The Horwich Farrelly chairman talks of rewarding challenges & reveals his punk past
John O'Roarke became chairman of specialist industry law firm Horwich Farrelly in 2016. Previously he spent ten years as managing director of insurer LV=, and prior to this was the chief operating officer for RBS Insurance and managing director of Churchill Insurance. John is a qualified chartered accountant and, between 2013-16, was chairman of the Insurance Fraud Bureau and chair of the ABI’s financial crime committee.
What was your route into the profession?
Well I'm clearly not a lawyer - and although I've spent 30 years in the insurance industry I'm not really sure I can claim to be an insurer either. I started out by training as a chartered accountant with a nine-partner firm in Sheffield. After qualifying I had a yearning to travel and ended up spending six years overseas with AIG. This was an accidental introduction to the world of insurance but one which - with hindsight - was a life-changing move as I've remained in the insurance industry ever since - and enjoyed every day of it.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Irrespective of which industry or profession we work in, I suspect that for most of us our biggest challenge is moving from a purely technical role to the point where we take on responsibility for managing other people and hence also responsible for establishing the culture of a business. This has certainly been the most interesting challenge for me - and ultimately the most rewarding.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
As I'm a relative newcomer to the legal profession I'm going to answer this one in the context of the insurance industry. I've learnt a lot from many people I've worked with over the last 30 years but one in particular stands out.
Martin Long was the founder of Churchill Insurance and was an inspirational leader with great personal presence; when he entered a room everyone knew he was there.
The two most important things that I learnt from him were, firstly, that the most important key to success in a business is to value and develop your people and, secondly, that it's important to be positive at all times, even when things are not going well.
What would you choose as an alternate career?
My career in insurance has actually always been my second place choice. When I was 21, I took two years out of college to tour with a punk band called The Deaf Aids. You can probably give us a listen if you Google the band's name and the song title Bored Christine. You'll then understand why my rock music career was short-lived!
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
I have to confess that I don't normally read fiction. I do enjoy non-fictional reading though - and particularly enjoy reading Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan - which probably tells you more about me than you need to know.
What change would you make to the profession?
The one thing that would benefit the reputation of the legal profession most of all would be to eradicate the small minority of unprofessional and dishonest personal injury claimant firms. Genuine claimants do need access to justice but their interests are not best served by lawyers who fabricate or distort the facts.
How do you relax?
I'm writing this with a glass of Ribera del Duero in my hand while staring at the sea off the west coast of Mallorca…
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