In association with For the second year running, women outnumber men in The Lawyer’s line-up of the industry pace-setters. And as always, the Hot 100 highlights talent in all corners of the profession, from tech innovators to law firm leaders Key: Barrister Dealmaker Disruptor In-house Leader Litigator 18 The Lawyer | The Hot Issue | January/February 2019 Ben Allgrove Baker McKenzie Ben Allgrove makes a return to the Hot 100 after a first appearance in 2012. Back then, he was listed for his top-tier IP work and The Lawyer made no mention of his reputation in artificial intelligence – but it has been an interest of his for the past 15 years, since he was an academic studying the topic. In the past two years, his AI practice has blossomed. Internally, meanwhile, he has stepped up not only to head the newly combined IP/ technology ‘super-practice’, but also to lead Baker McKenzie’s global R&D strategy. Essentially, that role is about keeping the firm focused on what delivers most benefits to A clients now, which is not always new technology. He has sparked a network of 700 innovation ambassadors from across the firm, all of whom have self-selected themselves and are having open conversations about ideas. The programme has been successful, Allgrove says, in that rather than starting with a predefined corporate message, the firm is allowing itself to show vulnerability about what it does not know and thus empowering people from all levels to speak up. Jessica Adam Macfarlanes The sole female partner in Macfarlanes’ corporate group, Jessica Adam is flying the flag for women who want to progress in this male-dominated field. Promoted to partner in 2013, Adam is at the forefront of decision- making for the firm’s junior lawyers, chairing its associate committee with a focus on diversity and career pathways. Having started her legal B life at Scottish firm Shepherd & Wedderburn, she has since installed herself as one of Macfarlanes’ brightest corporate stars. Her highlights of 2018 included advising long-standing client Bryan Cave Leighton David Barker Paisner on the sale of its majority stake in Pinsent Masons Lawyers on Demand. The mandate reflects Adam’s growing presence in the world of In a climate of fear over data privacy issues, Pinsent Masons’ David Barker is the lawyer professional services firms in need of legal increasingly taking the calls from big corporates. Last year, the firm’s head of TMT expertise. It is a niche area, but is one that disputes led on some of the largest disagreements for big-name clients, including the first nevertheless sees her acting on some of the two UK High Court trials on ‘right to be forgotten’ cases. most relevant transactions to the legal industry. Barker led for defendant Google against two groups that demanded the browser remove A specialist in private M&A, Adam also acted references to them in their searches, winning one battle and losing the other. But despite on deals last year for internet provider being unsuccessful in one, Google was nevertheless spared having to pay damages after Hyperoptic, the management team of Element the judge complimented the tech giant on having taken “reasonable care” throughout. Power and a new fund partnership between Called upon to defend another high-profile name, Barker helped settle the BBC’s Aberdeen Standard Investments and 21 dispute against offshore firm Appleby which filed a breach of confidence claim against the Partners. She has further become the main broadcaster after the Paradise Papers revelations. In what could be just the tip of the corporate partner for Virgin Group, a prized iceberg in terms of data breach cases coming to court, these disputes highlight an client of the silver circle stalwart. ever-important area for Pinsents around technology and privacy for large businesses. January/February 2019 | The Hot Issue | The Lawyer 19 In association with The Hot 100 2019 The Secret Barrister It is unprecedented for the Hot 100 to contain an anonymous figure. However, The Secret Barrister’s contribution to the legal profession last year deserves recognition. His or her book, The Secret Barrister, did an immense amount to bring the plight of British justice to wider public attention. Published in March ? 