The managing partner of the East Anglian firm Ellisons Solicitors shares his passions and interests

How do you like to start the day?

We have two Labradors, so I don’t have any choice as to how I start my day – one is 15-years-old and the other three, so I respond to their barking every morning and then it’s a combination of being let out into the garden, pills for the older dog, tennis ball throwing for the younger, whilst I have a cup of tea, listening to “Wake up to Money” on BBC Radio 5, BEFORE feeding the dogs some time between 6.00 and 6.30 each day.

What’s your favourite object in your office/home office?

I don’t have a dedicated desk or space at the office anymore, so there is no trace of me other than the mess I leave behind. My home office is similarly functional/untidy, and another year will start with a determination to be more organised and tidy!

Who is your closest colleague?

I am fortunate to work with some great colleagues, both in my client facing work but also my role as managing partner. As the latter role has taken more of my time, particularly during and since the 2020/21 challenges we all faced, my closest colleague has become our COO, Lizzy Firmin, with whom I work most closely day to day as we shape and implement the firm’s strategy/plan.

Do you have a favourite family heirloom?

I do have my grandfather’s stopwatch from when he was a manager in a cotton mill in Manchester. Performance management reviews for his employees must have meant you were either fast enough at your job or not! Perhaps it was understandable that many of his generation thought we didn’t know what hard work was!

What’s your favourite song of all time?

“With Or Without You” by U2, probably just edges out “There is a Light That Never Goes Out” by the Smiths.

What’s your favourite play?

The last one I have seen at either the Mercury Theatre in Colchester or the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds. We are fortunate to have two fantastic regional theatres close by. So at the moment it would be Peter Pan.

Who’s your favourite movie star?

Like most men my age I was a Star Wars and Indiana Jones fan, so would have to say Harrison Ford. In reality his carpentry skills would have been of more use to me during my married life, as my inability to do even the most basic DIY task has triggered a few heated exchanges.

What’s your favourite book? I enjoy reading but can’t think of a favourite book. In recent years I have been quick to buy the latest in the Strike series by Robert Galbraith or the Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Easy reading crime/thrillers are an easy escape.

What book are you reading right now?

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett.

What book do you wish you had written?

A diary – life has flown by. Or the scripts for the brilliant Curb Your Enthusiasm.

What’s the greatest invention of all time?

As someone who is not very creative, I admire anyone who can invent something. If I had to name one, I suppose I would say the radio. Invented by Marconi in Chelmsford. I listen to the radio every day, even more so since I developed tinnitus. The radio is a great distraction from the buzzing, particularly if alone.

Is there a sport you wish you could play?

Hurling – a highly skilful and physical game. I brought a Hurley back from a summer holiday with our family in County Limerick when I was younger but opportunities to play were few and far between. I still have it, so the dream, lives on!

Who inspires you in business?

Different people every day of every week, often those putting business and life into context.

In the office do you dress up, dress down or somewhere in between?

I dress down in that I no longer wear a suit every day. I remember someone once saying his firm had introduced a “dress for your day” policy, which meant he wore a suit because his day involved going to work. I am more relaxed than that, but it’s definitely smart-casual, if not a suit.

Where do you go to relax?

Home, which is probably why I don’t work from home very often, as I prefer the separation between office and home. I am also fortunate in that I work in each of our offices and, whilst not as glamorous as New York, Paris or Milan, enjoy visiting Bury St Edmunds, Chelmsford, Colchester, Frinton and Ipswich!

What country have you always wanted to visit?

New Zealand.

Besides your phone, what do you always have with you?

My hearing aids

What’s the best part of your job?

Meeting and spending time with people: colleagues, clients, business associates. Something funny will happen or be said every day.

How do you unwind after work?

All three daughters are back at home at the moment, so usually a chat in the kitchen with anyone who is at home, whilst nipping out to throw the ball for the youngest dog (Aggy) as the oldest dog (Winnie) lies on, or as close as possible to, my feet. As someone once said, if only I was half the man my dogs think I am….

Finally, what’s your guilty pleasure?

Scrolling through pointless, funny reels on Instagram, and sending them to my daughters only to be “aired” or told they appeared on Tik Tok a couple of years ago.

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