“I’ve dealt with everything from gunpowder to drones, from planning inquiries to Lego workshops!”

I never thought about becoming a lawyer when I was at school. I’d always regarded law as a very closed-off profession. But at the age of 31, I accidentally fell into the legal world. Since then, I have worked for non-departmental public bodies, charities, a Magic Circle firm and a local authority.

Before I pursued law, I studied architecture at Manchester University. Design was not my strength but I thrived at the academics of my degree.

After graduating I got a job as an architectural investigator at the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. I clambered around buildings on-site in steel-capped boots and a safety helmet as well as doing desk-based research in archives. I also wrote about buildings of historical importance. One of the most notable projects I contributed to was securing World Heritage Site status for Maritime Greenwich.

My legal career began when the Royal Commission merged into English Heritage. I was one of the few people in the organisation who knew anything about contracts – having set up a department for creating a revenue stream from our intellectual property. In the absence of anyone better qualified, I represented the Commission at all the legal meetings.

It felt intimidating to face the in-house lawyers at English Heritage and their senior Magic Circle lawyers. But, after a few meetings I was fascinated by what they were doing and how they worked. At the start I was apprehensive, but I learned so much from listening and being involved.

Having seen the law in action, it felt like something I could do. I enrolled at night school and became a student again. Working on real matters alongside in-house and external lawyers during the day, then studying theory at night school was a great combination.

I got a poor mark on my first essay at college and was very disappointed. When I spoke to other students, I realised I’d misunderstood the legalese in the question. From that experience I could see the course would be much easier with a support group to help me stay on track.

Because night school invariably finishes late, it’s not an easy place to be sociable. But I managed to recruit a gang of course mates to study together on Saturday mornings – it was so beneficial. We were a mixed bunch, including the owner of a funeral director’s, a Russian-qualified lawyer, a derivatives expert and an ex-model.

After years working in the public sector, completing my training contract at a ‘top ten’ firm was a window into another world. The learning opportunities were incredible. And things like getting a swanky breakfast or lunch at training sessions were a real novelty to me! There was definitely a “work hard, play hard” culture.

Post qualification, I spent nearly 20 years in-house at English Heritage – I dealt with everything from gunpowder to drones, from planning inquiries to Lego workshops. When you work in-house you’re exposed to many different areas of law. But you don't have to know everything – you can instruct out for specialist matters. For example, we would bring in an aviation lawyer for work relating to our archaeology team’s aeroplane.

One of the biggest challenges of in-house lawyering is that there is no outer edge to your remit. It could be overwhelming, but it’s imperative you acknowledge when you’ve reached the limit of your expertise. That’s not always easy to do. For instance, I’ve worked at organisations with no defined budget for external solicitors and that makes for tough conversations when you know that you are not equipped to advise. That’s an ethical red line – one where you have to have the backbone to say no to your employer.

Working in-house creates a unique dynamic because your colleagues are also your clients. You’re part of the team and are working towards a shared goal. For me, that’s much more satisfying than advising on little bits – but it can also be challenging. When you are at senior leadership level you need to be even more alert because you are, in effect, your own client.

I remember once joining a conference call and overhearing: “When the lawyer joins, we’ll throw her a bone and then just get on with it as we’ve agreed”. There are occasions where you’re treated as though you are creating problems. But ultimately, my job is to ensure organisations are both successful and lawful, even if occasionally that makes me the least popular person in a meeting.

My professional ethics were set early in my career, at the College of Law. You need to keep ethics firmly embedded throughout your career when you work in-house. Colleagues inevitably push back on your counsel sometimes. I always want to help the organisation to succeed, but as a lawyer you sometimes have to be tough enough to draw a line in the sand.

It helps to have a network to navigate challenges. I certainly value the insights of my legal team. Debating issues with people who understand the nuances of your organisation and law is so helpful. Networks can be an amazing source of information and support.

The Lawyers in Charities organisation is a fantastic source of shared expertise. Every week there are email exchanges where one in-house lawyer has a question and other members generously provide advice based on their own experiences.

The power of persuasion is the most important skill for in-house solicitors. When an organisation instructs a private sector lawyer, they've made a conscious decision that they want that advice. In-house teams may need to step in even where you have not been specifically instructed.