Beyond The Suit

Advice from Experience: Career Progression and Work-Life Harmony with Simon Whitehead, Partner and Head of Recruitment & Workforce Solutions at Brabners (PART 2)

**This is Part Two of a two-part episode - if you haven’t heard the first instalment, head back and listen to Part One first**
 
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Welcome to Beyond The Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
 
In this instalment, Zac is joined by co-host James Fowler, Managing Director at Fintelligent, as they sit down with Simon Whitehead, Partner and Head of Recruitment & Workforce Solutions at Brabners. 
 
The episode deep dives into Simon's career journey from starting as a trainee lawyer in Manchester to setting up his own law firm. Simon candidly and honestly discusses his non-traditional route into law, all the while giving a heart-felt account of his experiences starting a family and setting up a business.
Timestamped Guide 
 
00:03 - Legal industry insights and personal challenges
00:59 - Recruitment challenges in a law firm
03:33 - The impact of theatre on life and work
08:27 - Leaving a law firm for a new opportunity
14:27 - Starting and selling a law firm during COVID-19
19:39 - Law firm growth and development
23:26 - Career paths, stress relief, and personal growth
29:12 - The legal industry, career development, and access to justice
35:02 - Law firm culture, technology, and personal preferences
39:23 - Legal careers, gun stories, and team management 
Connect with your hosts, Zac Green and James Fowler on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Simon Whitehead on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

Advice from Experience: Career Progression and Work-Life Harmony with Simon Whitehead, Partner and Head of Recruitment & Workforce Solutions at Brabners (PART 1)

Welcome to Beyond The Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
 
In this instalment, Zac is joined by co-host James Fowler, Managing Director at Fintelligent, as they sit down with Simon Whitehead, Partner and Head of Recruitment & Workforce Solutions at Brabners. 
 
The episode deep dives into Simon's career journey from starting as a trainee lawyer in Manchester to setting up his own law firm. Simon candidly and honestly discusses his non-traditional route into law, all the while giving a heart-felt account of his experiences starting a family and setting up a business.
 
This very special episode is part one of two, as Simon provides insights into his diverse career path and gaining real perspective within the legal industry. A must-listen!
 
Timestamped Guide 
 
00:03 - Introduction to co-hosts
01:07 - Introduction to Simon
04:14 - Sustainability and diversity in the legal industry
10:24 - Remote work challenges and the importance of processes
14:01 - Law school, training contracts, and personal experiences
19:49 - Career path in employment law with a focus on northern England
22:34 - Becoming a partner in a law firm
28:22 - Starting an independent law practice and leaving a traditional law firm
33:33 - Taking a risk to start a law firm
37:14 - Starting the firm, adoption journey, and growth
43:59 - Balancing work and family life after having a third child
46:53 - Work-life balance for lawyers with families
52:15 - Career choices and challenges in the legal profession
Connect with your hosts, Zac Green and James Fowler on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Simon Whitehead on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

Climbing the Career Ladder: Secrets of Flexible Working with Mark Machray, Director of Growth and Development at Keystone Law

Welcome to Beyond The Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
 
In this instalment, Zac is joined by Mark Machray, Director of Growth and Development at Keystone Law. From exploring how his career moved from being a lawyer to heading up recruitment and growing a culture-focused team within Keystone Law, he shares insights into building a book of business and advice for work-life balance.
 
Also exploring changes in the legal industry, including remote working and the potential impacts of AI, Mark gives honest and insightful advice to anyone working within the legal sector looking to take their next step. Not to be missed.
 
Timestamped Guide 
 
00:43 - Introduction to Mark
01:01 - Mark’s role at Keystone Law
09:24 - Getting involved in the legal field
14:44 - How having a book of business can help you?
18:58 - Differences between Mark’s early career and his current role
24:32 - Sales techniques are more important now
30:06 - Building culture to encourage collegiality and collaboration
41:04 - The definition of a good work-life balance
46:16 - The demand for flexible working and autonomy
51:20 - Culture is not about the size of the firm
 
Connect with your host, Zac Green on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Mark Machray on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

Global Partnership: An Unconventional Path with Stuart Brinkworth, Partner at Mayer Brown

Welcome to Beyond The Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
 
In this episode, Zac is joined by Stuart Brinkworth, the European Head of Leveraged Finance at Mayer Brown. The interview covers Stuart's unconventional path into law, working as a Public Health Inspector before going to university at age 25 and qualifying as a Lawyer. 
 
Stuart discusses his rapid rise to Partnership within 6 years and talks about the importance of developing soft skills and people skills, in addition to legal knowledge. Also providing advice for Junior Lawyers on how to progress their careers and build relationships with clients, this is a must-listen for any aspiring legal professional.
 
Timestamped Guide 
 
00:10 - Introduction to Stuart 
2:52 - Stuart’s role within the legal industry
5:45 - Going to university
11:50 - Advice to others
19:13 - How law will change over time
22:09 - How social media has changed the way lawyers communicate
25:47 - Becoming a Partner
39:31 - The difference between becoming a Partner and becoming a leader
43:22 - The importance of self-awareness
57:06 - How to rebuild trust and confidence 
1:02:56 - AI in legal
 
Connect with your host, Zac Green on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Stuart Brinkworth on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

The Pathway to Becoming Partner with Chris Mills at Shoosmiths

Welcome to Beyond the Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
 
Joining us for an insightful discussion on the second episode of the podcast, we have Chris Mills, a Banking Partner at the renowned law firm Shoosmiths. In this episode, we delve into Chris' remarkable journey as a partner, his experiences in the banking world and the early opportunities he had to pursue a legal career. We also touch upon whether there is a need to introduce law courses earlier in the curriculum and how the training contract model has evolved over time.
 
