On this week's show our host, Scott Brown, was delighted to welcome Mary Pothos, one of the leading voices in the Privacy space. Mary has held Chief Privacy Officer roles in some of the largest tech companies. Mary shares her career trajectory, starting from her days in-house in the financial services sector at Visa, and they discuss how she accidently pivoted into privacy!The Privacy Legal landscape has shifted significantly over the last two decades, so they dive into some of these changes and consider what the next 10 years might look like, as well as how top companies are currently navigating the risk.Mary walks us through her 3 lessons—the 'three Cs': Calmness, Curiosity, and Courage. If you like understanding what it's like working in a fast paced constantly changing legal landscape, don't miss this one!

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law Scott invited Volker Weishar, the EMEA General Counsel for Sonos. They explore Volker's remarkable journey from studying economics and law in Germany, experiencing a brief stint in journalism, to his pivotal role at Sonos over the past 11 years. Volker shares three critical lessons he's learned throughout his career: the importance of a broad understanding of the business, the necessity of close collaboration within the legal function, and the value of staying curious and engaged beyond the traditional scope of legal work. They also discuss the challenges and strategies for leading a lean legal team in a dynamic industry, the benefits of being integrated into company leadership, and the significance of communication skills.Volker offers advice for aspiring lawyers, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and understanding modern business metrics and operations. This episode is a rich resource for in-house legal professionals aiming to navigate and succeed in their careers.

We return for another episode of Lessons I Learned in Law this week when Scott is joined by Leslie O'Callaghan, the Global Head of Legal at Adyen. Adyen was founded in Amsterdam in 2006 by a group of payments entrepreneurs. With Adyen they built a modern solution to displace the patchwork legacy systems that merchants were being forced to use through larger institutions!Adyen is without a doubt one of the most exciting Fintechs on the planet and one of the top international successes from the Netherlands in the last decade. Leslie recently relocated to Amsterdam from New York with Adyen to take on a Global Head of Legal role in their Headquarters. She joined Adyen in San Francisco in 2019 and has risen through the team to her current role. It's interesting to hear about how her background in a large Institutional Bank at Wells Fargo has translated to the fast-paced world of tech. The discussion delves into Leslie’s extensive career journey, highlighting her transition from a large banking institution to a leading fintech company, Adyen. Leslie shared her experiences navigating international moves from San Francisco to Amsterdam and working in different legal environments. Key lessons discussed include the importance of having flexible goals, the value of delivering 'done' work over perfect work and recognizing shared experiences across different professions. Leslie also provided practical advice for future-proofing one's legal career and emphasized the significance of work-life balance. This episode offers valuable insights and advice for in-house lawyers and legal professionals aiming for success in their careers.Not one to be missed!!

In this episode of 'Lessons I Learned in Law,' host Scott Brown talks with James Stebbing, who has held one of the coolest roles I can think of in law: General Counsel of Six Nations Rugby and the British and Irish Lions!   They discuss James' career journey and how he made plans to land his dream role in Sports Law.  They also discuss his early career shift from potential military service to law, which was spurred by personal circumstances.  His career journey includes roles at prestigious firms and corporations like Harbottle & Lewis, Vodafone, Barclays, and eventually dream roles with the RFU and Six Nations Rugby. There are some fantastic learnings on transitioning between different sectors, such as financial services to sports, and the importance of leveraging your background and enthusiasm in making such moves. James shares some fantastic lessons on importance of setting goals, continuously developing new skills and practically.... maintaining accurate records as a Lawyer!! Not one to be missed!!

On the show this week, Scott Brown is joined by Lucie Grant, Vice President and Global General Counsel at Dura-Line which is part of the Orbia Group. The story of Lucie is incredibly inspiring: from an intellectual property litigator to pivotal roles within giants like Thermo Fisher Scientific and BAE Systems.As Dura-Line's first female VP and General Counsel, Lucie  significantly contributed to the diversification of the company, having increased the number of women in the organisation from 13% to an impressive 30%.Lucie talks about the challenges and opportunities associated with remote working, especially in a global organisation like Dura-Line. We cover the importance of mentoring and taking advice from all spheres in a business to diversify your experience. Lucie is also a believer in putting family first and taking care of yourself before any professional commitment. Whether you're an in-house counsel now or a law student headed that way, Lucie's stories and advice may prove invaluable. Listen now and realign your view on legal leadership and career development.Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

