and so forth. This is the pressure that will ultimately drive the behavioural change that we seek. It is not enough to persuade people this is the right thing to do; they need to see the effect on the bottom line.”
“LawCare offers an absolute wealth of practical tips for lawyers at every level. Whilst there is great focus and attention at the moment by the media on junior lawyers specifically, the stresses and strains in law firms go from the very top right the way down.”
Simon talks about his own experience as a senior lawyer as being “a wonderful life” but with risks attached.
“If you like sorting out people’s problems, you like intellectual challenges and you like making people happy then this is a great job. But the sort of people who are good at these things can be quite sensitive, perfectionists, and often have an acute sense of imposter syndrome, are very self critical and tend to take other people’s problems onto their own shoulders. Your own personality risks creating long term chronic stress, While stress in itself is not necessarily a bad thing and, indeed, it goes with a career that involves helping clients in trouble, it is about balance and how you manage it. Today mental health is right at the top of the agenda for most law firms but it was a different world when I started; showing signs of serious stress could easily be interpreted as you not being up to the job.”
As Simon was progressing in his career, he found himself working harder and harder and not even being that aware of it. It was only after he got married that his wife pointed out that he worked all the time and that was not compatible with having a sustainable marriage.
“LawCare offers an absolute wealth of practical tips for lawyers at every level.”
Simon Davis qualified as a solicitor in 1984 at was then known as Clifford Turner (now Clifford Chance) and stayed there until he became President of the Law Society in 2019. After that, he decided it was time to do other things in life beyond working for clients. It was while he was at the Law Society that Simon encountered LawCare and very soon was invited to be a LawCare champion to promote the charity's existence and spread the word about what it does.
“I started to develop defence mechanisms to protect my mental fitness; learning how to delegate effectively, to bring in associates onto a case even from the first phone call with a client.My reaction to having so much work had simply been to work even harder rather than to share the work around.”
Simon says one of the best pieces of advice he heard came from a psychologist at a Clifford Chance conference who talked about how so many lawyers want to be the very best.
“There is a desire to be the GOAT lawyer; the Rafa Nadal, Ronaldo, Beckham of the legal world and to think that the way to achieve that is to exclude everything else; by analogy to be
the first on the training pitch and the last to leave. But a wiser person realises that in order to be the best, it is not just about working the hardest but about building defence mechanisms that allow you to perform at your best,without harming yourself, about developing some “non-negotiables” which you will not give up on just to be able to work harder.
This involves identifying what you love doing outside work and recognising that when that external life is being minimised and even excluded by work - holidays and weekend plans are constantly being cancelled,you are seeing friends and family less and less and this is becoming routine - this is a key warning sign. That is the time to take action, to do something about it - and that usually involves spreading the load, talking to people and developing those “non negotiables.”
Alexandra Marks, CBE, qualified as a solicitor in 1983, was a partner at Linklaters from 1990 until 2003 and now sits as a Deputy High Court Judge, Recorder and First Tier Tribunal Judge. As someone who has always had an interest in and a concern about mental health, being a trustee of LawCare is a natural fit for her.
“Our profession has got so much better at recognising and identifying the stresses and issues being faced by lawyers every day. But the problem stems from the fact that the sorts of people who are attracted to the law tend to be those who are very self aware, high achieving, ambitious, place high expectations on themselves, are self critical, task orientedall of these personality traits tend to lead to a predisposition to have anxiety about performance in a way that outsiders would never guess. It is almost part of our professional makeup. Speaking up about anxiety and stress for people like this does not come easily. There
is a fear of being judged, or appearing to be weak, not good enough, not up to the job. That is why LawCare is so much needed.”
Statistics show that women are more likely to speak up about mental health issues than men; they are more inclined to ask for help. This does not mean more women experience mental health problems, but what it does mean is that men are more likely to eventually be overwhelmed by them because of trying to ignore them and not dealing with them.
“Our profession has got so much better at recognising and identifying the stresses and issues being faced by lawyers every day.”
“Being in a City firm myself for so many years, I had seen up close how intense the pressure can be. I am a member of LawCare’s fundraising committee. Fundraising is becoming increasingly important for LawCare because, historically, it was financed almost exclusively by ‘subscriptions’ from professional bodies such as the Law Society of England and Wales. That model is going to be difficult to sustain - not least because so many firms are now introducing their own wellbeing schemes. But a lot don’t and the need for help is greater than ever.”
Mental health and well being in a highly intellectually demanding environment is something that is, today, talked about and understood in a way that it wasn’t when LawCare first began.
We all need to speak up. LawCare gives us that opportunity. ■
To find out more about LawCare, to ask for support, or to offer your own support - be it your time or financially, visit https://www.lawcare.org.uk/
The experience I have had is that once you start talking about it, you realise that actually you're part of quite a big club.
Prince Harry
Richard Martin qualified as a solicitor in the early nineties and specialised in employment law. He quickly progressed to becoming a partner. He began to realise that what he wanted to be most involved in was the management and so he joined Speechly Birnham, a medium sized City firm with a reputation of having a good culture, and was lined up to be their next managing partner. He had trodden the perfect career path. But it was at this point that everything was to change.
Photography by K ristos Georgiou
The red flags were there. Richard was aware he had been under a lot of stress and his family were warning him that something wasn't right. But he chose naot to hear.
Richard became ill or as he puts it he “realised just how ill I was”. He had been under a lot of pressure but, like so many others, thought that was just part and parcel of the job. He thought if he just tried harder he could get through the days, the weeks, the months and things would be all right. He never even considered that perhaps something needed to change. The red flags were there. Richard was aware he had been under a lot of stress and his family were warning him that something wasn't right. But he chose not to hear.
“I always had episodic moments which resulted in fairly out of control thinking that did not make any sense and images and recollections of events which cannot possibly have happened. These led to physical sensations and manifestations; low blood pressure. I always associated all this with tiredness, nothing else. Sometimes I may have two or three over a day or two, but as long as I went to bed and rested, it seemed to sort itself out. Now I understand that tiredness and stress are two sides of the same coin.”
In May 2011, Richard went on holiday with his wife and children. While he was driving around the peripherique of Paris he started to feel desperately sick, his head was screaming for him to escape. A chillingly frightening experience. Richard had no idea what was happening to him. He stopped the car and started to walk off, almost oblivious to the fast moving traffic around him. Eventually the motorway was closed and someone came to rescue Richard. He had no idea what he was doing or why.
He was taken to hospital and assessed for a heart attack. On concluding his heart was fine, Richard was sent home and he went to see his GP who agreed it was not his heart but rather his head and told him he had suffered a panic attack.
“I knew about mental health, of course. As an employment lawyer, you are constantly helping people who are going through difficult
times and, often, that has a negative affect on their wellbeing. But I always assumed mental health illness was about other people. Suddenly I was being told that actually it was about me. It was a shock, not just for me but for the people around me. I had always been someone who was very strong, who could cope with most things. I got worse very quickly; no longer could I cope with anything at all, everything felt terrifying.”
The reaction to Richard’s illness from his law firm was utter shock. He had always performed well enough and he was the last person they and, indeed, many others would have suspected to be suffering from such severe stress and mental health issues.
Richard references a book ‘Depressive Illness, The Curse Of The Strong’ written by psychiatrist, Dr Tim Cantopher, who lists classic personality characteristics of those susceptible to burn out as being moral strength, reliability, diligence, strong conscience, a strong sense of responsibility, a tendency to focus on the needs of others before your own, sensitivity, vulnerability to criticism, self-esteem issues dependent on the evaluation of others. Richard identified very strongly with these attributes. As, indeed, most lawyers would. Such people don’t know how to say no, when to stop, how to ask for help. They have an attitude of ‘if the going gets hard, try harder’. Hardly surprising they get ill.
Richard was admitted to hospital and spent about a month in a psychiatric ward and then, after being discharged, began on the long road to recovery which involved therapy and medication. And, fundamentally, it meant making a lot of changes. Richard did not feel able to return to the law firm so he had to set about rebuilding his life. He had spent a lot of time alone while in recovery, not interacting with the wider world because it scared him and so he had to gradually start to re-engage. He volunteered at his local charity shop for just half a day a week just to get used to routine and to interacting with people again. When he felt ready, it was time to embark on a new chapter in his life.
“When I worked in employment law, the way we solved problems was to throw a load of employment law at the issue. Through therapy I realised why people do what they do is because of what is going on in their heads and if we can bring that understanding to the fore, we can be more helpful in addressing workplace issues.”
The concept of workplace consultancy had taken seed in Richard. This led to him to discover an organisation called byrne-dean, who comprise mostly former employment lawyers and their “aim is to create cultures in the workplace where people do not harass, bully or discriminate.” Richard joined them in 2013.
There quickly came a lightbulb moment when Richard realised that in all the talk around cultural change, the whole subject of mental health which was at the very core of their work, was not actually being talked about - and maybe it should be. In October 2014, at Kings College in London, byrne-dean invited a bunch of contacts and clients to a conference precisely on the subject of mental health.
law firms; Pinsent Masons LLP and Addleshaw Goddard LLP. They discussed that while lots had been done to raise awareness of mental health issues and to put support in place when people were identified to be struggling, it is often the workplace itself that is causing at least some of the distress and, therefore, the priority should be to remedy that. Rather than simply helping people become more resilient or helping pick up the pieces when they are falling apart, why not stop making them ill in the first place?
“What did happen was that nearly everyone in the room came up to one of us afterwards to say that they or someone they were close to or knew had a similar story.”
Stress is one of the biggest causes of both physical and mental illnesses. When we are stressed our brains obviously do not function as well so that is detrimental to the quality of work produced. Stress comes from a variety of sources; some directly from the work we are doing, some from our own heads but some comes from the ways we interact with each other.
It was the very first time Richard had spoken publicly about his own story and he had no idea what was going to happen.
“What did happen was that nearly everyone in the room came up to one of us afterwards to say that they or someone they were close to or knew had a similar story.”
From this byrne-dean started delivering training around mental health; raising awareness and helping people to have better conversations about it. They worked with organisations to help them create healthier environments where people did not get ill.
This led to byrne-dean helping with and promoting the launch of Mindful Business Charter (MBC) in 2018. Mindful Business Charter states their aim to rehumanise the workplace by identifying the causes of unnecessary stress and working to eradicate them, leading to healthier, more productive workplaces. Richard’s role within MBC has grown to now being almost completely full time.
