Hot 100 career quiz: the Royal Mail’s Charlie Ryan | The Lawyer

What’s your most vivid memory from being a trainee?

Working c.48 hours straight, twice in a year!

What is the wisest thing anyone ever said to you (and who said it)?

In the work environment, it doesn’t matter if you think you’re right even if you know you’re right, it matters what other people think you are – and it’s up to you to manage how you come across and how you are perceived.

This was advice given by the partner at Addleshaw Goddard who was head of the trainee programme.

Who (for better or worse) has been the most influential person in your career? Why?

John Studzinski, who is currently Vice Chairman of PIMCO. I was a personal assistant to John, just before I started law school, when he was head of global investment banking at HSBC. John is an extremely successful global business leader and someone who is devoted to philanthropy, giving generously to charity and helping others both in financial terms and giving his personal time. He leads by example and this makes others want to follow.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get to where you are/do the job you do?

Be patient, work hard and be nice to people. Eventually opportunities will arise.

What’s your best friend from law school doing now?

She has become an author! After law school Nicole (Kennedy) trained at Norton Rose Fulbright in their London, Paris & Dubai offices and upon qualification spent two years there in corporate finance and then seven years in-house at Legal & General. She wrote a book during her maternity leave and secured an agent; her debut novel, Everything’s Perfect, will be published by Head of Zeus in June 2021. She tells me it’s a fresh, humorous take on the themes of motherhood, female friendship and the pressures of modern life and – yes – it does feature a lawyer and, most importantly, it’s available for pre-order from all the usual places.