Why so many lawyers secretly hate business development
Earlier in my legal career, the phrase business development used to make me shudder. I thought it meant awkward networking events, trying to “sell” myself, or being highly extroverted, none of which felt like me.
Last week in Female Lawyers’ Club, we hosted a fantastic masterclass with Lara Quie, Senior Director of Business Development at FTI Consulting, to banish the myths and uncover what BD is really about.
The Surprising Gift of Going Away
Coming home always gives me perspective. I think that’s one of the best parts of a holiday - you suddenly see your “normal life” from a different angle, instead of being stuck in the weeds. This time, I even made a list of all the things around the house I’d been blind to while running two businesses and looking after two children.
3 mindset changes that will transform your leadership
When we think about leadership, we often focus on skills, strategy, and visibility. But as last week’s Female Lawyers’ Club masterclass reminded us, one of the biggest obstacles to stepping into leadership isn’t external at all - it’s our own mindset.
Our guest speaker, Annabella Zeiddar, a transformational coach and former lawyer, shared three powerful mindset changes that can change the way you show up and lead.
It’s Not Too Late. You’re Not Too Old.
I heard a brilliant news story this week.
A 97-year-old woman in Belfast has just become the oldest person in Europe to complete 250 parkruns. And here’s the best bit: she only started running when she was 88. AND she’d had heart surgery just 4 weeks earlier! What a legend.
She’s proof of something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: it’s not too late, and you’re not too old.
The Day Empathy Won the Contract
It was one of the biggest pitches of my career.
A large public sector organisation was seeking lawyers to deliver training to its entire workforce, thousands of people across the UK.
But this wasn’t just any training. It had been formally recommended in a high-profile independent review, following serious concerns about how the organisation had responded to internal issues. The stakes were high. This was about restoring trust, protecting reputations, and ultimately safeguarding the people the organisation served.