What was your route into the profession?
My parents and many other family members are or were serving police officers, and so I have always been surrounded by the law and seen how its use (and misuse) can profoundly impact people’s lives.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Probably my current role as Michelman Robinson’s London managing partner. Launching the firm’s operations in a new market and building our London office from the ground up has been both daunting and incredibly exciting. The encouragement and warm reception that we have received from our clients, professional friends and peers has made it all worthwhile, and reinforced that launching in London was the right step for the firm.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
I was incredibly fortunate as a young trainee solicitor to be mentored by a number of inspirational characters at my then firm, who had the most profound impact on my career. Most importantly, I learned from those individuals—all of whom were incredibly gifted litigators—the value of maintaining perspective, common decency and a sense of humour even in the most challenging of professional situations. I won’t embarrass them by naming them here, but they know who they are! One of them still refers to me as ‘his trainee’…
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternate career?
That’s a difficult one. I would probably be a chef, as I love food and admire the creativity and attention to detail that the modern hospitality industry demands. Ironically, the requirement to deliver top-quality products, consistently, under intense time pressure and in a hyper-competitive environment, isn’t all that different to being a litigator.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
Taking something of a liberty in answering this question, I grew up reading the novels and short stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so it would be remiss of me not to say Sherlock Holmes. His capacity to spot the most inconspicuous detail and draw together the factual threads would have made him a fine investigative lawyer, when he wasn’t moonlighting as a detective.
What change would you make to the profession?
Despite some meaningful improvements in recent years to the traditional pathways into the legal profession, I believe that the barriers to entry are still insurmountable for many aspirational young people and those with childcare and/or carer responsibilities. I would like to see even more flexibility and alternative working structures put in place, to ensure that the legal professional is truly representative of the society and communities in which we operate.
How do you relax?
I have a young (seven months old) son, so there isn’t a lot of time left over for relaxation! When I can, I like to immerse myself in music—I fumble my way through Rachmaninoff on my piano, and am teaching myself to play the banjo.
Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson’s London office.
