The recently appointed Michelmores partner talks about getting his hands dirty
Former Lend Lease General Counsel Patrick Gloyens has joined Michelmores as a partner.
What was your route into the profession?
I read law at Bristol University, studied at the College of Law in Guildford (where I now live) and was articled in 17th Century splendour in Lincoln’s Inn. The law firm acted for many old landed estates; my first job was to sell a farm, and the root of title—indeed the only title document—was a grant of Queen Elizabeth 1st on parchment with a wax seal the size of a soup plate.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Becoming a general counsel, as there is nowhere to hide. Because you are a lawyer you must, by definition, know all laws ever written about everything… As general counsel you also have to make those commercial decisions you spent your entire legal career avoiding. That does, however, get easier. On the plus side, there are no time sheets and the variety of
