The art of the virtual pitch: what GCs really want

Katherine Hutchinson

Katherine is a strategic partner to the lawyers and advisors of Bennett Jones LLP, helping identify and pursue opportunities for lead generation and brand awareness in key international markets. She raises the firm's profile through creative and compelling events, targeted sponsorships, and managing participation in global conferences and conventions. Katherine is an active member of the International Bar Association, and is a member of the Law Firm Management Committee's Business Development and Marketing Sub-Committee. She is also the Programming Chair for the Legal Marketing Association Canada, developing the ongoing educational curriculum for those working in law firm marketing and business development across the country.

Anne Macdonald

Anne is the Lead Partner of our HM Connect network and heads up our Business Development Team.

HM Connect is a referral and support network for high street and rural law firms which operates via Harper Macleod offering its full complement of legal services and expertise to such law firms on a fee-sharing, non-client poaching basis. HM Connect has over 375 member firms throughout Scotland. Anne set up HM Connect in 2008 and has since developed HM Connect into Scotland's leading referral network, with over 30% of all legal firms in Scotland.

Anne also coordinates the Australia country desk, part of Harper Macleod's international offering.

Anne is a Council Member for the Glasgow & Strathkelvin Constituency of the Law Society of Scotland and sits on the Client Protection Fund Committee and the Professional Practice Committee of the Law Society of Scotland. Anne is also a member of the organising committee for the Marie Curie Brain Game Black Tie Quiz.

Anne won the title of "Up & Coming Lawyer of the Year" at the Law Awards of Scotland 2010 and was part of the team which was awarded "Energy Team of the Year" at the Scottish Legal Awards 2011 and 2013, Anne is also the co-founder and organiser of the Scottish Highland Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC). Anne led her team to a finalist position for "Best Business Development Team" at The Lawyer Management Awards 2013 in London and won Support team of the Year award at the Scottish Legal Awards 2016.

Maaike de Bie

Maaike is the Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of easyJet. She obtained her legal degrees in the Netherlands (VU in Amsterdam) and Canada (McGill in Montreal) and is qualified to practise as a solicitor in both New York and the UK. Maaike started her career in private practice in New York moving to London 6 years later where she has held a number of senior in-house legal roles at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, GE, EY and most recently as Group General Counsel of Royal Mail. In addition to her professional career, Maaike has trained as a coach. Maaike uses these skills both professionally and personally as well as pro-bono. Maaike is also a trustee for Blueprint for Better Business which is an independent charity that helps business to be inspired and guided by a purpose that respects people and contributes to a better society.

Marsha Redmon

Marsha is a former practicing attorney and award-winning journalist who specializes in teaching lawyers and other professionals how to communicate most effectively with colleagues, clients, and the media. Marsha's expertise is in taking complex issues and helping her clients tell the stories behind them.

As a former TV reporter and lawyer, Marsha is the perfect person to teach lawyers and other professionals how to quickly master the challenges of virtual presenting in this changed business environment.

For 20 years, Marsha has coached lawyers and other professionals to communicate with presence and get the business and recognition they want through presentation and public speaking skills, business development, media interview and messaging workshops. Marsha's experience spans broadcast news reporting, law, and graduate level teaching. She was an award-winning consumer and investigative reporter on television. Her on-air news career spanned nearly a decade in television in major markets.

Marsha practiced law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and at a women-owned litigation boutique. Marsha was a faculty member of the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, where she taught Business Communications to MBA students full-time for two years. She is a frequent public speaker on issues of legal Thought Leadership and effective communications and business development for lawyers and other professionals. Her speaking engagements have included: Legal Marketing Association (LMA)–national conference and many chapters; Professional Development Institute (PDI); National Association for Law Placement (NALP); National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)–General Counsel Institute and Mid-Year Meeting; Women’s Bar Association of DC; Marsh & McLennan Executive Women’s Group; DC CREW–Women in Commercial Real Estate; The Grapevine Group–Women in Antitrust and Competition.

She is magna cum laude graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law and a cum laude graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Speech Communication.

Neetu Sawhney

Neetu is the Head of Pitching at Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading global law firm. She is a senior bids professional with over 20 years’ experience across a number of leading professional service firms. Neetu has deep experience across the full bid life cycle including: stablishing a central bid function; strategic bid process definition and rollout; development of bid management tools and methodologies; proposal management/creation and presentation coaching. She advises partners and lawyers on their written tender submissions and coaches them on both the presentation approach and their presentation style. Neetu is also a mentor, as part of the Firm's 'Networked Scholar's scheme', providing a five-year program of support to year 12 students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. She holds a BSc. from Cass Business School in Management & Systems Science and is a certified member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals.

Pietro Galizzi

Pietro Galizzi is the Head of Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Affairs at Eni Gas e Luce S.p.A., one of the largest Italian companies and a main player in the gas & power market.

Before being Head of Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Affairs at Eni Gas e Luce S.p.A., Pietro was Saipem’s General Counsel.

In these roles, he has covered a wide cross section of legal activity, including compliance, litigation/arbitration, contract negotiation, contract administration and the full range of corporate legal activities.

He was a member of the UNIDROIT Working Group on International Long-Term Contracts, participated in the ICC Commission on Arbitration, Working Group on the Role of In-house Counsel in Dispute Resolution and in the European Advisory Board of the CPR.

Pietro regularly lectures on International Business Law at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan, Italy), LUISS Guido Carli (Rome, Italy) and Quest Master Class (Dubai, UAE).