Jamie Leonard
Jamie's interview
You can find out more about Jamie by watching his interview, or by reading the transcript below, in which he discusses his career journey so far, his area of expertise, and his experience in the Future London Leaders programme.
Take us through your career journey so far.
I studied history at the University of Exeter, which was really fun, and then went into London to do my LPC and GDL. Then, I worked in Parliament for a bit as an intern, which was really enjoyable and interesting. I was working for a secretary of state for housing so it's got quite a lot of crossover with what we do now. Generally I think it gave me a good grounding in work life. Perhaps it's not as traditional work as work is now, but it was really, really fun.
I then joined Devonshires in 2013 in the Securitisation team, and then got a training contract after about a year. I then qualified into Real Estate & Projects, in the sort of Projects side of Real Estate & Projects, I was focusing more on PPP, PFI, concession agreements, that sort of thing. Then, gradually my work shifted towards more of the Construction side of things and now I'd say I do about 70% Construction works contracts and 30% typical, what you call traditional projects work. Now, as of 2024, I have joined the Construction Engineering & Procurement team as a Partner.
Please could you outline your area of expertise and what attracted you to it?
First things first, I'm a non-contentious lawyer. I like being a non-contentious lawyer. I like the idea that daggers aren't drawn from the outset of your instruction and that you're all working in a sort of collegiate, convivial way in order to try and get the deal done. I'm always conscious that clients have existing relationships, for example if you're acting for a contractor then the client might have an existing relationship with the developer or the RP that are on the other side, and I'm cognizant of that. So I like that aspect. I also like the joust of contract negotiation as much as the next man, so I do like that aspect as well.
In terms of the actual work, construction law is really varied. It can be as simple as you want it, but it can also be really complex. I also like the fact that I have the projects side of my work, that string to my bow, as well. About 30% of my work is projects related and they tend to be really complex instructions. So I wake up in the morning and I'm never entirely sure what sort of work I'm going to be doing that day and I enjoy the varied workload.
What advice do you have for those individuals who are coming through the ranks at the moment and want to make Partner?
That's a tricky question. I think generally I would say be enthusiastic, say yes to that client meeting that you're a bit nervous about, say yes to that conference/event where you don't know anyone who's attending, because you're going to derive a lot more benefit from that than you potentially would sitting behind your screen at home.
What would you say to yourself as a junior now that you’ve made Partner?
So l started as a Paralegal at a high street firm in Hertfordshire and I did a lot of tea making, photocopying, all that sort of stuff. I covered for the receptionist on the phones during her lunch hour. I think I'd say, persistence is key. Just keep going, it's a long road. Don't think just because you can't get a training contract straight away that you're not going to make it as a lawyer. I think that would be my abiding message.
Who is the person at the firm that you most regularly refer work to?
It's probably Hannah Langford, she's a Partner in our Real Estate team and has a strong focus on planning. In terms of her skillset, she's really good at the big picture, she always understands what's important to clients right from the outset, and I think that is something that stands her in really good stead.
Tell us about your experience in the Future London Leaders programme.
The Future London Leaders programme is great. They try and take you out of your comfort zone, early doors, and it helps because the whole idea is making you comfortable being embarrassed and being exposed, so you get used to that idea of public speaking, presenting, and that sort of thing. So l thought from that perspective, it was great. It also gives you loads of tips and skills for leadership and how to deal with tricky situations. Generally, I thought the course was really beneficial.
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