2018, it immediately shot into the bestseller lists. The Criminal Bar Association and Young Legal Aid Lawyers subsequently launched a successful fundraising campaign to ensure that every MP received a copy. Having initially risen to prominence on Twitter, ‘SB’ remains prolific on that platform, politely and patiently explaining the law and justice system to the layperson and generally bringing enlightenment where there is ignorance. Will The Secret Barrister’s messages be heeded by those who have the power to change things? Who knows? But what is certain is that the criminal Bar has a strong new defender advocating for it. Stephanie Barwise QC Atkin Chambers With over 30 years served at the construction Bar, Stephanie Barwise QC has plenty of experience in all manner of complex disputes. It was perhaps her work on the Ladbroke Grove rail crash inquiry 20 years ago that set her up to take on one of the biggest matters of our generation: she is providing the construction law expertise in a team representing victims in the Grenfell Tower public inquiry. Much of Barwise’s work is not UK-based: she successfully represented the government of Trinidad last yearand also sat as an ICC arbitrator on the Panama Canal case, which contained a number of unusual points. But Grenfell took up much of her time last year and will again in 2019. It will kick off in a major way once more in the BVUVNO; before then, it should come as no surprise that Barwise is the sought-after silk for many other cladding-related matters. Michael Bates Clifford Chance Michael Bates has already come to wide notice as a banking dealmaker and latterly managing partner of Clifford Chance’s London office. However, his inclusion in the Hot 100 recognises his imaginative leadership of two important projects for the global firm: the acquisition of Carillion’s legal operations hub in Newcastle, and the agenda-setting approach to gender pay gap reporting. Bates was just one month into his tenure as London managing partner when the firm first decided it was interested in Carillion’s service centre. Within 13 days, the entire deal – which saw the transfer of 60 people – had been fully signed, signalling a new market for operations business acquisitions in the legal sector and a heating up of talent wars in the North East. Bates also made his presence felt in the gender pay gap debate that consumed so much of 2018; under his stewardship, Clifford Chance was the first magic circle law firm to break ranks and disclose partner pay differentials, a move that was not to the firm’s specific PR benefit but that influenced the level of transparency around the issue. 20 The Lawyer | The Hot Issue | January/February 2019 Barrister Dealmaker Disruptor In-house Leader Litigator Katherine Bellau moneysupermarket.com Long regarded as one of the most talented up and coming in-house leaders, Katherine Bellau’s work at financial services comparison business and consumer champion moneysupermarket.com has attracted some notice. 2019 will be Bellau’s year as she moves into the general counsel and company secretary role and member of the executive team at the fast-growing FTSE-listed company. This year will see her continue to align the legal team with the ambitious strategy set by the new CEO in 2017, and lead the team’s work to underpin the rollout of new digital offerings, as well as taking responsibility for the procurement function. Over the past year, the company has seen a tech replatforming, further digital developments in which users can personalise their household bills through an app, and the launch of a fintech product that will digitise the mortgage process. The focus of Bellau’s work has also widened from B2C to include B2B in the form of partnering with banks and financial services providers to give them access to digital solutions. Passionate about diversity and inclusion, Bellau has championed flexible working both by example and instituting it into her legal team. Gideon Benaim Simkins Back in 1962, Cliff Richard was one of the first two clients of the firm that, by 2018, would be known as Simkins (the other was TV impresario Lord Lew Grade). Jump forward more than five decades and Simkins is still taking great care of the now Sir Cliff’s interests. Stepping up to do battle for the singer in last year’s extraordinarily public High Court battle with the BBC was the firm’s reputation protection team leader, Gideon Benaim. The case stemmed from a police investigation into allegations against the singer of historical sexual assault that led to a 2014 police raid on his home which the BBC broadcast live. Richard was never arrested or charged but, as Benaim told the court, the BBC’s coverage had allowed “conspiracy theorists and online trolls to have a field day”. Thanks to Benaim and his team, the court found that the veteran pop star’s privacy rights had indeed been infringed. Richard won some £1.5m in damages and costs, although Farmida Bi Benaim confirmed that the star’s motivation had never been Norton Rose Fulbright personal gain. The case highlighted the ongoing balancing act in law between the right to free speech and the right to There cannot have been many blank spaces on privacy, reaffirming and clarifying that the starting point Farmida Bi’s calendar last year.