“The majority of people I work with are extremely embracing of forward thinking and creativity”
I worked for Dechert for 8 years in marketing and event management. Prior to Dechert I worked at Credit Suisse in their equity capital markets team and with the equity sales force.
We have a really good team, there are 14 of us in the UK and 5 in our US offices. It’s interesting and useful to work in a team who have had previous working lives in areas such as accountancy, research and consultancy. We work closely as a team to ensure we are all up to speed with exactly what marketing and business development activities are planned across all sectors of the Firm ensuring that the Firm’s global marketing activity is joined up and effective.
During the recruitment process everyone I mentioned Withers to externally, said what a friendly firm it was. It has certainly lived up to its reputation and during my first few weeks I genuinely thought there was something being pumped through the air-con, as everyone seemed to be so nice! But for me, the real reason I’m enjoying life here is that the majority of people I work with, from Partners to those in the support areas, are extremely embracing of forward thinking and creativity. It’s a really dynamic environment to work in and I love the autonomy I’m given to run with and implement new ideas.
I work with specific practice areas and special interest groups of the Firm on their business development strategies. At the business planning stage this involves discussing the key issues for the individual sectors and looking at how these issues impact on the legal market. Through brainstorming we establish the potential issues our target clients will face in their day to day lives and therefore who we should be targeting and how best to achieve this. So, on a day to day basis I’m putting these strategies in place which can include a myriad of marketing activity from running events, commissioning briefing notes and articles, research and liaising with the press. Of course, I also regularly catch up with those involved in business development for the sectors I look after. I also spend too much time nagging people to use the marketing database!
I love feeling fit and healthy and cycle the 6 miles to and from work each day and I love Body Pumping as often as possible. Once a week I volunteer with Radio Lollipop, a radio station being run in children’s hospitals throughout the world I’m located at Great Ormond Street in London. We spend a couple of hours trying to entertain the children with our play trolley having a great time with glue and glitter. A very welcome relief from normal life, until they try to get you to dress up in Walt Disney outfits made for people half my size! Other than that, my husband and I try to travel as much as we can and this year I’ve managed to tick Canada, Thailand, Morzine, Kazakhstan, Rome and Spain and the Lake District off my destinations travelled list.
We have a social committee who organize a fair few events throughout the year. In 2007 social activities for the London office included a Duck Tour on the river, a couple of London guided walks, a pubquiz night and an evening at NAMCO – a games emporium on the South Bank. Regular annual events include a summer and Christmas party and a Christmas fayre - last year’s Christmas party was held at Tower Bridge. Informal gatherings are also quite easy to find.
Come with a smile on your face and a bunch of great marketing ideas!