MBC was born out of a conversation between in-house lawyers at Barclays and two of their
“Most of us are kind. We don’t mean to cause each other stress but we do. And then we exacerbate it by not talking about it, particularly if we are the sort of people described by Dr Cantopher. If we were all more aware of the impact our behaviours have on each other and we all give ourselves the permission to talk about it, then we should be able to identify the unnecessary sources of stress and remove them, allowing us to work more healthily and more effectively.
The role of Barclays in this was critical. They recognised they were a big, important, scary client and knew the impact that caused. If they asked for something, their lawyers would jump around like mad things to achieve it, even if this resulted in them becoming exhausted. And while that obviously was not good for the individuals concerned, it wasn’t good for Barclays either because it affected the quality of the work. The dynamic had to be changed.”
Richard recalls a group therapy exercise he was asked to participate in during his time in hospital which he thinks sums it all up.
“We were all asked to stand in the middle of the room and asked to touch the right shoulder of someone we felt connected to with our right hand. Keeping that in place we were then asked to touch, with our left hand, the left shoulder
of someone we thought we could help. Finally, we were asked to touch, with our right foot, the right foot of someone who could help us. By this point, I was on tiptoes, feeling unbalanced and under a lot of physical strain and we were told to maintain our positions. The therapist walked around the room and when she reached me she asked me if I felt comfortable. I told her obviously not. She questioned whether I often felt like this. I had to admit yes. She smiled and asked me why I simply hadn’t asked someone to move? That idea of being able to ask for what we need (and most people will oblige because they are nice) in order to do our best is what sits at the heart of MBC.”
As a movement MBC now has around 140 members, mostly law firms, mainly in the UK but increasingly international. Each member firm is trying to work more mindfully and sharing ideas and resources with each other in order to learn and grow,
Richard cites an example of how it all works in practice.
“On New Year’s Eve, 2018, two months after the Charter had been launched, someone at Barclays sent a request to one of their law firms asking for something to be done that day. Ordinarily, the answer would obviously be yes. But the partner concerned decided to test the Charter so emailed back to say if they really wanted it that day, obviously they could have it but pointed out it was New Year’s Eve and they would appreciate the opportunity to spend the time with their family and friends and was it really needed that day? The response from Barclays was that of course it could wait till next week and that it had been a ridiculous request that hadn't been thought through. How simple. But the important point is that there is no way that the law firm would have ever pushed back if Barclays had not given them permission to do so by signing the Charter. That permission is critical.”
None of this is rocket science. It's plain common sense. But, as Richard says, unless there is a permission to ask, to question, then behaviours - however unintentional - go unchallenged and can trigger stress. Ultimately so much harm can be caused from something that could so easily have been avoided.
We all need to be more mindful; of our behaviours and how they may affect others. And we need to allow others to push back on those behaviours when necessary. ■
For more information; https://www.byrnedean.com/training https://www.mindfulbusinesscharter.com/
The art in this article is the Banksy piece featuring piranhas in a police box which was moved to Guildhall to protect it https://www.thecityofldn.com/event/banksy-artwork-guildhall-yard/
SILENCE IS NOT ALWAYS GOLDEN
Camilla Wallace (Millie) became Senior Partner at Wedlake Bell in January 2024 and it is customary when taking on such a senior position to choose an area to focus on, be it diversity, the environment or whatever. For Millie it was a “natural fit” to choose mental health for multiple reasons. The timing coincided with the publication of the inquest into Vanessa Ford’s death. Two women of the same age, 47. Both with young children. Both in senior roles in law firms. And both with highly demanding workloads. Millie felt empathy.
Millie experienced burnout herself in her mid-twenties so has first-hand experience of what a physical and mental breakdown feels like, having been "at the coalface”. Millie was studying for her law exams at the time and was working at an unhealthy level. Millie says the characteristics that lots of lawyers share, including herself, of being people pleasers and perfectionists “add up to someone who keeps saying yes. I said yes to everyone and everything. Before I knew it, I was just getting a few hours sleep a night trying to fit it all in.”
As a result, Millie began to suffer from extreme fatigue, no energy and chronic anxiety. This spiralled out of control when she was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus, lost two stone in weight and was unable to sleep or function. The physical problems exacerbated her anxiety even more. With the benefit of hindsight, Millie now sees this was all a direct result of saying yes too much, of not facing or owning up to feeling overwhelmed, of putting on a brave, smiley face instead of speaking up (and getting a good night's sleep once in a while).
Fortunately, Millie managed to work through her own issues and go on to achieve and she now feels she is in a position to be able to “spot the signs and recognise the damage that can be done to extremely talented people when they take on too much.” Being a part of the management team puts Millie in a position to take positive action to help. As well as what she went through herself and what she witnesses around her at work, Millie has also sadly had to deal with mental health issues within her own personal network; a cousin of hers committed suicide in August this year, and she has close friends, some of whom were partners at City law firms who have had to withdraw because they have had crises and cannot continue to work.
huge pressure and probably not best placed to be making important decisions which can lead to negligence - but again, they feel incapable of owning up to their circumstances. Junior lawyers and business services colleagues tend to get better support through HR but partners are simply not putting their hands up. I know I often say that I’m fine when I clearly am not; fortunately I have a couple of people around me who have my back and recognise when things are not ok. I think that others would benefit from this as well which is why I am trying to introduce a mental health buddy system at partner level within law firms so they can reach out to someone when they feel it is all too much.”
“I said yes to everyone and everything. Before I knew it, I was just getting a few hours sleep a night trying to fit it all in.”
Millie genuinely feels talking and training is key to resolving mental health issues. As simple as this sounds, it is contrary to our normal pattern of behaviour of sweeping things under the carpet. And if nobody talks about certain issues, they become taboo.
“We are going through a transitional time at the moment. On the one hand, we have the old guard who are stiff upper-lip, very British and buttoned-up against the next generation who have really suffered, particularly through Covid, and they have found that talking about their feelings is helping them navigate rocky roads. This is the dichotomy. Managers in their forties - such as myself - can be a bridge between the two. I see it as my job to get as much as we can from the old guard but to ensure moving forward we change the way we talk about health in the office. I see it as a false economy to zip up and not talk about your problems in the workplace. And it has to start at the top. The more partners talk about these things, the more open the rest of the firm can be. A difficult challenge but essential.”
“More often than not, the problems escalate because they are swept under the carpet. The more senior you are, the more risky it feels to speak up – there's more to lose. So people tend to lie. I had a very close friend who had not been at work for months as she had been told to go on sick leave as she was clearly in crisis, but she couldn’t bear to admit this and was lying to her husband telling him she was in the office every day. Sadly, this sort of behaviour is quite common. When the situation is that bad, you can’t face up to it. For some, the stress does not start at work but at home - say through financial concerns or a divorce. Coming into the office feels like a welcome escape but they are still going through
Millie says we need to look at the science. What does it actually mean when someone has a breakdown?
“Your body goes into fight or flight. Why? The Vagus nerve overreacts and you are living off cortisol and adrenaline. We need to help everyone manage their workloads and their lives so they have time to rest and digest before it all gets out of hand.”
Millie is the first to acknowledge that some people thrive on stress and treating people with kid gloves is not always the right way.
“The law is a challenging workplace and you need to be fairly robust to be in it. What we need to ensure is that when there are challenges, the support is there to help everyone sail through them. To win, both professionally and personally.”
This summer Millie featured in and cosponsored a webinar for senior lawyers and partners on the subject of getting support for mental health issues. Over 200 people registered - showing the need is most definitely there. After this, she set up a small group called LawWell which is principally private client firms, a breakaway group focussing on mental health issues in their own firms to ensure the right policies are in place to “shift away from the dinosaur perspective of calling someone a superstar because they have recorded 2500 billable hours towards expressing concern as to whether that person is OK.” LawWell focuses on structural changes like rethinking the way people are remunerated, allowing flexible working and other positive measures that can genuinely start to relieve stress and anxiety.
“LawWell has a Mental Health Commitment Code which is almost a checklist of practices we should have in place. It uses the acronym EMPATHY and breaks down into Education, Management, Prevention, Assistance, Time Out, Health and Yield.
Education means training for partners/line managers on mental health, well-being and corporate and personal resilience, including advice on healthy working and living practices covering a broad range of issues from stress to bereavement, menopause to financial worries, cancer to addiction. A strong but discrete HR team where open, albeit confidential dialogue is encouraged.
Management requires senior leadership to engage meaningfully perhaps by putting the physical and mental well-being of staff and partners as standing items on risk registers and Board agendas, having a partner appointed as head of mental health and well-being supervising a team of qualified mental health first aiders and those at the top of the organisation setting the tone – which should be one of inclusivity and empathetic support.
Prevention includes policies (which provide a rule book on behaviours and manage expectations) but also coaching and / or therapy where required to protect the health of the staff and ensure that they are as happy, healthy, productive and fulfilled as possible.
Assistance could be an Employee Assistance Programme, the buddy scheme I talked about earlier where partners have a designated partner they can turn to if they are struggling and/or Mental Health Days.
Time Out encourages and supports at least one week ‘comms free’ annual leave particularly for all partners and legal directors who are the worst at switching off. This gives the body time to reset.
Health is about having the right policies and protocols for supporting staff to ensure they maintain good mental health and well being but, at Wedlake Bell, also practical things like offering health insurance, yoga, gym memberships, free salad/soup at lunch, healthy snacks, space in the office to be mindful or pray Some say this is a bit tick boxy but I believe they have their place in the toolbox of solutions.
And Yield is about reviewing annually evidenced results gleaned from confidential surveys, appraisals and feedback sessions to show the mitigation of acute mental health episodes.”
Millie makes a comparison between top lawyers and top "corporate" athletes.
“If you look at Olympians they have coaches for everything; for their sleep, their food - you name it. But lawyers find it tough to admit a need for any type of coach / therapist. Olympians get huge praise; lawyers tend to be blamed for everything. Yet another reason why they may need help from an external source. Recognising you need help, speaking up and asking for it and then being able to ‘admit’ (or should that be ‘share’) that you are getting it are not signs of weakness but show strength of character.”
Times are changing. And silence is far from golden when it comes to our mental health and well-being. As soon as we put our hands up, far from there being the backlash we fear, the support should be there: as much for the apprentice just starting out their career to the Senior Partner.
"We all need to speak up about mental health and well-being, not be ashamed of prioritising it and as I tell my children, just be kind - to ourselves and to others".
Times are changing. And silence is far from golden when it comes to our mental health and well-being.
NETWORKING. UNNATURALLY.
Have you ever been invited to a huge party that sounds extraordinary and you feel so excited at the prospect of attending? Yet, for some (myself included) as the date approaches, that initial excitement turns to fear and dread. Sometimes this can be a crippling sensation and even lead to being physically unwell. Perhaps the nerves become so great that you cancel - making up an illness as an excuse not to attend.
These characteristics are very typical for introverts. As a journalist, my entire work involves talking to people I don’t know and it is something I find easy to dobut put me in a room with a whole load of strangers and the thought of walking up to them and initiating a conversation induces the biggest stress in me.
Whilst - rightly or wrongly - we can avoid such situations in our personal lives, networking in our professional lives is becoming more and more of an expected requirement.
Making contacts, getting new businessthese are part of a solicitor’s job. And whilst you may be a brilliant, say IP lawyer, maybe
you feel less comfortable about approaching strangers at functions and attempting to win them over as a client.
The pressure of this can absolutely cause a sense of malady and even cause us to question whether we are in the right profession, whether we are good enough. Whilst networking may come very naturally
Photography by K ristos Georgiou
to some, to extroverts for example, for the rest of us it is a skill we need to learn. And, indeed, we can learn it.
Living proof of that is Charlie Lawson, a self proclaimed ‘unnatural networker’ and the founder of Unnatural Success (www.unnaturalsuccess.com), a business that helps you overcome your fear of networking. Prior to setting up this business, Charlie ran the country’s biggest networking organisation, BNI, which helps SMEs grow through the power of networking. Charlie ran BNI with a partner who was the Operations Director leaving Charlie to be the public face; meeting and dealing with the 15,000 businesses who were members and promoting BNI to the wider world.
Considering the incredible success he achieved, is he really an unnatural networker?
to him to selling BNI and dedicating himself 100% to helping others like himself.
Charlie’s business works solely with the professional services - and he says the biggest percentage of enquiries and clients comes from the legal sector.
Even to this day, Charlie says that every time he walks into a networking event and observes the groups of people there, he still has that fear that everyone else knows what they are doing and he doesn’t. But rationally he can know that five minutes before some of those very people were feeling the same way - and simply because you do not like doing something, does not mean you can't actually be very good at it.
“Charlie’s business works solely with the professional servicesand he says the biggest percentage of enquiries and clients comes from the legal sector.”
“If I could avoid networking, I truly would. But we all know it is a crucial part of professional life; whether that is from a business development perspective, getting on with co-workers, career developmentnetworking is fundamental in building a career.”
Such was Charlie’s success at networking, he was encouraged by everyone around him to write a book on the subject. He is the first to admit this was not high on his list of priorities but such was the appetite, he succumbed. He hit writer’s blockrepeatedly. It was only while chatting to his partner that he realised just how much he really hated networking and it was in this conversation that the term ‘unnatural networker’ was born. And suddenly the whole premise of the book became clear - he should write about how to network from the point of view of someone who hates it. The words literally flowed. The success of the book, obviously called ‘The Unnatural Networker’ led to a second; ‘The Unnatural Promoter’ and then led
What is in Charlie’s box of magic tricks that can transform fearful wimps like me into successful networkers?
“Human beings know how to have conversations. We might feel awkward, nervous but generally we can do it. The challenge is making something happen from the conversation. From a business generation point of view, a good conversation that has no outcome is a waste of time. It’s not about making and counting connections. It’s about making connections that count. A couple of simple tips. So many people think networking is selling. But if you are looking to actively sell when networking, there is a big, big problem. Nobody goes to networking events with the intention of buying anything. Over time, there is potential to become a client but initially it is about building a relationship - about knowing, liking and trusting. Imagine you go to an event which has 100 potential clients. If you look at it like that, you will go into selling modewhich is wrong, But it also limits your potential; more powerful is who do
“Charlie actually believes an unnatural networker can be even more effective than a natural one who is working the room and speaking to each and every person present.”
these people know? Most of them will have been in business a while and have lots of connections so, instead of trying to sell to them, start to build a relationship with them; see how you can help them. This is key in how people get networking wrong; instead of trying to get something from them, help them - build trust, then they will reciprocate. It's about depth not breadth. This may feel counterintuitive but it is really powerful.”
All well and good Charlie - but how can we even get into conversations and start to build relationships if we are petrified to walk up to someone in the first place?
“Give yourself a good, hard talking to - that’s the first thing. Genuinely when I go to most events I probably go straight into the bathroom, look myself in the mirror and tell myself it’s going to be OK. It might sound weird but it really helps. Then, look at body language. If people are close in together, don’t interrupt them. Instead look for those who are standing more side by side, forming a sort of V shape - it is almost an invitation to join them.
But here is the big one. Check out people on their mobile phones. You will see a lot of them. It looks like they are busy. But they aren't. If they really had to work, they would go somewhere quiet to do it. They are using their phones to cover their own nervousness. Go and talk to them. You are rescuing them from being on their own - and that’s a great way to start a relationship.”
Charlie also advises setting yourself a goaland a realistic one. I confessed to him that my natural inclination is to find an opportunity to leave unnoticed as soon as I can. Charlie suggests I say to myself I will talk to five new people and then give myself permission to leave whether that takes me ten minutes or an hour. Once you have achieved that you will feel proud of your achievement and probably think I can cope with meeting another two people rather than leave. Charlie also stresses the importance of not talking to one person for too long. If it's a good conversation and you've agreed to meet for a coffee next week the more you linger you may undo the good work. Move on.
Charlie actually believes an unnatural networker can be even more effective than a natural one who is working the room and speaking to each and every person present. Better to speak to fewer people (as in your set quota) and make an impression than talk to everyone and not remember any of them. Build a deeper relationship rather than a lot of meaningless ones.
Charlie’s business works with law firms in two different ways. Firstly, he can give a motivational keynote speech filled with helpful tips. Secondly, he can work with the business development team or groups of lawyers within the firm and train them.
The amount of stress that introverts experience as a result of the pressure of networking is huge. Some simple help from one who has experienced it himself is invaluable. And, instead of switching off from the whole networking experience, hopefully introverts can learn to switch off the fear of it.
The artwork for this article is ‘Infinite Accumulation’ by Yayoi Kusama and is located at Liverpool Street station.
TO BE VULNERABLE IS TO BE STRONG
Many lawyers, accountants and other professionals yearn for a life more creative; to be artists or writers. But, too often, practicalities such as family pressures or financial constraints, get in the way of these dreams.
Martin Wade is an artist who was a lawyer. Truth be told, he never had an interest in art either as an observer visiting galleries and even less so as a participant, making art himself. He was a lawyer who wanted to be one. But fate had different plans for him.
When Martin first qualified, working in a specific niche area of law did not resonate with him. He says that “as a Sagittarian, I have a smorgasbord of interests. I am someone who likes to venture out of the box, to travel and to mix things up a bit.”
He was searching for a role in the legal world that was not restricted to working for clients in private practice and, having a grandfather who had served his country, he considered the Armed Forces. He quickly dismissed the RAF because he didn't like the “off the peg uniforms and the enormous pockets” which he says would have driven him mad. And eventually decided to join the “rough end of the forces”; the Army.
He applied, was successful and began training at Sandhurst in the September of 1999, six months after qualifying as a solicitor. Having lawyers in the Army is something that is enshrined in international law as it is decreed in the Geneva Convention that commanders going into war
“I painted from an extremely painful and confused state of having PTSD and what was strange was that not only was I overwhelmed with shame but also people did not even know in those days what PTSD was.
must have access to legal advice. At the time Martin joined there were around 100 lawyers in the Army. He served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan and had “the best and worst of experiences.”
“On the upside, I frequently felt how lucky I was to be doing what I was doing. Working in such challenging and exacting circumstances does give you a professional high. You are at the top of your game But having the authority to make the decisions that shape the battlefield was something which weighed on me very heavily, particularly in Afghanistan. There was no ‘phone a friend’. Most of what we were doing was classified as secret so we couldn’t discuss matters with anyone. I had to make what felt like life or death decisions. And I had to make them alone.”
In 2005, when Martin was sent to Afghanistan, he was the dedicated royal marines legal adviser and was the subject matter expert in the laws of war, i.e.the expert in the legal ways of using lethal and non lethal force.
“It was like having my hand on the volume control of force. The more you rank it up, the higher the chance of collateral damage and killing civilians - and the less you ramp it up, the more chance there was of our own men being killed. I became acutely aware that, because the chain of command would rely on my advice as to the way they took offensive and defensive operations, I was intrinsically linked to the consequences of the operations. In order to cope with such a chaotic situation, and engaging an enemy that followed no rules that resembled the laws of war, I began absorbing all the responsibility for everything that happened. When I was being shot at it felt more normal, perhaps more understandable, than advising how we use lethal force and its inevitable consequences.”
What may have seemed tactically, strategically or politically correct often conflicted with legal realities and moral dilemmas. A reliance on intelligence could be misleading or even deliberately false. The Army was losing people on a daily basis so the instinct was to fight hard
- but that had its own consequence of civilians getting caught up in the aftermath. It was a no win situation. Martin had to train the marines on how to identify the enemy - and then how to react to any perceived threat.
“You don’t have time on the ground to ponder over thoughts. You must act instinctively. If you don't open fire when you should, either you are dead, your fellow serviceman is dead or the people you are trying to protect. I conducted the pre-deployment training and in-theatre training, wrote the legal annexes to the operational orders, wrote up too many reports to remember as well as acting as a pre-eminent member of the targeting boards. As the only person in Helmand providing the legal direction, often referred to as the ‘moral compass’, the stress was mounting up on me. I was aware my decisions could later be analysed in the cold light of day in Whitehall where there was the time, space and calm to address the situations much more rationally over a coffee - and where maybe they would arrive at a different outcome. The ground truth
“Martin Wade is an extraordinary human being who has done and continues to do extraordinary things and yet who failed to see quite how incredible he was and felt ashamed at his vulnerability which he perceived as weakness.”
was my reality, ensuring that as many marines as possible came back home was difficult and daunting and gnawed away at me.”
