Dealmaker: Slaughters disputes head Sarah Lee on visiting clients in prison, winning an injunction against Freshfields and female role models

Why did you become a lawyer? Science A-levels proved not to be my forte so the plan to study medicine had to be changed. I switched subjects to English literature and economics, which allowed me to pursue a legal degree and the rest is history. Second chances do exist.

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Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

/uploads/sites/378/2017/10/LEE-Sarah-005-Article-201710241232.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-68951" src="http://www.almcms.com/contrib

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

/uploads/sites/378/2017/10/LEE-Sarah-005-Article-201710241232.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="372" /></a> Why did you become a lawyer? Science A-levels proved not to be my forte so the plan to study medicine had to be changed.�� I switched subjects to English literature and economics��which allowed me to pursue a legal degree and the rest is history. Second chances do exist. Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Sophie Hamilton, head of property and graduate recruitment at my first firm, Frere Cholmeley,��for offering me a training contract. At that time she was a rare female partner in a law firm and a real inspiration as a successful woman in what was a male dominated profession. What��s your proudest professional moment? Securing the <a href="http://www.legalweek.com/sites/legalweek/2004/06/03/freshfields-speaks-out-as-dust-settles-on-ms-ruling-2/">injunction against the firm</a> [Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer] initially advising Philip Green in his attempted takeover of Marks & Spencer in 2004. It was high speed and high stakes. Andy Ryde told me that failure would be career suicide. No pressure then! ��and worst day on the job? Very early in my career one of my clients was jailed for PAYE fraud. Visiting him in the cells immediately after he had been convicted was a difficult experience and made me realise acting for individuals in criminal proceedings was not for me. Aside from your own firm, which lawyer do you most admire and why? Someone very much in the public eye - Baroness Hale��of Richmond, the new and first female President of the Supreme Court. How great to have a woman in that role at last. What��s your strongest characteristic��and worst trait? I��m a good organiser, which is essential when you are preparing for litigation. On the flip side that makes me very controlling. What advice would you give to young deal lawyers starting out? Be tenacious and don��t give up when the going gets tough. What��s the best part of your job? Building successful teams and watching individuals flourish.�� Then winning cases. What most annoys you about the legal profession? Its tendency to navel gaze. What��s the most unusual/shocking request you��ve ever had from a client? A major case involved the team travelling to Trinidad to take some witness statements. The client was��a good friend of [Trinidadian former international cricket player] Brian Lara��s and invited us round to Brian��s house to watch a big Champions League game featuring Man Utd. We had so much work on and deadlines to meet that I had to decline the invitation, much to the fury of the cricket fans in the team who were desperate to meet arguably one of the world��s most famous cricketers. Most memorable deal (can we change to ��case��?) you ever have worked on and why? The collapse of Barings��Bank was massively high profile and the fall out went on for many years. I got to interview [former derivatives broker and 'rogue trader'] Nick Leeson in Frankfurt prison which was quite an experience. What is the daftest bit of corporate jargon you��ve heard (and did you smirk)? People talking about ��having the bandwidth�� to do something. Just say you��re busy. Do you see yourself having a career outside law? I��ve judged the firm��s "Bake Off" competition, so Mary Berry better watch out. What��s your favourite item of clothing? My pyjamas. It��s��midnight��and you��re in the office for the night, where��s your takeaway from? Wagamamas �� a good bowl of noodles always does the trick. It must be my Chinese ancestry. What are your desert island discs? Anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It��s the one band we all love in my family. Favourite box set? This Life �� the 1990s series about five twenty-something law graduates house sharing as they embarked on their careers in London. That was me (but with less partying). What��s your favourite cheese? Comte. Sarah Lee will be co-chairing Legal Week's annual <a href="http://www.commercial-litigation-forum.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=254082&">Commercial Litigation & Arbitration Forum</a> alongside White & Case City disputes partner John Reynolds. The conference will be taking place on the��2 November 2017 at The Waldorf Hilton London.��It��unites the best of the best in the field of litigation and alternative dispute resolution from across the UK, Europe and beyond.�� <

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

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Dealmaker: Slaughters disputes head Sarah Lee on visiting clients in prison, winning an injunction against Freshfields and female role models

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