Buckle up for another episode of Lessons I Learned in Law! This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Alison Malin Zoellner, the Group General Counsel over at Dentsu Group, on of the largest global advertising firms. Alison's career path is nothing short of impressive. She started out at Sullivan & Cromwell, then transitioned to in-house roles at The New York Times and Honeywell. It's a testament to the kind of adaptability and reinvention that's key to thriving in today's legal landscape. Throughout the episode, she shares some seriously valuable lessons and the importance of staying connected within the legal field, the responsibility of being a company's ethical compass. We also spend some time discussing how young lawyers can leverage emerging technologies like AI to future-proof their careers. Alison also opens up about her personal journey, how she balances those professional ambitions with family life and encourages her team to do the same. Plus, we explore that crucial partnership between the General Counsels and CEOs – to foster ethical business growth. So, whether you're interested in the law, business, technology, or just getting some practical advice from someone who's been there and done that, this episode is for you.Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, we mix things up a little and uncover the dark arts of Law Firm Recruitment as our host, Scott Brown, welcomes Tom Coode-Bate, the founder and director of Rock Legal, a specialist in private practice legal recruitment. Working as an In-House Lawyer is a different career to that of a Lawyer in a Law Firm.When Scott founded Heriot Brown, he consciously wanted to create a brand specialised and dedicated to the In-House legal profession. In this episode, Tom shares his journey from reluctant lawyer and eventually transitioning into recruitment. The discussion highlights Tom's current focus on the high-end London legal market, particularly U.S. firms and boutique work-life balance firms. They discuss the different approaches needed when recruiting lawyers in-house or into Law Firms and try to dispel some of the myths and stereotypes! Scott was actually surprised with the amount of common ground they found as our markets are very different.They discuss the need for building strong relationships and the significance of maintaining professionalism and creating positive experiences within the industry. Tom and Scott also shared insights into traits that drive long-term success for lawyers and the nuances of navigating candidate relationships in a competitive recruitment landscape.Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode, our host, Scott Brown, sits down with Nicholas Cranfield, the Chief Legal Officer at Therme Group. Nick joined the business (a health and wellbeing company) at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic - we discuss the unique recruitment process and adjusting to a new role in such uncertain times. Nick also reflects on his previous roles at Dyson and Johnson Matthey and they discuss the importance of being open to unplanned opportunities as it’s led to exciting opportunities for him - including working in Asia with Johnson Matthey. Nick firmly believes in the value of curiosity and perspective in professional development and we discuss how he does this.  Not to be missed!Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

How does a Legal career in the Seychelles or Mauritius sound? Awesome....On this week's show, I am joined by Phil Norah - General Counsel for the UK business of the Holcim Group, which is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions and products. On top of delivering an ambitious M&A agenda, one of the key challenges for the Holcim Group is the decarbonisation of the cement industry, which is an existential threat. The Legal function is playing a pivotal role in that.Phil manages a multi-disciplinary team across legal, compliance, insurance and real estate and is a member of the Holcim European legal leadership team. Phil's career started out in the City with Freshfields but took him to the idyllic paradise of Mauritius, where he was Regional Head of Legal for Barclays. Hear Phil's approach and discussing global opportunities, the effort required to seize them, and the professional challenges that arise.It was great to hear these insights and this is a must listen to anyone who might hesitate on seizing the day and saying yes to opportunities.Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

On this week's show, our host, Scott Brown, sits down with Alex O'Connell, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Fever-Tree. the global mixers and soft drinks business. What an apt guest / company for the wonderful British summertime!They discuss the pivotal years in Alex's career, which started as a corporate M&A lawyer at Freshfields in London and Singapore, before taking his first in-house role at AB InBev, the leading global brewer. He joined Fever-Tree in 2021 and discusses how he has applied some of the best practice learned at AB InBev into a smaller organisation. Alex shares valuable insights on management styles, the importance of caring for team members and being open to new ideas. We also hear of Alex's incredible time as an Olympian Fencer where he competed for Team GB at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - what an experience!His favourite drink is a gin & Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic water, served with pink grapefruit - the Drink of Champions / Olympians!Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