After Martin completed his time in Afghanistan, he was sent to Germany and it was at this point that he felt something was wrong within him, but he could not identify what it was. The quality of his work did not suffer; he continued to get excellent reports, but he found himself feeling more and more exhausted, drinking too much and just not feeling normal. He spoke to a doctor who sent him for a psychiatric assessment. He felt hyper vigilant, hyper aroused and experienced prolonged episodes of dissociation. In 2010 he was admitted to a German psychiatric hospital with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and later Complex PTSD.
“That diagnosis chills me to the bone even to this very day. I was given a leaflet on PTSD with all the symptoms listed and I had all of them. I immediately got this huge rush of shame; how could an army officer, a Lieutenant Colonel who was not an Infanteer, suffer so badly? “
It was while he was at this hospital that Martin was introduced to art as part of his occupational therapy. He had never put paint on canvas before but he was told to do it and so he did. He says he began to paint what was inside of him; not blood and guts of war but the vulnerable state of the human condition and all the finite feelings and emotions that go with that.
“I painted from an extremely painful and confused state of having PTSD and what was strange was that not only was I overwhelmed with shame but also people did not even know in those days what PTSD was. My Army PAX insurance did not cover me for mental health injuries - there was no compensation whatsoever. At this point I knew my whole career was on the line. I had worked so hard to achieve my success. I had my law degree, my professional exams, I was a qualified solicitor and risen in the ranks in the Army. I was trusted and relied upon. And whilst I delivered, it came at a personal cost to me. I tried to get back to work; it took me a year. I went on a graduated return to work programme and eventually I was posted back to the UK to be Commander Legal of London District at Horse Guards. I was having regular psychiatric therapy but often was sent back to hospital
because I was self-harming or abusing my prescribed drugs as a way of coping. I will never forget having to go to the Board where I was assessed as to whether I could remain in the Army or not. I was sitting on a chair and the consultant lent over into my personal space and shouted ‘BOO’ and I nearly fell off my chair. I was that hyper primed to unannounced noise. I was living on my wit’s end. He told me I could no longer serve. As a result, I had to leave the Army immediately. And I lost everything. My job, my friends, my purpose.”
Martin then spent a total of 18 months as an inpatient in psychiatric hospitals mostly at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London where he continued to paint and it was during this time that people began to express an interest in his art and to pay him for pieces. Thus circumstance, not choice, dictated that he become an artist.
Martin’s career as an artist began to blossom. Law firms particularly were interested in his story and his work and commissioned him to do some pieces for their offices. Martin also began giving some talks in law firms too about his journey of how his mental health had led him to the easel and what he had learned about resilience, about being human, about feelings and emotions. The lawyers listening were relating and realising they had to be careful, to be vigilant and observant of their own anxieties and stresses and find outlets for them and coping mechanisms. Finally things were taking a turn for the better for Martin.
Then COVID hit and the momentum was lost. After the pandemic, people were going into the office less so the need for meaningful art on the walls diminished.
Even though Martin is still on the Solicitors’ Roll, he is still not capable of working full time at the moment and isn’t even sure that is what he wants even if it were a viable option.
“What I do want, if possible, is to try and make a living from my art. In fact I’ve just had a hugely successful solo exhibition in Chelsea. But I would also like to talk about my experiences and to try to help dilute that feeling of shame which is the biggest thing in my story. That shame is a cancer. It chokes you. You feel you cannot hold your head up anymore. I would like so much to help people understand there is no shame in illness.” We are privileged to feature one of Martin’s
artworks, ‘Vulnerability’ on the cover of this issue. Martin shares with us the thinking behind the painting;
“So often we avoid vulnerability or see it as a weakness. Showing true vulnerability requires great courage. Just being "you", trusting you are enough in your perfectly imperfect humanness is a step towards authenticity, liberation and an acceptance of your rightful place in our shared common humanity. It is the beating heart of compassion.
This painting is my raised right hand asserting that we all exist and wish to connect with each other. However, the hand is in danger of slipping into the cold water beneath as it feels the fear of expressing a simple need. Expressing our needs, clinical or otherwise, is part of vulnerability.
The genuine connection we feel when we have our needs met is vital for us to flourish particularly when we show true vulnerability in overcoming fears of rejection, judgement or criticism in expressing those needs. At our peril do we only meet the needs of others. This painting is symbolic of the courage we all show in this pursuit of balance.”
Martin Wade is an extraordinary human being who has done and continues to do extraordinary things and yet who failed to see quite how incredible he was and felt ashamed at his vulnerability which he perceived as weakness.
He is in a position where he can really help make a difference to how our profession copes with mental health by speaking of his experiences and helping us to understand there is no shame at all in suffering with our mental health any more than there is shame in, say, breaking a leg or getting cancer.
We can help Martin too by commissioning him to come in and give these talks and by adorning our walls with his deeply significant, relevant and meaningful art which can serve as a daily reminder to us on the importance of understanding our feelings and emotions and how to overcome the difficulties of raising your hand.
“Everything I feared about admitting to my PTSD never happened. People did not sneer or see it as weakness but genuinely tried to support me. We all suffer with our mental health in varying degrees and we can all support each other to be the best versions of ourselves in a safe environment.”
This is a great opportunity for lawyers to help lawyers; for us to help Martin and for him to help us.
For more information on his art visit https://www.martinartist.com/
To contact Martin about booking him for talks email him on martinwadeartist@gmail.com
“Everything I feared about admitting to my PTSD never happened. People did not sneer or see it as weakness but genuinely tried to support me. We all suffer with our mental health in varying degrees and we can all support each other to be the best versions of ourselves in a safe environment.”
Let us realise that the privilege to work is a gift, the power to work is a blessing, the love of work is success.
David O’Mackay
Colin Passmore will need no introduction to the readers of this magazine. Former senior partner of Simmons & Simmons, recipient of the City of London Law Society (CLLS) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 and now Chair of the CLLS, his list of accomplishments would not only take up more than the entire word count of this article, it would doubtless fill the entire magazine.
Colin is passionate (and that is an understatement) about all things to do with the law, specifically concerning the City. He is a huge advocate for fairness and equality and works relentlessly to bring issues - such as mental health - to the fore. Indeed, the theme for this issue was very much at his instigation.
It is somewhat ironic, therefore, that a man who is so supportive of switching off rarely does so himself. In fact, one of the ways Colin has spent his spare time over the past 18 years is by writing and then rewriting a big fat tome on the subject of privilege.
‘Privilege’ published by Sweet and Maxwell in October 2024, is now in its 5th edition and is available as a printed version and an e-book.
Colin started on the first edition in 1998. This epic journey began almost by accident. Colin recalls going to a conference with counsel and realising he didn’t really understand the law of privilege as he had received no tuition in it. He mentioned to a publisher what a pity it was there was no dedicated text book on the subject as he was sure practitioners would benefit - and he was challenged to write one himself.
Colin has promised himself that the 5th edition will be his last as author but he has promoted himself to Editor In Chief and has a team of around 10 lawyers who will produce the next edition in the hope that it not only survives but thrives. Considering privilege is a concept that was invented in the 15th century, one would have thought the area of law concerning it would be well and truly settled by now but it isn’t - which is why Colin’s book is an essential.
“Colin imagined he would write about 30 pages. The first edition was actually 288 pages. And the latest 1471.”
“It is a book that is principally for litigators because privilege is something that will normally arise during the course of a dispute or regulatory investigation. But I am increasingly seeing transactional lawyers wanting to have a better understanding of the subject because they are the ones often whose transactions may give rise to a dispute, for whatever reason ,and then litigators need to look at all the communications to decide which are privileged. The great beauty of privilege is when a lawyer gives advice, those communications are completely sacrosanct, This is in contrast to all other professional relationships be it with an accountant, auditor, quantity surveyor, doctor even a priest, all those communications can be opened up with the benefit of a court order but legal communication cannot. It is a very powerful and jealously guarded right that only belongs to clients of the legal profession.”
Colin imagined he would write about 30 pages. The first edition was actually 288 pages. And the latest 1471.
Bearing in mind, Colin was writing all this around his day job, this involved making time when he was on a train, or late at night before going to sleep, or while waiting at airports. Each time an edition was completed, Colin admits to feeling well and truly done with it and having no desire to do another one. But because privilege is an area of the law that produces literally hundreds of cases each year, not just in the UK but also in other common law jurisdictions, and many of these are of interest and persuasive authority, it really had to be an iterative process rather than a one hit wonder. Quite a mammoth task.
The editions came out in 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019 and 2024 - each edition a year quicker than the previous one - and considerably longer every time. What began as a challenge turned into what others would consider a full time task. Colin has achieved a certain level of ‘notoriety’ in the field and is often cited by the Courts and lectures on the subject also.
It is extraordinary to think that such an enormous body of work was done almost as a hobby. Colin says that far from draining him, work - and anything to do with the law - energises him and whilst all the many different challenges he takes on can be very demanding, he loves getting involved in all things legal (read that how you will) and being among lawyers. One lesson he has learned over the years though is that instead of struggling with something at 2am, it is better to get a good night’s sleep and tackle it when you are refreshed.
When pushed, Colin confesses to having some interests outside of work. He switches off by cycling, his preferred method of keeping fit. He also loves to travel. When we spoke Colin had just returned from a long weekend in “his favourite country”, Italy, where he indulged in another of his pleasures, the Arts, with a visit to Leonardo’s Last Supper in Milan and also to the Egyptian Museum in Turin. I did not probe as to whether the trip involved business as I suspected the answer might well be yes.
