What’s your biggest fear?
Snakes. The way they move terrifies me.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?
From a young age I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. In my childhood I loved reading comic books, particularly superhero comics. Daredevil was always my favourite, and I loved the fact that he was a lawyer by day and a crime fighting vigilante by night. Unfortunately I quickly discovered that I could not be a crime fighting vigilante and as such realised that being a lawyer would be the career path for me.
If you could be anyone, who would you be?
I wish I could have been one of the astronauts who first went to the moon and looked back on the Earth from so far away. I find it fascinating that human beings achieved this incredible feat and that so few people will ever get to experience this in their lifetime.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
I would firstly let out a cheer which would probably be audible within a radius of several miles due to my excitement at the prospect of having just won the lottery. At which point I would gradually come to terms with it but would keep it secret and not tell anybody about it.
If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?
One of my favourite short stories is A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury. I would urge everyone to read it, at which point you would probably agree with me that going back in time and doing things differently can yield some very undesirable results. On this basis I would not do anything differently.
When you’re not at work, what do you like to do?
When I am not at work I enjoy playing the guitar. I have been playing musical instruments since I was 9 years old and over the years have played hundreds of gigs throughout Scotland. I have a particular interest in jazz and blues music. In this regard I also love to attend gigs to see musicians perform live. I am also a passionate follower of Scottish and European Football and frequently attend matches. Additionally, there is nothing I enjoy more than meeting up with friends after work and at weekends to socialise.
Why did you get into legal sector?
I elected to study my LL.B in Scots Law at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. After this I elected to study an LL.M in Internet Law and Policy at the University of Strathclyde, before deciding to study my Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, also at the University of Strathclyde. I have always aspired to be a lawyer as it is a career path which is both challenging and rewarding. Every day on the job presents problem solving tasks, interaction with new people, as well as interesting and contentious legal issues which require to be resolved to deliver the best results possible for clients. Overall I find it a very interesting sector to work in, which is rewarding on many levels.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing trainee solicitors today?
The biggest challenge facing trainee solicitors today is becoming a trainee solicitor and securing a training contract itself. The number of talented students who graduate from Scottish universities looking to pursue a career in the legal sector massively outweighs the number of training contracts being offered by law firms. This creates an extremely competitive environment which at times can be somewhat disheartening when you are still trying to secure a training contract knowing that some of your friends and colleagues have already obtained one.
What’s been the most interesting case you ever worked on and why?
It is difficult to say what the most interesting case I have ever worked on is. Cases are all interesting in their unique and individual ways. I do find however that cases which are more contentious tend to be more interesting, especially when it results in you achieving a desirable result which exceeds the client’s expectations.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone who has just started out in the industry, what would it be?
Never be afraid to ask questions, no matter how trivial they may seem. Directors, Senior Solicitors, Newly-Qualified Solicitors and Trainee Solicitors all come across similar issues in their jobs. It is through discussing these issues as they arise as well as sharing proposals as to how matters could potentially be resolved that Solicitors progress on a professional level and achieve the best possible results for clients and the firm as a whole.