What was your route into the profession?
My headmaster's words at my parents’ evening have stuck with me since I was 16 years old. ‘He's an average five O-Level boy, too fond of sport, and won't amount to much!’ was his throwaway comment, as my mum reported back to me. To be fair to him, he was right: I had not been a particularly enthusiastic or industrious student up until that point. However, I took it as a challenge to prove him wrong and knuckled down to pass all of my O- and A-Levels.
When I left school, I didn’t want to go to university and followed my father into a career in retail management on a trainee management programme. By the time I was 21, I was appointed branch manager of a national retail chain, but felt somewhat unfulfilled by the career path before me. I looked for something more, and was drawn to the legal and business side of retail management.
I took the decision to change career and applied to do a LLB Business Law degree at Coventry University, but was initially rejected as I did not meet the entrance criteria. I phoned up the admissions tutor and persuaded him to accept me as a mature student with a background of business achievement.
I took a job as a part-time paralegal during my degree and returned as a trainee solicitor following completion of my Law Society Finals Examinations. I was drawn to the litigation side of the business by the variety of claims undertaking uninsured loss recoveries and subsequently claimant personal injury claims.
Early in my career, I changed to defendant insurance work and conducted all aspects of road traffic, fraud, and costs claims, providing strategic advice up to and including conducting test case litigation.
But for those words from my old headmaster, I may not have gone to university to become a partner in Keoghs LLP, a UK law firm disrupting insurance law as the legal services arm of the Davies Group, a global specialist professional services and technology firm.
My route was somewhat unconventional, and I would say to all of those searching for career path, look past the ‘insurance’ law label and open the door, and you will find it impacts on all aspects of life and business. Legal roles are varied, interesting, challenging, satisfying, fun and rewarding.
I am the first in my family to attend university and the first to become a solicitor. Without the boundless encouragement and support and of my parents, I would not have come as far as I have.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
I have had many challenges over the years, from conducting five Court of Appeal cases; to obtaining search and seizure’ orders and ‘freezing’ injunctions and entering business properties; to moving law firms. However, the biggest challenge was going to university.
I was 22 and had been out of education for four years, and would not be admitted into the second year unless I passed the first year. I had A-Levels in physics, maths, further maths and biology. I was hardly a humanities student and yet there I was embarking on a business law degree!
I had to teach myself how to learn, to research, to interpret and apply legal principles and authority in a structured way as well as meet coursework deadlines. I found it hard, but the experience of being outside of my comfort zone as a student provided self-belief to embrace new experiences as I made my way up through the ranks to become a senior partner in Keoghs LLP.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
My role with Keoghs and within the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) is to look ahead and over the horizon to what is coming and assess the impact upon and opportunities for my firm, our clients and our membership.
It is to raise awareness and lobby for reform and changes to the civil justice system, whether that be by engagement with Ministry of Justice officials, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) or Civil Procedure Rules Committee.
For me there are two inspirational figures in the legal profession. Firstly, Lord Woolf who, in his report ‘Access to Justice’ in July 1996, set out proposals for the reform of the civil justice system. At the heart of his proposals was the allocation of civil cases to 'tracks', which would determine the degree of judicial case management.
Secondly, Lord Justice Jackson who, in his review of civil litigation costs in December 2009, set out a coherent package of interlocking reforms, designed to promote access to justice at proportionate cost.
For the most part the reform of civil justice has followed the recommendations of the respective reports. However, there are some significant omissions, such as the failure to set up an independent costs council to determine the level of guideline hourly rates (GHRs).
Currently, the CJC is considering setting up a working group to determine the methodology to be used to set GHRs. This is a body dominated by stakeholders with a vested interest in seeing an increase of GHRS.
We need the rates to be determined by those who are being asked to pay them, and not the lawyers who want to be paid.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternate career?
That’s a difficult one, as I didn’t have a real interest in a particular career path until I found an interest in law and wanted to be a solicitor.
As a young teenager I wanted to be an RAF fighter pilot, but that idea was quickly dispatched because I didn’t have 20/20 vision.
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
Having read several of his reported cases, I was tempted to say Sir Edward Marshall Hall KC. However, as the question relates to fictional lawyers, there are a couple who spring to mind, from Sir Robert Morton for his ability to read a witness (The Winslow Boy, based on a play by Terence Rattigan), to Mike Ross for his photographic memory (Suits).
However, my favourite is Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman. He is a model of integrity in the most challenging and emotive circumstances.
What change would you make to the profession?
The legal profession is evolving rapidly, but there are several key areas where changes could further enhance its effectiveness and accessibility:
Embrace technology: integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can streamline legal processes, improve case management, and enhance client services. For instance, AI can assist in legal research, document review, and even predicting case outcomes.
Flexible working: the legal profession should continue to adapt to flexible working arrangements. From April 2024, employees will have the right to request flexible working from their first day. This change can help attract and retain talent, improve work-life balance, and increase productivity.
Enhanced cybersecurity: with the increasing threat of cyberattacks, law firms must prioritise cybersecurity measures. Implementing robust security protocols and regular training can protect sensitive client information and maintain trust.
Access to justice: improving access to legal services for all, especially marginalised communities, is crucial. This could involve increasing funding for legal aid, offering pro bono services, and utilising technology to provide remote legal assistance.
Client-centric services: law firms should focus on enhancing the client experience by adopting a more client-centric approach. This includes transparent pricing, clear communication, and personalised services.
These changes can help modernise the legal profession, making it more efficient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of both clients and legal professionals.
How do you relax?
Always have something to look forward to, whether that is dinner with friends, a weekend away, a holiday in the sun, or a cruise around the Med.
Keeping active by walking the dog, in the gym or tennis/bowls at my local sports club. Watching the match at my local rugby club with a few beers.
I have played video games since the Game Boy came out in the eighties, and find it relaxing to take out any pent-up frustration on the in-game ‘bosses’. My latest is The Division 2, a multiplayer shooter looter where I can blast away while chatting to like-minded gamers. It is a real leveler and brings together all walks of life.
Howard Dean is a partner at Keoghs and president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) for 2025.