‘Privilege’ is available from Wildy & Sons Ltd, both in store and online. ■
THE LORD MAYOR’S
Once again, the Company dazzled at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show! Our float, entitled “City Solicitors – Keeping You Ahead of the Game” showcased the City as a global centre for legal services. Spectacular costumes included union jack lions, roses and daffodils for the law of England & Wales, legal eagles and City landmarks. Olympic rings and footballs were included to reference major sporting events held in 2024. Thank you to Mahogany Carnival for our amazing costumes and to our Cadets and our members for helping us to put on another amazing display. Our thanks also go to the following law firms whose generous support made it possible for us to take part in this unique City of London event:
Addleshaw Goddard LLP
Baker McKenzie LLP
Blackfords LLP
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
Burges Salmon LLP
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP,
Clifford Chance LLP
Clyde & Co LLP
DAC Beachcroft LLP
Davis Polk LLP
Dentons LLP
Druces LLP
Eversheds Sutherland LLP
Fenchurch Law LLP
Fox Williams LLP
Freshfields LLP,
Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
Hogan Lovells LLP
Keystone Law LLP
Linklaters LLP
Macfarlanes LLP
Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP
Mayer Brown LLP
Nockolds Solicitors
Ogletree Deakins
Sackers LLP
Simpson Thacher Bartlett LLP
Squire Patton Boggs LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Trowers & Hamlins LLP
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
White & Case LLP ■
SHOW 2024
What’s been happening and what is coming up
“Lucky Girls”
Reflections on what women need to succeed in City law firms
Introduction
Some of you reading this may have attended the “Lucky Girls” event held by the Company and generously hosted by Slaughter and May, on Tuesday 21st May 2024. To clarify, no one who attended that event was a “Lucky Girl” - everyone was there as an already successful professional operating at the top of their game.
The word “Lucky” in the title of our session was a reference, tongue in cheek, to the TikTok sensation known as “Lucky Girls” which suggests it is possible to make one’s own luck by simply putting a wish out to the universe. The idea goes like this – you want a convertible BMW, you make that known, and next thing is a convertible BMW appears in your driveway. It happens simply because you articulate your desire for it.
It is highly questionable whether it’s possible to manifest a promotion, but one of the things we wanted to touch on in at this event was the role which having a plan and pursuing it with the fullest of confidence can play when it comes to advancing in the law.
“Lucky Girls” was clearly a title which said something to many women lawyers working in City law firms – all available places were taken within three working days of being advertised and we ran a sizable wait list.
This article, prepared by the Company’s Master in 2023/24, Sarah de Gay, with the support of the incredible Panellists and Rapporteurs who played such a key part in delivering “Lucky Girls”, notes some of the themes
which emerged on the day and makes suggestions as to how this cross-firm conversation might continue. As the event was held under the Chatham House Rule, none of the views reported here are attributed.
What we did
Our afternoon began with a panel discussion, led by Jane Edwarde1 of Slaughter and May.
Our panel comprised a group of outstanding solicitors associated with the Company as members of its Court and Committees namely, Alexandra Marks CBE2, Clare Murray3 and Sophia Bell4, each being at a different stage of their legal career, from different law firms and with different legal specialties.
After our panel conversation, we asked our attendees to discuss three (linked) questions on their tables, facilitated by a designated table Rapporteur5
The questions we set were:
• How far do you plan ahead when it comes to your career?
• Do you think you need a five year/similar plan to succeed?
• What would the key elements of any such plan be and how might the Livery Company support you in succeeding?
Each Rapporteur then shared their principal takeaways with the room before Sarah summed up by identifying some possible actions for the Company to consider in supporting woman solicitors with their career development.
Photographs from Lucky Girls 2 Networking Event hosted by Weil Gotshal & Manges
The panel discussion
The panel discussion, expertly led by Jane, centred on three issues:
• How far do you plan ahead when it comes to your career?
• Do you think you need a five year/similar plan to succeed?
• What would the key elements of any such plan be and how might the Livery Company support you in succeeding?
The main themes to emerge from this discussion were:
1. Making your own luck
In her introductory remarks, Sarah pointed out that there are many definitions of “luck” –her favourite being that luck happens when preparedness and opportunity coincide. In other words, we definitely have a role in making our own luck, and success is not brought about by chance alone.
The panel considered how women lawyers can approach making their own luck by sharing personal stories about what had worked for them so far in their legal careers.
Although not every panel member had had a ‘Master Plan’ for their career, they agreed that, in the early years of a legal career, it is crucial to be strategic and that persevering with your goals was key.
The legal industry is competitive, and success requires hard work, passion and a clear vision. Building relationships, profile and practice are fundamental. It is important to understand that opportunities and recognition must be earned, not given. As an associate, delivering chargeable hours is important, but when it comes to partnership consideration, a law firm will typically look at a lawyer’s practice, client base, network, profile, sponsors and allies. Laying the foundations of your business case early is essential.
But it is for each lawyer to define for themselves what ‘success’ looks like for them –whilst discussions had focussed on partnership, that might not be what every lawyer wants.
2. Being visible
The legal industry is one based on relationships, visibility, service and boldness.
Being visible from the outset, both within and outside your firm, including on social media, was felt to be important. Networking and building relationships are a key part of this.
Being bold and communicating your expectations was another key element. For instance, in an interview, don’t shy away from expressing your ambitions.
Get multiple mentors and sponsors of influence, to support your endeavours.
Be strategic (and therefore selective) about any internal roles you take on, ensuring they add value to your career. Avoid “housekeeping” roles which are administrative and internallyfocussed as these won’t help you to develop contacts (internal or external) who will give you work.
Seek out and volunteer for the right Working Groups and Committees – don’t wait to be asked to join one (that invitation may never come). And think about which influential Committees you can join outside your firm which help to develop your specialism and further extend your network.
If you are not visible, then, it follows, you are invisible. This in turn reduces the chances of there being opportunities for others to support you.
3. Finding the right mentors
The panel touched on the difference between sponsors and mentors, agreeing that both were needed – firstly, a sponsor to champion you and your work and prospects to others of influence in your firm and secondly, and a mentor (or mentors) to provide you with support behind the scenes.
Typically, sponsors are allocated by a law firm once its lawyers reach a certain stage in their
“Finding the right mentors and treating partners as your internal clients is also great practice for building relationships with external clients.”
careers, whilst mentors can be found through a firm’s own formal mentoring schemes or through personal effort. Most panel members had benefited from finding their own mentors, with further benefit in seeking out mentors who would be prepared to deliver some hard messages – pointing out what you need to do more of, or better. Mentors who could introduce you to possible work-referrers were valuable too.
Finding the right mentors and treating partners as your internal clients is also great practice for building relationships with external clients.
The senior lawyers who were present agreed that, on the whole, it is flattering to be asked to mentor a more junior lawyer – and most requests will be responded to with a welcoming
“yes”. The mentors themselves also said that they too had learned from the experience and that there is real value in reverse mentoring.
4. Approaching maternity leave
For women lawyers wanting to start a family, it is essential to know what to ask for from your firm regarding maternity leave and returning to work.
For example, asking for a return-to-work coach, for your clients to be returned to you, technical refreshers and (if needed) part-time working were all (usually) reasonable requests.
But it is important too for you to stay visible during your maternity leave and maintain your key relationships.
It was noted that those law firms which actively encourage their male lawyers to take parental leave were good firms to work for, and very forward-looking. Parental leave is such a short period of time, when spread across a long legal career, so it makes commercial sense, as well as being the right thing to do, to extend it to all as a great tool to retain talent and to support future leaders.
5. Avoiding the “you never told me” moment
Although a generalisation, it was thought there could be a tendency among female lawyers to work hard, work long hours and generally to behave as a ‘good citizen’ in their firm.
But after eight or ten years, the firm may ask “where’s your network, your significant relationships and your profile?” and for some this can result in a “you never told me I needed that” realisation.
Any such conversation or realisation could well coincide with wishing to start a family. And if these two things do coincide, it will be very hard to do what is needed professionally from scratch.
This circled back to the panel’s opening recommendation – that it’s important to be strategic from an early stage.
D. The table work
The main takeaways having listened to a fascinating panel discussion during which many personal anecdotes were shared, were:
• Have a vision rather than a plan - plans can be rigid. Having one might make it more difficult to take advantage of other opportunities that may arise. It might be better to work on having a vision.
• Be flexible – keep an ear out to opportunities and keep as many doors open as you can.
• Seek mentors from other sectors - don’t feel constrained when seeking out mentors. Find different mentors for different goals and stages of your career. Also, consider having several mentors at the same time.
LIVERY
• Use your firm’s appraisal process - be direct, make it clear what your ambitions are, explore what further support the firm can give you.
• Seize suitable opportunities when they come into range - for example, does your firm offer training in public speaking and presentational skills, and the chance to then practice those skills? If not, then volunteering to do this type of activity as much as possible could give you the practice and confidence to do it well.
• Take regular stock - do you enjoy what you are doing, are you moving towards your (own) goals, are you in the right firm?
• Reflect and adapt - it is OK to move roles and/or firms. Remember to ask yourself “is this where I want to be?”
• Define your own success - there are many routes and ways to succeed in law firms. Remember to ask yourself what you want.
• Have building blocks - although a rigid plan may not be the way to go, you need building blocks to support your career. These can vary – for example, some may find an ‘Of Counsel’ role is the right stepping stone.
• Be vocal - develop and control your own narrative. What are your career goals? Do you want to be on partnership track, or not? And if you are stepping off it, do you want to get back on it later, and why/when?
• Have boundaries - communication and trust are key to sharing boundaries with those you work with, so that you can reveal your nonnegotiables. This can also help to sustain you through stressful periods and isn’t a conversation which should be limited to those with caring responsibilities. Remember to look after your health, including your mental health.
E. Conclusion
Sarah concluded by sharing her own takeaways and then mooting two areas the Company might reflect further on in terms of offering additional support to its younger female members:
• How to network - it had been suggested during the afternoon’s discussion, that there are elements of networking that can be taught. Might the Company facilitate a session on this?
• Mentor matching - there are many senior lawyers on the Company’s Court and Committees, and within its membership. Might the Company put younger female members in touch with those happy to be mentors?
And finally, the Sarah’s proudest take-away of the day was a comment (one of many) shared by an attendee, at the end of the day. “This was brilliant”, she said, “no one does this for us”.
If you have read this far and you are a solicitor who is practising or has practised in the City for at least six months, you can join the Company as a Freeman. Sarah would be happy to propose, and find a seconder for, anyone who attended “Lucky Girls” – see the Company’s website, or contact its Clerk (clerk@citysolicitors.org.uk), for further details. ■
Endnotes:
Since this article was written, another sell-out “Lucky Girls” event (a Masterclass on Networking) has been held, kindly hosted by Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP and led by Esther Stanhope. “Lucky Girl” attendees have also shared some amazing ideas for future events so look out for future events in the “Lucky Girls” series. Any law firms interested in hosting these events please contact Sarah de Gay through the Solicitors’ Company office: (clerk@citysolicitors.org. uk).
