Introduction
Michelmores in numbers
Why train at Michelmores?
Who are we looking for?
What we offer
Our practice areas and teams
Our approach to the SQE
How our programmes work
Our Training offerings
How to apply
Meet our people
Key application dates & Upcoming events
Meet Benn Richards, our Partner & Training Principal
What Is your favourite thing to do In your free time?
What is your proudest career moment?
Where did you train?
In no particular order: spend time with my family, walk my dogs and ride bikes (road, mountain and zwift). I also enjoy bike-packing but have swapped staying in tents to staying in hotels. Given what you know now, what advice would you give to your trainee self? Listen and take in as much as you can. Very often we all deal with things we do not know the answer to but we learn how to find out the answer. You are not alone, please seek guidance and assistance from your colleagues - we are a supportive and collaborative firm, so please do ask for help.
I have been fortunate to act on some significant cases (from Swissair, to Bernie Madoff and one of the largest ever UK bankruptcies) but obtaining my higher rights of audience (both civil and criminal) in 2005 and using it for the first time was a proud moment. I have my robes in the office in case I ever need to dash off to court! What was the biggest mistake you made as a trainee? What did you learn from It? Like most people, many but thankfully nothing too significant. Messing up an index map search on a plot of land in central London was a “highlight”. Thankfully an incredibly calm and understanding supervisor meant it was a near-miss rather than a big mess-up. If you could describe your leadership style in three words, what would they be?
A small commercial firm in the City in London which was swallowed up by a National Law firm many years ago.
Do you have a law or a non-law background?
Non-law. I have a BSc in Sociology from the University of Bristol. I did the PGOip and LPC at the College of Law (now the University of Law) in Guildford.
What do you like least about the legal profession?
As someone who is a litigator, I find overly aggressive styles of litigation unhelpful and (occasionally) unprofessional. We are all just doing a Job and a more constructive and collaborative approach makes for a much better case.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be?
Explore graduate life at Michelmores:
Looking back to my time post-university, probably a role in education or politics.
Well, I would hope people would say approachable, collaborative and supportive.
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