About

Team size: 30 lawyers

Can you tell us about the O-Shaped Lawyer initiative?

I have been leading this initiative over the last three years and it has gained significant momentum in the last twelve months. At the O, we believe that people and relationships are at the heart of a successful profession. Our vision has gained incredible traction during the pandemic where there has been an increased focus on supporting each other through the most challenging of times.

The legal landscape is changing. Over the last twelve months, we have engaged with law schools and universities and, as a result, we expect to see law schools embracing the O Shaped Lawyer and, for the very first time, incorporating people skills and behaviours into their curricula.

We have created a sizeable community of general counsel, heads of legal and legal operations who are leading the charge for cultural change across the profession. We have run series of pilots with leading law firms and some of the most progressive in-house teams in the UK, demonstrating that mindset, skills and behaviours have a critical part to play in building an inclusive profession where teams and relationships can flourish and value is created.

What are some of your main achievements at Network Rail?

We are about to launch our “Collaboration Station” that we have built over the last twelve months. This is an online platform for Network Rail’s legal team and our panel of external law firms to share knowledge including training, document templates, firm and company news as well as a wealth of other resources. This is all part of our plan to create a genuine strategic partnership with our panel of firms as we recognise the need for them to work seamlessly with us if we are going to meet and exceed the expectations of our business colleagues.

I introduced an online pulse check tool for my team early in the pandemic that has allowed us to monitor well-being and engagement on a fortnightly basis. As we continue to work remotely, the check-in is another way we can connect and share. The results of each pulse-check are anonymous but discussed at team meetings and allow team members to share any successes or concerns if they wish. On the odd occasion where a team member may be struggling at the time, we have been able to address it immediately and offer any necessary support.

As part of my commitment to developing the team, in conjunction with outside counsel we created and delivered the General Counsel Readiness Programme. This was aimed at senior lawyers in the Network Rail legal team who aspire to a general counsel role. The programme took the participants on a very personal leadership journey, allowing them the time and space to explore their leadership style, their impact on others and develop their own personal development plans in readiness for that next step.