1Jane is the Head of Slaughter and May’s Real Estate Group, and a Diversity and Inclusion partner, responsible for shaping the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives. Jane is also a sponsor partner of the firm’s Gender Equality Network and Social Mobility Network.
2Alexandra Marks was a partner at Linklaters LLP until 2011. She now sits as a part-time judge in the Crown Court, High Court and First-tier Tribunal. She chairs The Hardman Trust (supporting people on long sentences) and Discover (Children’s Story Centre based in Newham). She is also a trustee of The Howard League for Penal Reform, LawCare (the mental health and wellbeing charity for the legal professions) and Standing Tall (a homelessness charity). Alexandra was honoured with a CBE in 2017 and is a former Master of the City of London Solicitors’ Company.
3Clare is the founder and Managing Partner of specialist partnership, employment and SRA regulatory firm, CM Murray LLP. She acts for US and UK professional services firms, and for equity partners in professional services and investment management firms, in partnership and employment matters. Clare also specialises in providing strategic advice to senior executives and founders. She has a particular interest and expertise in sexual harassment matters; and in March 2018 was appointed as the specialist adviser to the House of
Commons Women & Equalities Committee in respect of its Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Inquiry. Clare is a member of the Court of the City of London Solicitors’ Company.
4Sophia trained at Trowers & Hamlins LLP after working as a paralegal at the firm and at Shoosmiths LLP. She qualified as a solicitor in 2020 and moved to Macfarlanes LLP, as an associate in the banking & finance team. She acted on a broad range of financing transactions, including real estate finance, fund finance, acquisition finance, leveraged finance and structured finance. Sophia is a member of the City of London Solicitors’ Company and Vice Chair of its Whittington Committee - which is tasked with organising social and charitable events for the Company’s younger members, including participation in the Lord Mayor’s Show.
5We are grateful to Virginia Cannon, Professor Sara Chandler, Salome Coker, Uzma Hamid-Dizier, Lee McLernon, Gemma Porter, Tanja Velling and Victoria Young-Husband for performing these roles so enthusiastically and professionally.
Wig & Pen Prize 2024
Liam is pictured receiving his award from the Master, Ed Parker at the City of London Solicitors’ Company’s “Celebration of Impact” event held on 1st October 2024.
The Wig & Pen Prize for pro bono work has been awarded to Liam Symonds, an Associate in Freshfields’ Dispute Resolution practice, in recognition of his dedication to pro bono legal work and his commitment to supporting marginalised communities.
Liam led a Freshfields team to secure a substantial victory for a modern slavery survivor in the First-Tier Tribunal. The case involved successfully overturning an initial refusal by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) to award compensation. After four years of dedicated work, Liam’s team achieved a landmark result, with over £350,000 awarded - the highest known sum for a modern slavery survivor under the CICA scheme. The client, who had been held captive for more than 26 years, would have likely been unable to achieve this outcome without legal representation, a situation exacerbated by legal aid restrictions.
Beyond his work in this landmark case, Liam has represented numerous pro bono clients, including survivors of torture, race discrimination victims, and humanitarian charities. ■
SAVE THE DATE
25th February 2025 - Mansion House Banquet
Members of the City of London Solicitors’ Company and the City of London Law Society and guests are invited to our flagship event of the year. Look out for more details at www.citysolicitors.org and www.clls.org
Are you seeking a venue that seamlessly combines elegance, history, and modern amenities for your next meeting or event?
Look no further than The Inner Temple, one of London’s four historic Inns of Court, offering a truly unique setting steeped in centuries of tradition. Dating back to the 12th century and originally established by the Knights Templar, The Inner Temple estate has witnessed iconic moments in legal and cultural history.
The Inn boasts an inspiring backdrop for gatherings of all sizes. The first floor rooms exude grandeur, making them ideal for conferences, receptions, and dinners. For all-day events or refined evening functions, the Parliament Chamber and the adjoining Luncheon Room offer timeless charm. The Hall, with its majestic ceilings, historic paintings, and exquisite stained glass windows, creates a distinguished setting for evening lectures for up to 270 guests or private dining for up to 240 guests.
Following an extensive three year renovation, the Inn reopened in 2022, unveiling stateof-the-art conference and meeting facilities. The innovative Lecture Theatre on the third floor comfortably accommodates up to 120 delegates and is equipped with integrated screens, advanced audio, and a triple-camera setup for seamless conferencing, recording, and streaming. On the fourth floor, eight versatile meeting rooms provide the perfect spaces for breakout sessions, workshops,
seminars, or intimate gatherings. Together, these two floors provide a smooth and efficient conference experience, where delegates can move easily between the high-tech Lecture Theatre and contemporary meeting rooms throughout the day.
Overlooking the River Thames is the beautifully manicured Inner Temple Garden, which accommodates up to 600 guests. Once the original home of the Royal Horticultural Show before its relocation to Chelsea, the garden offers an idyllic setting, creating the perfect ambiance for your summer event.
Beyond the venue’s versatile event spaces, The Inner Temple is renowned for its exceptional service. A dedicated events team ensures every detail is meticulously planned, while the in-house catering team is known for their seasonal, locally sourced dishes and craft menus tailored to your occasion, from delicious working lunches to elegant banquets and cocktail receptions.
Hosting your meeting or event at the Inn offers your guests an experience within a living legacy. Figures like Sir Francis Drake and Sir Edward Coke once walked its halls.
The venue’s rich heritage, including ties to the Wars of the Roses and a unique concentration of Grade I-listed buildings, combined with its modern amenities, ensures that your event will be both remarkable and memorable.
Conveniently located in the heart of London’s legal quarter, the Inn is easily accessible. Whatever your meeting or event requirements, The Inner Temple provides an atmosphere of sophistication and prestige like no other.
For more information, visit innertemplevenuehire.co.uk , email venuehire@innertemple.org.uk or call us on 020 7797 8230
ONCE UPON A TIME…
Who doesn’t love a fairy tale with a ‘happy ever after’ ending? Sadly, this is the stuff of make believe not real life. Or is it?
Our story starts with the classic boy meets girl scenario. In this case, Jack and Beth. Both were in the hospitality sector - Jack, a chef and Beth, a front of house / sommelier. They met at Marcus Waring nine years ago and all the ingredients for the perfect love story were in place.
Fast forward a few years and by this time Jack was at the three Michelin star Restaurant Gordon Ramsey in Royal Hospital Road in research and development and Beth was the restaurant manager of Apricity, the low waste sustainable restaurant in Mayfair from Chantelle Nicholson, which boasts a Michelin Green Star. (Think chairs made from coke cans, a desk made from corks and the yummiest food and wine - quirky but divine.).
Not only had their careers flourished but so had their relationship and Jack proposed. Jack was originally from Liverpool and every family holiday had been spent in the Lake District, a place he feels very connected to. So, when the wedding was being planned, Jack suggested it as the perfect place. Beth was from the Peak District and thought she may have visited the Lakes once when she was a child but had little recollection of it but assumed it was not dissimilar from the Peaks and agreed to the plan. They found a venue for the day and were looking for a hotel to stay for their honeymoon
and they chose somewhere called Another Place who coincidentally were looking to hire a Food and Beverage Manager. It seemed a sign and Jack and Beth whimsically and spontaneously decided maybe they should not return to London after they got married but stay in the Lakes. Fate seemed to agree with them and Beth was successful in her application for the job at Another Place. They moved up North in January, a few months before their wedding to give themselves time
“As a wedding gift, Beth’s mum got them a two night stay at another Michelin star restaurant with rooms, The Cottage In The Wood,”
to find somewhere to live and for Jack to get a job. Jack with his super culinary skills quickly got snapped up as head chef at the Gilpin, a five star hotel with a Michelin star restaurant.
As a wedding gift, Beth’s mum got them a two night stay at another Michelin star restaurant with rooms, The Cottage In The Wood, and they arrived there the day after the wedding. As they were having dinner, both of them just fell in love with the place and started
dreaming about how wonderful it would be to one day own something very similar; a thirty cover restaurant, eight bedrooms; the perfect size and in a glorious location. They said they had to really grasp how they were feeling, to remember it and to focus on trying one day to make it happen. This was June 1st 2023 and in October of the same year, Beth received an email from her old boss, Chantelle, from Apricity saying she had received a letter from the said The Cottage In The Woods’ owners saying they were looking to sell and wondered if she was interested as through research and common acquaintances they had identified her as being the perfect replacement for themselves. Chantelle felt it was not the right time for her - but…… yes, you can guess what happened next.
Chantelle introduced the owners, Liam and Kath Berney to Jack and Beth who recounted the story of their stay a few months previously. It was obviously a - or should we say anothermatch made in heaven. And continuing in the theme of how some things are just meant to be, Liam explained that they were losing their head chef on New Years Day and offered Jack the job so that he and Beth could learn the ropes while the sale was going through. In the months that followed Liam and Kath passed on their knowledge and experience to Jack and Beth and eventually offered them a cottage to live in. They moved in on the 31st May - their one year anniversary. On the 2nd of June their
WHERE TO EAT
baby, Reuben was born - just to add another miracle into the mix. They completed the purchase on the 2nd July.
I had met Beth when she was at Apricity and as two fellow wine lovers we got on immediately so I had keenly been following her adventure on Instagram and was obviously - as a self proclaimed foodie - desperate to go to The Cottage In The Wood. My partner in all food and wine crime, Paul, did not take much persuading and we got the train to Keswick on July 10th just a week after Jack and Beth had officially taken over. We arrived in the pouring rain but as we were taken to our room, The Garden Room, our spirits far from being dampened by the weather could not have soared higher. The views were just exquisite. The Cottage In The Woods is literally that. It is in the middle of Whinlatter Forest, perched 1000 feet up and is a 17th Century building in Braithwaite in the Northern Lakes - and the
The ‘room’ is more of a suite with a separate sitting area with a huge sofa, a tv and stunning views. The bathroom was stunning. And of course there was a garden with a table and chairs - the perfect place to read a book, sip a glass of wine or just take in the scenery. Soon it was time for the main event, dinner in the Michelin starred restaurant and the opportunity to sample Jack’s artistry. The Cottage works on a very clever basis. The menu is a tasting menu but as most people stay two nights, there are two completely different tasting menus every two day stint.
