Name: Susan Garrett Chambers: Addleshaw Goddard Location: Manchester University: Durham University Degree: Law
specific element of a case or help on a selection of different aspects, but you don’t have the overall responsibility of running a large case.” However, the pressure of being ultimately responsible is offset by the high that comes with working through a difficult case and securing a great result for a client: “I’m an adrenaline junky and as a litigator you move from one high to the next, it’s always great winning trials, obtaining worldwide freezing injunctions and getting a really good settlement for a client. Often the client is in a very difficult position and they are trying to resolve something that is really critical for the survival of their business, and what I enjoy is devising a strategy to help get clients through the process with their business intact.” On the flip side of this, the mundanity of one aspect of the role can be frustrating: “Recording time in six-minute units is a less enjoyable aspect of my job, I am lucky enough for most of my work to be enjoyable, but time recording is a bit tedious.” Competition on the rise Looking to the future, Susan anticipates that increasing competition will precipitate change in the market: “Price pressures, the cost of regulation and the fact that it is a very competitive market means that I would expect to see some consolidation in the market, but perhaps not as much as in other areas. A number of law firms have failed but we are fortunate that Addleshaw is financially strong and we have fantastic clients, but weaker firms will start to fall by the wayside and we will see more consolidation.” In the dispute resolution sector, funding is a key talking point: “Addleshaw Goddard is at the forefront of how litigation is funded and the market for third-party funders has become very competitive, so we are going
to see more and more big group litigation funded by third-party professional funders.”
For those looking to pursue a career in dispute resolution, an aptitude for analysis is an absolutely crucial part of being a successful litigator: “You’ve got to have an eye for detail and be analytical, and you’ve got to think strategically and enjoy problem solving, as these are the kinds of things you will do on a daily basis”. Equally, collaboration is key, as Susan advises: “If you want to work in a law firm you have to enjoy working as a team, whether you are in private practice or in-house, it is hard work but it is incredibly interesting and rewarding.” Broadening your horizons is also important – getting as much experience as possible as early as you can will make things much easier in the long run: “Try and get internships at a variety of different firms doing different work and build up your experience early on,” offers Susan. “Get a wide variety of experience in different kinds of disputes and work areas. Then you can decide whether you want to specialise in something and identify what really interests you. Doing disputes in diverse areas helps you to develop the necessary skills to analyse any problem so that you can work with the client to create a resolution.” Susan stresses that utilising the opportunity to gain experience was absolutely invaluable in determining what field she most enjoyed working in and that this enjoyment has been key in helping her build a successful and rewarding career: “Ultimately, if you do what you enjoy you will have a great career and won’t grow weary of it, and you will end up being really successful as you are doing what you enjoy.”
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