Also on the episode is James Noble, Managing Consultant at Fintelligent - the award-winning recruitment agency which specialises in the recruitment of legal, senior finance and financial services roles. 
 
Timestamped Guide 
 
00:42 - Introduction to Chris Mills 
1:43 - Journey as a Banking Partner so far
7:36 - Opportunities to become a lawyer at a young age
10:44 - Should law courses be introduced earlier in the curriculum? 
17:28 - Out of the office struggles
19:53 - What are the similarities and differences from the early years of your career to those of your team?
25:38 - How did the decision to become a Banking Partner impact your personal life?
30:58 - Managing at Shoosmiths
40:36 - Click to agree or not
42:56 - Hybrid working
52:08- Summary and thank you
 
To find out more about Chris and Shoosmiths, visit https://bit.ly/3r01lwU 
 
Connect with your hosts, Zac Green and James Noble, on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Chris Mills on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

The Social Media Connection: Lessons From an Award Winning Law Firm, with Kara Shadbolt, Senior PR and Communications Manager at Shoosmiths

Welcome to Beyond the Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thoughts of those working in the legal industry to look beyond the suit. 
Brought to you by Fintelligent, with your host Zac Green. In each episode, we dive deep into the legal world by speaking with professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening new doors for insightful conversations.
Joining us for our very first episode is Kara Shadbolt, Senior PR and Communications Manager at the award-winning law firm, Shoosmiths. Shoosmiths was recently crowned Law Firm of the Year 2022—an extraordinary achievement which we delve into during this episode, including how Kara’s role played a significant factor in receiving that prestigious award and what life has been like at the firm since the ceremony.
Alongside Kara is the Director of Fintelligent, James Fowler. Fintelligent is an award-winning recruitment agency which specialises in the recruitment of legal, senior finance and financial services roles. In this episode, James, Zac and Kara explore the legal careers from a PR perspective - from the ever-increasing importance of social media, to how Shoosmiths truly live the value of looking beyond the suit.
 
Timestamped Guide 
00.55- Introduction to Kara
1.53- Can you tell us about your current role and what it entails?
2.42- How did your role contribute to the company's award and what has it been like at the firm after the award ceremony?
4.55- What responsibility does being the voice of the firm constitute?
6.23- How did studying abroad in the Middle East shape your view of the international media landscape, and what lessons have you applied to your current job?
7.58- What’s one thing about Shoosmiths on a European spectrum that people may not know about the firm? 
9.01- What influence does the firm's culture have on attracting top talent?
11.45- What would be your step-by-step guide for junior lawyers or individuals in training contracts?
13.38- Do you believe there should be an earlier introduction to law at a much earlier age?
15.20- Is it important for lawyers to utilise platforms beyond LinkedIn, such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, for self-promotion?
16.09- How much of a lawyer's personality should be showcased when marketing themselves?
17.18- Is short-form content an effective way to present yourself as a lawyer?
19.16 - How has social media altered how the outside world views firms?
21.35- What recommendations do you have for senior lawyers to build their portfolio beyond their work?
24.34- What aspects of work from senior partners who rose to prominence before the 2000s could junior lawyers incorporate into their own practices today?
25.33- What advice would you give to lawyers seeking to engage with the media and enhance their public profile?
27.12 - Legal Practice in the Digital Age
29.04- What's the biggest PR disaster you have ever witnessed? 
32.31- Click to agree 
46.54- Where can we find more information about you and the firm?
 
If you’d like to get your hands on your very own copy of the book Kara mentions in this episode, “Legal Practice in the Digital Age” click here | https://bit.ly/3oCWjFP  
 
Connect with your hosts, Zac Green and James Fowler, on LinkedIn.
Find our guest, Kara Shadbolt on LinkedIn.
 
Thanks for listening to Beyond The Suit brought to you by Fintelligent 
This is a Loaded Hype production.

Beyond The Suit - Coming soon...

Welcome to Beyond The Suit, the podcast that aims to push the current boundaries and conventional thought of those working in the legal industry and look beyond the suit - brought to you by Fintelligent.
 
Hosted by Zac Green, Legal Senior Consultant at Fintelligent, across the podcast he’ll be speaking to legal professionals from all levels and backgrounds, opening a new door for insight into the legal world.
 
Fintelligent are specialists in Legal, Financial Services and Senior Finance recruitment. We are on a mission to drive positive change within our sectors and build a network of like-minded individuals that support each other to succeed.
 
From this podcast, you can expect conversations from inspirational people that aim to advise and offer insight on the lighter side of the legal industry. From pointers on progression and words of wisdom to funny stories that break the stereotype, let's look beyond the suit.
 
With the first episodes launching soon, be sure to subscribe now wherever you like to enjoy your podcasts.
 
This, is Beyond The Suit.