As we entered the restaurant, the sommelier, Joel, greeted us with a glass of English sparkling wine. On discovering I was a huge tennis fan and had been glued to the men's quarter final most of the afternoon, he kept updating me on the score. He was so friendly - as indeed every single person working there was. There definitely is a difference between Northerners and us lot from down South!
As we sipped our drinks and drooled over the menu that showed us the feasts we were awaiting, we were entertained by red squirrels, a sight I had not seen since I was a child. Because the restaurant is small and because the staff are so friendly, there is a hugely relaxed atmosphere in the room; guests chat amongst themselves and it feels like we are all at a friend’s house. A friend who is an amazing cook by the way!
We stayed two nights and had both the tasting menus which are 7 courses and on the second night we went for the wine pairing also - which I would most definitely recommend. Each course is served by one of the chefs who come out from the kitchen to explain the dish - which makes it so personal and special.
I would love to go through each of the fourteen courses (and the absolutely exquisite three course breakfasts - think pine cured sea trout, forest mushroom omelettes, french toast with
“there is a hugely relaxed atmosphere in the room; guests chat amongst themselves and it feels like we are all at a friend’s house. A friend who is an amazing cook by the way!”
banana, pecans and maple syrup) we savoured but this article would be of Tolstoy length so suffice to whet your appetites with a picture of one of the menus. I cannot even pick a favourite dish as it really was a case of the one I happened to be eating at the time was my fave - until the next one came along. Weird as it sounds, Paul was obsessed with the bread and while I tried to limit myself to one bit so I could fit in everything else, he ate the entire loaf and asked for a second one which he also devoured.
The beef tartare was out of this world and deserves a mention, as was the turbot with fennel and romesco. And the cappelletti with peas and ham were exquisite. I adored the courgette, verbena and mint. But truth be told there was not one mouthful of any dish that did not delight.
Now for those of you who regularly read the restaurant reviews here, you will know Paul and I are lucky enough to have eaten at some pretty amazing places but I can honestly say this was definitely in my all time top three ever. The food looks like art and it tastes absolutely delicious. It is clever and creative but without being intimidating or tricksy. The ingredients are all British, sourced as locally as possible, of the highest quality and absolutely nothing is wasted.
Jack says;
“We want to make the ingredient work as hard as it can, I find waste is lazy. We currently have a pea dish on the menu. Just to take the peas out and throw everything else away is such a waste; we make both an oil and a vinegar out of the shells and try and use everything up. It takes two months to grow so it's such a shame to just then use it once.”
Beth has worked hard to introduce a different wine experience to Cumbria. In London, natural wines are very much the norm today but in the Lakes more pub type wines like Merlot and Malbec have been the go to for a lot of people.
“I don’t want to scare people or intimidate them into buying a bottle of something they have never heard of and they don’t know if they will like, so our pairing menu is a perfect way to try different things and to explore. I want it to be an adventure; I want Joel, our sommelier, to share his passion and the stories behind the wines and to really inspire enthusiasm.” And, rest assured, the wines are really sensational.
As beautiful as The Cottage In The Wood isand trust me it really is - Jack and Beth want to make it even better. They want to up the aesthetics and put their inimitable stamp on it and so plans are underfoot to redesign and upgrade the rooms and the dining area - even the crockery is going to be bespoke - with imprints of ferns. They want a ‘Scandi but cosy’ feel. Already they are welcoming guests with homemade warm scones brushed in birch sap and served with elderflower curd - everything grown and picked locally - but they are working on lots more touches like this to make the whole experience even more magical.
The breathtaking scenery which encompasses the house is more than matched by the food and wine and hospitality Jack and Beth offer. It is the most perfect place to switch off, to recharge and to thoroughly indulge. Go before word gets out and it becomes impossible to get a room or reservation. Stay for two nights - and if you want to extend your stay in the Lakes, fit in a night at Simon Rogan’s famous L’Enclume too, or the Old Stamp House in Ambleside or the newly refurbished Heft in Grange-OverSands. ■
The Cottage In The Wood really is the place where fairy tales come true.
The Cottage in The Wood is open for room, dinner and breakfast stays WednesdaySaturday; for dinner only Wednesday - Saturday and lunch Thursday - Saturday.
The Cottage in the Wood, Magic Hill, Whinlatter Forest, Braithwaite, Near Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TW
www.thecottageinthewood.co.uk
Email - relax@thecottageinthewood.co.uk
Phone - 017687 78409
“The breathtaking scenery which encompasses the house is more than matched by the food and wine and hospitality Jack and Beth offer. It is the most perfect place to switch off, to recharge and to thoroughly indulge.”
SiP
Welcome To SIP, our new regular column devoted to every delicious thing we can sip; wines, cocktails and non alcoholic delights.
Written by our journalist Maroulla Paul who is a self confessed nerd when it comes to wines and spirits. Maroulla has WSET Wines and Spirits Level 3, WSET Sake Level 1 and Capstone Level 1 (so far!)
the true meaning of super tuscan
Cigar and umbrella cypress trees. Gentle rolling hills. Towns literally spilling over with tourists. Leaning towers. Michelangelo’s David. The best ice cream shop(s) in the world. The original skyscrapers. Delicious Sangiovese wines. This is the Tuscany we know and love.
But there is another side to Tuscany. A part where tourists barely tread. Where the landscape is rugged and mountainous. Here you will find chestnut forests, caves, wild boar and porcupine.
This is the Garfagnana region, located in the north west of Tuscany, north of Lucca - and it is full of secret treasures. Barga, a mediaeval town, is every bit as beautiful (in my opinion a lot more beautiful) as San Gimignano or Siena - but it is as peaceful a place as you can find. Its cathedral is dramatic and magnificent and you will most likely be the only visitor. The restaurants liberally shave white and black truffles (depending on the season) over hand made pasta. There is art everywhere including a lot by the late John Bellany who chose this place to be his home in his final years and found a quiet contentment he had never previously known.
About fifteen minutes outside of Barga is a little hilltop village called Fiattone that nestles in the clouds. It has 32 inhabitants, a church and one of the finest wineries in the world.
Podere Concori comprises five hectares of vineyards surrounded by ten hectares of forests. It is between the Apennines and the
Apuan Alps some 300 to 400 metres above sea level. And it is a little bit of heaven.
It is owned by Gabriele da Prato who inherited it from his father, Luigi, who started making wine in the 1950s, particularly to supply a local taverna he owned, a place which the writer Giovanni Pascoli loved to frequent. When Gabriele took it over in 1998, he had bigger dreams than just making wine and keeping it in demijohns to serve in the taverna.
“Each wine is a work of art crafted to perfection by Gabriele. These are called super Tuscans”
Gabriele is a perfectionist and does not believe in taking the easy road. He transformed Concori from conventional winemaking to becoming completely natural organic and biodynamic and so making Podere Concori the first biodynamic winery in Garfagnana.
For Gabriele it has always been about quality and he has worked relentlessly to make the most extraordinary wines.
Currently there are seven in the portfolio. Two red Syrahs, Melograno and VignaPiezza. Pinot Noir simply named after the grape. Flos, a rose, and Dapri, a low alcohol Pet Nat which are both also from the Syrah grape. Podere Bianco, a white which is a blend of Chenin and Pinot Blanc. And, last but most definitely not least, La Calda which is, surprisingly for Tuscan wines, a Gewurztraminer.
Each wine is a work of art crafted to perfection by Gabriele. These are called super Tuscans not just because they do not use indigenous grapes, as is the usual definition, but in this case because that is precisely what they are.
My first introduction to Concori wines was the Melograno - the Italian word for pomegranate, chosen because the vines sit alongside pomegranate trees. I will never forget that moment when I originally tasted it because it was so sublimely special. A bright ruby red with berries, cherry and pepper, it is the classic Syrah.
WHAT TO DRINK
Gabriele describes it as “rhythm, freshness and instinctive drinkability, like a beautiful song that you listen to over and over again without ever getting tired, so you finish the bottle in a few minutes.” You can tell he has art in his soul.
Then there is the VignaPiezza which has been described as one of the best expressions of Syrah in the whole of Italy. The grapes for this masterpiece are selected from ancient vines, planted by Gabriele’s great grandparents. The vines are planted on an extreme slope on the Serchio river which provides both ventilation and a balance of temperatures to perfectly yet gently ripen the grapes to perfection. The soils are a mix of silica, sandstone and stone. All of these elements combine to bring a richness, depth and complexity to this amazing wine.
The Pinot Noir needs no other name. These grapes come from a more northerly vineyard in a small gap right next to the chestnut forest and it has a rocky soil. The wine is exquisite. Wild berries and fresh cherries dominate the notes and its elegance is unparalleled.
“rhythm, freshness and instinctive drinkability, like a beautiful song that you listen to over and over again without ever getting tired, so you finish the bottle in a few minutes.”
Flos is a rose that Gabriele dedicates to his family's history and culture which has always been one of hospitality, of eating and drinking. It is 100% Syrah, macerated for eight hours and aged in concrete. It is the perfect companion for trout, a fish that is locally farmed.
Dapri is low alcohol, sparkling and just the perfect summer drink. Have it as an aperitivo or with dessert, or for breakfast with some divine Italian pastries. Again 100% Syrah, this on trend Pet Nat is the palest of pinks and like the other Syrahs sings of berries.
You could be fooled when tasting the Podere Bianco that you are drinking one of the finest wines the Loire Valley has to offer. This blend of Chenin and Pinot Blanc is not what we expect from Italian whites. But then again that is true of everything Gabriele does. The two vineyards are in the highest part of the estate on an ancient plot that was originally part of the church of Fiattone - so it is, indeed, holy wine. Like all Concori wines it speaks of its terroir, in this case drawing from the sand and shale of the soils.
While each and every one of the seven wines is my favourite depending on which one I am drinking, at the moment I am wholly obsessed with La Calda. Fermented in concrete with 30 days of skin contact this almost orange wine is completely extraordinary.
