Speaker details

Biography

I am a Partner and Head of the Business Development Department at Harper Macleod LLP. I lead the team on bids, tenders and legal directories together with new business sources, including our HM Connect network, global referral relationships and digitally acquired clients. I am responsible for growing and developing the business through strategic planning, working alongside my fellow partners and executive group. I have responsibility for developing the firms’ relationship with international & domestic law firms, providing a central liaison point between clients and lawyers. HM Connect is a referral and support network for high street and rural law firms and has over 410 member law firms throughout Scotland. I set up HM Connect in 2008 and the team and I have since developed Together with our Head of International, I manage our strong relationships with law firms around the world and as part of this I co-ordinate our Australasia desk. I am the current Co-Chair of the Law Firm Management Committee (LFMC) of the International Bar Association (IBA) having served as the Chair of the LFMC Business Development & Marketing Sub-Committee of the IBA from 2020-2022. From 2016 until 2021 I was an elected Council member of Law Society of Scotland covering Glasgow & Strathkelvin constituency and latterly was appointed as the Convenor of the Client Protection Sub-Committee. I am regularly invited by organisations such as the IBA and Law Society of Scotland to speak on topics such as legal business development, leadership and legal networks. In 2022, I contributed a chapter to the recently published book “The rise of specialist career paths in law firms” by Globe Law & Business.