I knew since I was about 11 that I was someone who felt strongly about fairness. Arguing the case for myself or others came easily and it was a natural progression to becoming a solicitor at 23.At 24, I fell into white collar litigation and tax investigations by chance, when one senior lawyer was too busy and the second fell ill and I was asked to represent a man accused of the largest tax fraud the UK had ever known. I was hooked.

The case I am probably proudest of was representing an elderly accountant, on the verge of retirement and with a distinguished career behind him, who was wrongly accused of helping a client to hide income offshore. The former Inland Revenue was open with its concerns and evidence, and even before they came to interview my client I carried out our own investigation which showed the allegations were false. I still have the client's letter of thanks 25 years on.The powers of investigatory authorities can be overwhelming. I passionately believe that having greater powers brings a duty to be open and fair so that the individual has a chance to argue on a level playing field.Being a life-long follower of Watford Football Club sits well with someone who supports the underdog. Many years ago, I was invited to play in a trial and, who knows, if things had gone better my career may have proceeded on another kind of level playing field.