La Calda literally translates to The Hot and that is absolutely what this wine is. It has all the perfumed and floral aromas and tasting notes you would expect from a Gewurztraminer but with a refined complexity that would leave even the finest Alsace expressions of this grape way behind.
Podere Concori is very much a family business. When you visit for a tour of the vineyard and winery and to do a tasting, your guide will be Susanna, Gabriele’s daughter, who has grown up treading the grapes and knows wine inside out. Her passion, like her fathers, shines through. So committed are the entire family to sustainability and no waste that Susanna has created a line of beauty products made from the discarded grape skins - and they are superb.
On your tour you will meet the winery mascot, Pietro the donkey, (who has his own instagram page) as well as the family dog. You can sit in the hammock and soak in the sun as Susanna tells you all about the terroir.
Italians never drink without food and most tastings in Italy come with cheeses and hams but at Concori this is taken to a whole different level. Gabriele’s wife, Michela, cooks a divine lunch and each course is accompanied, of course, by one of the wines. Michela is an artist herself making ceramics and a lot of the food is served on her creations.
This stunning lunch takes place in a room filled with art from local celebrated artists, there is a record player and a stack of LPs, Michela’s ceramics grace shelves. It is a space that is as beautiful as the landscape it sits within, and as perfect as the wines which are obviously the star of the show.
It's time for the Sassicaias and Tignanellos to move aside; Concori is the new super Super Tuscan.
Garfagnana, Fiattone and Podere Concori are all hidden treasures; all are the perfect places to switch off from the noise of life, to sit back, breathe and literally taste the magic.
Podere Concori ship their wines worldwide. To order, visit the website.
But better still, take a visit to the winery itself and enjoy a tour, tasting and lunch.
Podere Concori
Loc. Concori 1 55027
Gallicano, Lucca.
www.podereconcori.com
Motorsport –a mental health game changer?
Research
conducted by the charity Mind shows that one in five people will open up about their own mental health problems after hearing a celebrity or someone in the public eye speaking out; motorsport is becoming an increasingly important part of that conversation.
At first blush, the concept of F1 teams or their drivers 'switching off' from the high octane world of professional motor sport sounds implausible. Thriving on agility, endurance and split-second decision making at a level the average motorist could barely conceive, it is surely one of the most mentally challenging sports in the world. Add to that the limited job security, frequent travel and potentially catastrophic consequences of even the slightest miscalculation and you’re left with a potent cocktail of pressure, risk and stress.
#WeRaceAsOne
bullying he experienced at school, the impact aged 9 of the death of his hero Ayrton Senna at the 1994 Imola Grand Prix, and the intense pressure of racing competitively from a young age. His decision to open up was ultimately triggered by the death of George Floyd and the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement when, as Hamilton put it, 'the cork popped.…it was such a strange experience because I don’t remember crying since I was really young. I knew that I’d had enough, I really needed to speak out'.
When Mercedes hired a psychologist in 2014 to help manage the strain of competing within its then dominant F1 team, champion Lewis Hamilton presented a tough face to the media, insisting that he had no interest in seeking such help, on the basis that 'since I was eight years old, I’ve won every championship I’ve competed in, and all I’ve needed is me and my family'.
In recent months, however, he’s given a far franker assessment of his long battle with mental health and depression, following the racial abuse and
He is by no means alone. Following a significant crash and what he perceived as a low point in his career, his successor at Mercedes George Russell publicly shared that he had sought the help of a mental health professional, in a bid to encourage more men to take care of this aspect of their health. McLaren's Lando Norris has also taken a strong lead by declaring his willingness to be a mental health pioneer in F1, recently sharing that he suffered years of self-doubt, compounded by the expectation that he could never give the opposition an edge, or show any weakness.
When Red Bull motorsport executive Helmut Marko then used an interview with the German publication ‘Motorsport Magazin’ to denounce
Norris as not mentally strong enough to dethrone his own team’s Max Verstappen, he faced significant criticism from McLaren chief Zak Brown and the wider community. Brown responded decisively that 'to choose to poke at that situation is pretty inappropriate and it sets us back 10 or 20 years'. The psychotherapist and former F1 trainer Simon Fitchett described his comments as seriously harmful, particularly in relation to the general public, many of whom lack the resources and support networks to overcome such personal challenges.
The key question is whether there is a genuine commitment to improving mental health from the top down, or whether Motorsport execs are riding what they perceive as a popular bandwagon. Happily, the initial signs are encouraging.
Internally, F1's #WeRaceAsOne initiative - a platform aimed at tackling the biggest issues facing Motorsport and global communities - has expanded its scope beyond the planned areas of diversity, sustainability and inclusivity. Mercedes has recruited a well-being manager and made more than 40 mental health first aiders available to all employees, whilst tyre manufacturer Pirelli has funded a scholarship programme for young drivers at Porsche Italy, including mental coaching, workouts and media training.
Externally, Mercedes and McLaren have maintained partnerships with the mental health charity Mind, raising considerable funds and building awareness. Motorsport UK currently supports Every Mind Matters, Public Health England's recently launched campaign in partnership with the NHS offering an online platform for users to create bespoke action plans for dealing with stress, boosting low mood and improving sleep quality.
Of course, Motorsport is by no means alone in tackling mental health stigma. High profile athletes such as Simone Biles, one of the most highly decorated gymnasts of all time, and Naomi Osaka, four times tennis grand slam champion, have spoken openly about their own struggles in a bid to encourage other sufferers to seek help.
Ultimately and as psychotherapist Simon Fichett concludes, we could all benefit by seeking to be as open and self-aware as these elite athletes and F1 drivers about our mental health, as 'once you understand who you are and what your strengths and weaknesses are, you can then actually understand others very quickly. And that really is a superpower'.
Joel Leigh is the motoring correspondent of City Solicitor and a Partner at Howard Kennedy LLP
centres, located across the UK. Gifts in Wills fund 40% of our vital work, and with the help of solicitors like you, we can continue to give abandoned dogs the happy and healthy life they deserve.
DID YOU KNOW?
Out of office, but not out of Office
‘At 3 a.m. on 7 May 1910, a telegram reached the Admiralty yacht HMS Enchantress. On board was the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, enjoying a brief holiday in the Mediterranean. The telegram cut short the Prime Minister’s enjoyment and holiday. King Edward VII was dead’.
So begins ‘The Strange Death of Liberal England’ by George Dangerfield. It is an incidental detail to set the scene. But it is one that sticks in the mind. The extravagance of a Government yacht available for prime ministerial cruises!
The press scrutinises the holiday choices of our leaders. We want the Prime Minister to relax enough to be able to perform at the peak of their abilities. But not to be so relaxed that it appears that they have taken their eye off the ball. UK breaks can be good for domestic tourism, but are they tokenistic? Patronising, even? Holidays abroad open the way for criticism for being unpatriotic. Family fun and healthy walks are uncontroversial but a bit dull. Anything higher-octane risks a charge of hedonism. This year, Angela Rayner suffered puritanical castigation for dancing.
Riots rocked London in August 2011. Civil disorder escalated along with public demands for action. But the essential decision-making quadrumvirate was absent en vacances. The Prime Minister, Chancellor, Home Secretary, and Mayor of London soon returned. In the modern world, the mark of a true crisis is the need for in-person leadership.
In the modern age, Gladstone set the pattern for prime ministerial travel. He was partial to recuperative holidays in the south of France. The visits were all the more pleasant with George Armistead footing the bill. Gladstone walked the boring/hedonistic high wire by indulging in both. Trips to Cannes, Nice, and Biarritz contrast with more ascetic trips to North Wales. Here, chopping trees and lake swimming were the order of the day.
In the modern age, Boris Johnson has emulated this approach. The exclusivity of Mustique contrasting with the thrift of a Scottish staycation.
The lure of the sea and the Celtic fringe
The availability of Royal Navy yachts created opportunities for long coastal trips. These serviced both the waters around the UK and the warmer climes of the Mediterranean. As First Lord of the Admiralty, Churchill also enjoyed time aboard HMS Enchantress. The vessel placed a spell on him, and he spent over eight months on board between late 1911 and summer 1914.
The sea was a more direct lure for Edward Heath. Heath married his political career with success as a championship-winning sailor. His yacht, the Morning Cloud, was his holiday respite and a personal
obsession. He made history as the first sitting Prime Minister to compete in, and win, a yacht race by taking the Admiral’s Cup in 1971.
The Celtic fringe has attracted many Prime Ministers as a holiday destination of choice. Lloyd George and Clement Attlee both chose the Llyn Peninsula in north Wales. Lloyd George preferred the south of the peninsula, holidaying in Criccieth. Attlee enjoyed the more bracing northern coast at Nefyn.
Lloyd George carried on Gladstone's tradition of connecting to the land. He would tend to his garden and plant potatoes. Harold Wilson spent most of his holidays on the Scilly Isles, off the southwest tip of Cornwall. His connection to the place was so strong that, on his death, it became his permanent place of rest. Gordon Brown enjoyed staycations in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Austere and frugal, this seemed to be the most authentic of all recent holiday choices.
If you can't go far, go long
Prime Ministers have not strayed much beyond the confines of Europe whilst in office. The possibility of an urgent recall prevents lengthier trips. But that doesn't mean that holidays have to be short. The economic and political situation in 1936 was grave. But this did not prevent Baldwin from taking a three-month holiday in Aix-les-Bains. Even Margaret Thatcher, a notorious workaholic, managed to take a few breaks. She spent time in the company of Lady Glover in Switzerland. Theresa May also favours the Alps, with open space for walking and thinking.
Harold Macmillan shared Baldwin’s willingness to get away from it all. He spent the bulk of August and September with family at Chatsworth in Derbyshire. Tony Blair echoed Macmillan and Gladstone’s ability to get others to pay for holidays. This led to some questionable stays. Hosni Mubarak’s summer house in Egypt? Robin Gibb's Florida mansion? Or one of several boltholes belonging to Silvio Berlusconi?
As riots returned to the UK, our new Prime Minister would not fall into the holiday trap. He postponed and then cancelled his family summer holiday. This should not establish a precedent. Even (especially?) Prime Ministers need time to switch off, relax, and recuperate. ■
This article was provided courtesy of Ian ChapmanCurry, Legal Director in the pensions team at Gowling WLG.and host of the Almost History podcast. www.almosthistorypodcast.com
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