Best brains in ...

Risk management in complex commercial contracts - the more unusual the better. Particular experience in defence procurement and healthcare commissioning services.

Highlight of your career so far?

The highlight of my career so far and the most challenging job I've ever done was acting for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the UK's flagship project for the Royal Navy - the £4 billion project to design and manufacture two new aircraft carriers. The MoD piloted an innovative alliance approach, which sees all parties agree to apportion risk and reward to ensure best value for government and profit for industry. The Aircraft Carrier Alliance included the MoD, BAe Systems, VT Group, Babcock and Thales UK. Two of the biggest companies – VT and BAe Systems – have formed a joint venture for future ship-building.

What about outside the UK?

Exploiting my six years working in Dubai before joining Wragge & Co, I still tend to have a watching brief over any matters with a Gulf connection (and there are quite a few).

What's your definition of going the extra mile ....... And when have you done it?

Delaying my house move by two weeks to complete a project during one long hot summer - as a result much of the garden had died by the time we finally moved in!

Or give an example of your great client service?

I was advising a client on a contract with one of its major customers with a long-standing relationship. I suggested that they should be seeking to exclude liability for consequential losses, which I knew was becoming standard practice in their industry. The client was nervous of upsetting its customer but we inserted the clause and the customer agreed to it without much of a fight. They acknowledged it had become standard practice but our client had never asked before. It just goes to show - if you don't ask, you don't get!

How do you get under the skin of a client's business?

The short answer is people - we get to know the client really well by a variety of means. We hold networking events for people in certain industries or with interests in common. We try to support the in-house counsel at our clients in any way we can. For example, we have on several occasions held the fort for an in-house lawyer whilst they are on holiday and sifted through their in-tray, dealing with matters or allocating matters to others so that when they get back they have a clean desk not a mountain of paperwork to greet them. That way they have a more relaxing break and we develop a much better understanding of their business. Its win:win.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

Providing a steady source of financial support to those fitter than I who set off on marathons, mountain treks and the like ......

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

'Wragge & Co was proactive, responsive, flexible and commercial in their work for Worcester in achieving agreement... for the Kidderminster Treatment Centre - Jane Pittaway... showed great skill in guiding my colleagues and I through the complex commercial issues and reaching an acceptable contract...' (David Moon, finance director at Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust).