Spotlight: Interview with...Daren Allen, Shoosmiths

This month, we caught up with Shoosmith's Partner, Daren Allen, for our Spotlight interview. Daren, who has recently joined the Dispute Resolution and Litigation team, talked to us about the motivators behind his move, future plans for his practice, reasons for the firm's success during the pandemic and the biggest challenge the legal industry faces post pandemic.

Daren, you’ve recently joined Shoosmiths as a Partner within their Dispute Resolution and Litigation team. What were your motivators behind your move?

When interviewing with the firm I was struck by three things: its ambition, its collaborative approach, and the focus on excellent client service. These attributes made a real impression on me and I thought it would be an ideal environment for my practice.

What do you hope Shoosmiths can do for your practice? Or, what are you plans for your practice at Shoosmiths?

Shoosmiths has an impressive client base and excellent lawyers. It is ambitious to grow in my area and provides a perfect platform for my existing client base and real opportunities for growth.

How has the pandemic impacted your practice area? Has it impacted on your offerings or in the way in which you serve your clients?

There is no doubt that the pandemic had an impact on practitioners who advise in the financial services sector. That said, lawyers are an adaptable breed, and I don’t think the client offering was impacted in any material way. It was not ideal meeting virtually and remote regulatory interviews were a particular challenge. Whilst we adapted well to the challenging environment, I missed the interaction of in-person meetings.

Shoosmiths has received its best ever Legal 500 results (September 2021) and within the year of a global pandemic. What are the main factors the firm attributes to achieving such success even within the year of the global pandemic?

Although I have only recently joined the firm, the results are very much reflective of the culture of the firm. It’s not rocket science – if firms focus on excellent client service and have a collaborative culture, this is likely to yield positive results for clients and the overall client experience will be a good one.

The firm moved to a brand-new London office in August this year. What were the reasons for the move and what does the change bring to the business?

The new state-of-the-art London office reflects the strategic growth ambition of the firm and its confidence in the future

The London move follows new offices in Milton Keynes, Leeds and Belfast and a new office opened in Glasgow this November.

Daren, you have over 30 years’ experience as a lawyer. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge the legal industry now faces post pandemic?

The pace of change during my career has been staggering. I am not convinced that all change is necessarily good and do sometimes question the extent to which the system delivers access to justice.

The biggest challenge now is keeping on top of technological changes that will have a material impact on service delivery and the client experience. Firms often claim to be innovative, but those that truly grasp the opportunities afforded by technology will be the ones that succeed. Shoosmiths⁸Connected Services offers non-legal products to clients, complementing our existing services to help them work smarter, faster, and better.

If you could go back in time 20 years, what advice would you give yourself?

The advice I would give would be

• Don’t forget to occasionally stop and enjoy moments with colleagues and clients and take more time to celebrate the successes and

• Spend as much time as possible with your family, as you will never get the time back.

What words of wisdom can you share to aspiring lawyers hungry for progression to reach partnership?

Take time to understand your clients and their business. Although the practice of law has changed significantly during my time, the business of law is still about relationships. I am very proud to have relationships with clients that span more than 25 years.

How do you unwind from the ‘day job’? What hobbies or interests do you have?

I have always been very keen on sport. I was persuaded to take part in a triathlon just over nine years ago and have since become slightly obsessed by the sport! I now chair the committee of my local triathlon club and spend a great deal of my time either organising events, training, or racing.

I am also a trustee of a local charity that operates the local foodbank and offers assistance to vulnerable individuals in the community which provides a very different perspective on life.