On this weeks show, I am joined by Robin Carvell-Spedding, General Counsel at Protium, a company at the forefront of the energy transition, focusing on producing green hydrogen. Robin's career has spanned over a decade in various in-house roles within the oil and gas sector, working on international projects across South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. From carrying a massive flat-screen TV down five flights of stairs with his landlord, Michael Laudrup, in Copenhagen, to navigating complex legal landscapes in numerous countries, Robin's international experiences are both unique and insightful. In the episode, Robin stresses the importance of thoroughly understanding any role or company before committing, sharing personal stories about the consequences of not doing enough upfront research. Emphasising the value of seizing opportunities, Robin discusses how taking calculated risks has significantly benefited his career, especially in his international moves. Hope you enjoy!!---Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of 'Lessons I Learned in Law', host Scott Brown speaks with Francisca Comiche, General Counsel at Rabobank.In her current role at Rabobank (the 2nd largest Bank in the Netherlands), Francisca is responsible for a global legal function of over 400 people.This is a far cry from her beginnings with the group. Francisca shares her journey of joining DLL (a Subsidiary of Rabobank) over 26 years ago as only the 2nd lawyer in the team. During her 26 years, she has witnessed and driven significant change across the function. Her role has been constantly varied and where she has started to get itchy feet, she has sought out discomfort to keep herself challenged...this has been the key success to the lasting career at Rabobank.We also discuss the importance of working internationally and hear how she has built the ability to connect the dots across jurisdictions. This is a really interesting conversation with a top European General Counsel...don't miss out!

In this episode of Lessons I Learned In Law, I am joined by Felicitas Stern, General Counsel EMEA at Omni Bridgeway, a leading litigation funder. Felicitas made the switch to Omni Bridgeway when she was on the brink of Partnership in a top law firm in Amsterdam, where she practiced Real Estate and Construction.She wanted more variety in her role and worked with a coach before deciding a move in-house was the next step.Felicitas shares her motivations for moving in-house, the differences between working in a law firm and in-house, and the various lessons she learned throughout her career. We delve into how she made the career switch and some of the challenges she has faced in making that transition. We also cover some of the cultural differences across countries in legal practices, and Felicitas' personal journey from her native Germany to the Netherlands - so not one to be missed!Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott meets with Maria Barros, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer at Booking.com. Maria is a true Citizen of the World. Born in London, from a Brazilian family, Maria loves travelling (passion and profession have collided at Booking.com) and has lived in the UK, US, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium and is now based in the Netherlands, where, in addition to her role as Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer, she is a member of the Management Board of Booking.com and Board member of ACC Europe, the largest global association of in-house counsel. Before that, Maria was General Counsel Europe and Middle East of AB-InBev, the global brewer.Maria shares her insights on how she has built a best in class integrated legal and public affairs function at Booking.com with a strong focus on developing talent.We also discuss the importance of developing a strong reliable network and hear how the ACC has been a "home away from home" and a fantastic support network for in-house lawyers.A really interesting story with a unique International legal career at some huge global brands!----------------------------------------------------To find out more information on the ACC and how to get involved see the links below:- How to learn more about the ACC – More information on the ACCE website: Europe | Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)- How to become an ACC member - individual and group – see this link: Membership | Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)- How to register for the May conference – see this link: Registration - ACC (acceurope.com)

