Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers

In the final episode of this series of ‘Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers’, Rebecca and Duane spoke to Nik White, Managing Partner of Brabners. In their chat, they spoke to Nik about his route into the profession, how he and the team at Brabners are working to create a more inclusive culture and the importance of learning from failure. About Nik White Nik is the Managing Partner at Brabners.  He joined Brabners in 1995 and has dedicated his entire working life to the firm. As Managing Partner, he works with CEO Robert White to set the strategic direction and is responsible for leading the development and performance of the firm. Nik is also a highly respected commercial lawyer and heads up the Brabners’ commercial practice group. Outside of work, he is a trustee of the Michael Carrick Foundation. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach, we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers to make sure you never miss an episode.   

In Episode 9, Rebecca and Duane had a chat with Nick Clarke, Head of Dispute Resolution and Insolvency at Aaron & Partners. Nick told us about how he got into the law, his back-up plan of becoming a butcher and playing an ugly sister in a production of the pantomime Cinderella. About Nick Clarke Nick is a Senior Partner and heads up the Dispute Resolution team at Aaron & Partners in Chester. Nick has been with Aarons for the last 20 years where, alongside his management duties, he continues to undertake high value and commercial disputes, often on behalf of clients in the logistics sector. He also handles contentious insolvency work and professional negligence claims against accountants, solicitors, architects and financial advisers. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach, we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers to make sure you never miss an episode. 

This week, we caught up with Mark Hirst, Managing Partner and Head of Litigation at Bromleys Solicitors. Amongst other things, in our chat Mark talked to us about how Bromleys have fared during the pandemic, his route into the profession and his passion for Sale Sharks.  About Mark Hirst Mark is a Senior and Managing Partner and Head of Litigation at Bromleys Solicitors in Ashton-under-Lyne.  He is a tenacious and practical litigator with over 30 years’ legal experience and expertise in insolvency, employment and personal injury law. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

In Episode 7 of Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers, our guest is Marcin Durlak, co-founder and managing partner of IMD Solicitors.  We spoke to Marcin about how he progressed from legal administrator to setting up his own law firm, the importance of diversity and tolerance and how he’s a member of Mensa! About Marcin Durlak Marcin is a joint-founder and a Managing Partner of IMD Solicitors.  He has extensive experience in advising international businesses on commercial and corporate matters, employment law issues and dispute resolution. Throughout his career Marcin has developed particular expertise and interest in IT and Technology sector, including cryptocurrencies regulatory and compliance issues, however, he has a vast experience in legal practice and has advised businesses in a multitude of sectors including construction, transport, manufacturing and retail. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

This week, Rebecca and Duane speak to Karen Bexley and Rebecca Peck, Co-founder and Partner at Bexley Beaumont. In their conversation, they chatted about Karen and Rebecca’s route into the profession, the pros and cons of working for a fee-sharing law firm and how Karen and her business partner Anna Beaumont set up Bexley Beaumont during the pandemic. About Karen Bexley  Karen is the co-founder of boutique law firm Bexley Beaumont. Karen is an experienced employment solicitor who has worked with some of the UK’s largest in-house legal teams and with HR professionals. She has a range of SME and mid-corporate clients and has established a loyal client following over the years. In 2020, she joined forces with Anna Beaumont to set up Bexley Beaumont, a consultant-led boutique law firm in Manchester. You can follow her @KarenBexley About Rebecca Peck Rebecca is an Employment Partner at Bexley Beaumont. She started her legal career in Birmingham and, following 11 years as an employment law specialist at national firm Pinsent Masons, spent over 6 years at Knights plc in Staffordshire.  Rebecca primarily works with national employer clients, ranging from SMEs to PLCs. She also advises individual clients, negotiating issues for senior executives on entry and exit. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

This week's guest on 'Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers' is Stephen Attree, Corporate and Commercial Lawyer and Owner of MLP Law.  In their chat, Duane and Rebecca speak to Stephen about MLP Law’s company culture (or as they put it, their ‘DNA’), dispelling the idea of the ‘traditional’ route into the legal profession and Stephen's love of horror films. About Stephen Attree Stephen is the Owner of MLP Law and heads up the firm’s Corporate, Commercial and IP teams. He has over 20 years’ experience advising on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious business law and business ownership with a particular specialism in digital, healthcare and family-owned businesses. Stephen is also the author of “Family Business Success – the options and pitfalls”. You can follow him on Twitter @steveattree About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

In episode 4, our guest is Louise Hebborn, Partner and Head of Commercial Litigation at Stephensons In Rebecca and Duane’s conversation with Louise, they talked about her career at Stephensons, gender equality, and her childhood dream of becoming a football manager! About Louise Hebborn Louise is a Partner and Head of Stephensons’ Legal 500 Commercial Litigation department. She acts for SMEs, landlords, property investors, insolvency practitioners, local authorities and housing associations in a range of contentious and non-contentious commercial issues.  About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

In episode 3, our guest is Simon Gerrard, Partner and Head of Insolvency at Prosperity Law. Amongst other things, Duane and Rebecca spoke to Simon all about the importance of maintaining team culture, his time working in Melbourne and his beaglier Chester. About Simon Gerrard Simon is a Partner and Head of Insolvency at Prosperity Law. After working at a number of leading international law firms in the UK and Australia, he joined Prosperity in 2019. Simon is a Legal 500 recommended lawyer and an experienced and tenacious insolvency and commercial litigator. He has worked on behalf of directors, professional sports clubs and individuals. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

In episode 2, Duane and Rebecca speak to Scott Birchall, Commercial Litigation Solicitor and Director at Smooth Commercial Law. Topics of conversations include the pros and cons of working for a boutique law firm, the importance of having a healthy work-life balance and Scott’s lockdown guilty pleasures. About Scott Birchall Scott is an experienced commercial litigator and represents a varied client base from private individuals to large national companies.  Having worked at a number of large national law firms in Liverpool and Manchester he now heads up the Dispute Resolution and Commercial Law departments at boutique firm, Smooth Commerical Law in Liverpool. About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode. 

In our very first episode of Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers, our guest is Steve Kuncewicz, Partner and Head of Creative, Digital and Marketing at BLM in Manchester and London.  Rebecca and Duane caught up with Steve a few weeks back in the midst of lockdown 3.0 to talk all about his unconventional route into the law, the benefits of working in-house (and Steve’s time working at Boohoo.com) and Married at First Sight. About Steve Kuncewicz Steve has had a varied legal career and has worked both in private practice, at firms including Cobbetts, Halliwells (latterly Gateley) and Bermans, and in-house as Head of Legal at Boohoo.com. In 2017, he joined before joining Slater & Gordon and BLM and became the Head Of their Creative, Digital & Marketing Sector Group in 2019. At BLM, Steve specialises in Intellectual Property, Media, Marketing & Privacy issues with niche expertise in Social Media Issues. Outside of work, he has a black belt in karate, sits on the boards of a number of professional and charitable organisations and is an ambassador for Forever Manchester. You can follow him on Twitter @SteveKuncewicz About Realm Recruit At Realm Recruit, we believe in treating lawyers like people, not candidates. And we believe in treating law firms like valued partners, not just transactional customers.  Through our refreshing approach we help to develop careers and sustainably grow law firms. You can find us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@realmrecruit), Facebook and Instagram (realmrecruit)  Subscribe today to Refreshing Chats with Commercial Lawyers make sure you never miss an episode.