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Kenny Roberston, Head of Outsourcing, Technology & IP legal team at NatWest Group. In his role, he leads up a team which supports some of the largest outsourcing transactions in the UK and which continually pushes to be innovative and progressive and provide great customer experience for stakeholders. He is also Chair of the Law Society of Scotland’s Wellbeing Steering Group. Kenny shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:·      Be Yourself! Giving legal advice is a relationships game, and its hard to build relationships without being authentic. ·      Play with your head up (to use a sporting analogy). Be aware, be able to identify opportunities, adapt to change and be ready for whatever might be around the corner.  ·      Create and nurture a positive culture within your team. Kenny admits that early on in his career he tried to live up to his pre-conceived ideas of what a lawyer should be, and how damaging this can be for lawyers’ wellbeing. He explores where these ideas might stem from, how the legal profession is changing and how developments such as AI may even alter the skillset required to be a lawyer in the future.  Kenny shares details of his pioneering initiative in collaboration with the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Law Association. Kenny also reveals how he’s worked to cultivate a transparent and psychologically safe organisational culture within his team at NatWest. He elaborates on the three pillars that form the bedrock of his team's ethos: High Performance, Progressive Mindset, and Teamship, and how they factor into the bank's ESG agenda and climate goals.  Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.  Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Chris Fowler, Chief Operating Officer for Legal, Governance and Compliance at mining business Rio Tinto. Prior to that Chris spent 24 years at BT Group including as General Counsel for BT’s Technology division which builds and operates BT’s networks, its IT infrastructure and its research and development unit.After a long career in telecoms, Chris explains his motivation for switching sector and how he’s finding his first few months with Rio Tinto. “Fundamentally I wanted to work in an organisation that's got some pretty big challenges, but also is somewhere that I found personally really exciting” Chris says. Chris also discusses the potential professional benefits that can arise from switching sectors, as well as the things you should watch out for. Chris shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:·      If it doesn’t feel comfortable, you’re learning. Be prepared to test yourself!·      As a lawyer you can have a huge impact on the people around you and their lives. Invest in people and value relationships. ·      Say ‘yes’ when you don’t necessarily have all the facts. Take the leap!Chris also shares how he made the most of his ‘break’ in-between roles, something he would advise everyone to do and to make the most of if you get the opportunity. Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.  Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! This week we're chatting to Chloe Rowan. Chloe is our team’s Personal Assistant at Heriot Brown, responsible for assisting with the day to day operations of the business. With 15 years’ worth of administrative experience, 9 of which as a virtual PA, Chloe brings a wealth of expertise to the Heriot Brown team. Chloe shares: How working from home has changed over a decade.Why user experience is so important.How Heriot Brown differs from other recruiters.Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.Follow Heriot Brown: Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to Matt Wilson, General Counsel at TV Production company Fremantle. Fremantle produces over 12,000 hours of original programming every year across drama, entertainment, documentaries and film. Matt started his career with four years at Baker & McKenzie and has also worked at Arsenal Football Club (he is a huge Arsenal fan), as well as Telefónica and Uber.Matt shares some of the lessons he’s learned in law including:·      If you’re giving advice that you want to rely on or evidence in the future, make sure you write it down!·       Never assume and always be curious. This applies when offering advice in a professional capacity but also in understanding people, maintaining relationships and managing teams. ·      This, too, shall pass! A positive mindset is required when it comes to crisis management and response, and remind yourself that everything works out in the end. Matt explains the power of Personality Insights when it comes to understanding people and getting the most from your team.  When recruiting, Matt looks for people who are good at the things that he’s not so good at, to ensure diverse perspectives and a comprehensive skillset across the team.Matt is well travelled and explains how a legal career can offer fantastic opportunities for travel, if that’s something you wish to do. Drawing on his own intriguing experiences living abroad, Matt showcases the monumental value of diversity and its role in enriching our teams. Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

Welcome to the latest instalment in our mini-series, Lessons I Learned in Law X Inside the Agency, where we aim to lift the lid on Heriot Brown In-House Legal Recruitment to give you a better idea of what we do. We are flipping the script on our usual format and putting our Consultants and team members in the spotlight to share more about the people who make us tick and help us provide fulfilling careers for lawyers. On each episode of Inside the Agency you will get to know more about how recruitment works and we hope we can dispel some of the myths!! This week we're chatting to Stephanie Jones. Stephanie specialises in placing lawyers in-house within the financial service industry, working with a range of clients such as retail and consumer banks, global investment banks, private equity funds, asset managers and insurance companies. Stephanie shares: What Rec to Rec means in the world of recruitment.Why the small details are so important to lawyers.Why a good client relationship is key.Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.Follow Heriot Brown: Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram

In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Scott Brown speaks to wellbeing advocate Emilie Berge. After an 18 year career in-house in the Tech and Defence sectors Emilie is now on a mission to empower high achievers to reach their career goals without burning out. She provides corporate training to companies who want to improve their staff wellbeing and host a retreat abroad once a year. Emilie shares the lessons she learned during her career in law, including:·      Look after yourself, so that you can perform better. ·      It’s OK to be wrong. Particularly in-house, you need to be able to negotiate and compromise to unblock a conflict.  Don’t allow your ego to get in the way.·      Stay humble.  Emilie began her mental health and wellness blog in 2017; she talks through her own struggles with mental health, how that inspired her to research and begin the blog, and how it has developed since.  Check out the blog here: How To Be Happier At Work - Me My Health And I This episode is particularly appropriate as World Mental Health Day is coming up on October 10.  Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment.  Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn |  Facebook | Instagram