*/
Mantras that have served Shaun Wallace (aka 'The Chaser’) well, alongside the ‘transferrable barristerial skills’ that lured him to the world of entertainment
When I reflect on my near 62 years’ existence, the two major tenets that underpin and define my entire career are a lifelong love affair with the law and a lifelong devotion to educating my mind. Let me make clear, though (to paraphrase that classic remark from celebrated author Mark Twain) that ‘my impending demise and/or retirement is hopefully some way off!’
My love affair with the law goes all the way back to the 11-year-old kid who was religiously glued to the legal dramas unfolding in fictional Fulchester Crown Court in the 1970s Crown Court. Also, to the brilliant advocacy skills of my fictional legal hero, Horace Rumpole, the creation of one of my all-time real legal heroes, the late John Mortimer QC, who apart from being one of the best advocates of his generation, is also the finest exemplar of a barrister being able to use his training and skills in a transferable way to create and develop a new career.
There is immeasurable value in a barrister’s skill set which includes, inter alia, thorough preparation and research, fearlessness, and the ability to think quickly on your feet. It has not only served me well in my criminal defence practice, but proved an invaluable aid when working as a part-time lecturer alongside my career at the Bar.
Those 14 years, teaching four nights a week at Hackney College were probably some of the most rewarding of my whole professional life. Aside from helping to develop my confidence in public speaking, as well as providing crucial financial support during the challenging and, at times, notoriously difficult early stages of a fledgling career, it gave me the opportunity to nurture, educate and support students, irrespective of their age, gender, race or background to realise their own individual long-term held dreams and ambitions in the same way (if not surpass) that I myself have managed.
For me, it’s important to use the talents and gifts with which we are blessed in an altruistic way; to educate and assist the next generation to become the leaders of tomorrow. Not only should we help to create what I call the ‘ladder of opportunity’ for potential talent to climb up, but it is also important, in the provision of any such wholehearted support, to make harsher truths clear.
The world of work is not only highly competitive but can appear, at times, arbitrary, even to the point of unfairness in terms of who will thrive and who will fall by the wayside. Without wishing to sound somewhat matter of fact or, indeed, glib, the advice I always try to give to any up and coming talent, whether in law or any other profession, is this: ‘Make sure your talent is displayed at all times... because you never know who is watching! And if you get that chance, make sure that you are ready to seize it, because it may not present itself again...’
Even the most successful and gifted individual in any given field has needed that all-important bit of luck – being at the right place, at the right time, and being seen by that person who could provide the platform to help make their talent shine and develop.
The only way you stay in control of your destiny is to ‘educate your mind’. This passion for learning was instilled in me from an early age by my family, particularly my eldest sister, Sandra. She was always drumming into me how important education would be in terms of enhancing my ‘life chances’. Together with those trusted ‘transferrable barristerial skills’, it is a mantra that has served me well (even into my sixties!) and lured me to the somewhat fickle and at times cutthroat world of entertainment. Certainly, a devotion to learning was instrumental in helping me become a Mastermind Champion in 2004 and, since 2009, ‘The Dark Destroyer’ on the teatime quiz show, The Chase. Being in such a fortunate and privileged position – able to divide my time between two very demanding, but no less satisfying, careers – is in no small part due to the support that I receive from my clerking team at chambers and the team at ITV.
There is no room for complacency. I’m forever conscious of the fact that in terms of my legal career, ‘I’m only as good as my last closing speech’ and as a ‘Chaser’, I’m only as good as the last question that I answered correctly, thus ensuring that I take nothing for granted!
With fame comes responsibility. Having a public profile means that I can go into schools, colleges and prisons to talk to students and inmates alike. In the former two institutions, I will tell them that they represent our future lawyers, doctors and leaders, and that they shouldn’t be afraid to dream! In the latter, the fact that they are incarcerated doesn’t mean that they should be forgotten – I tell inmates to spend their time as best as they can, within the resources available, to help prepare for eventual release and reintegration into a society where they can make a worthwhile contribution.
It gives me an overwhelming and unrelenting sense of pride to be a member of the legal profession over the last 38 years. In that time, the profession has seen a tremendous paradigm shift in terms of greater diversity in terms of race, gender and disability in its membership and at the top of the profession; based now on merit and talent as opposed to the archaic and arbitrary ‘old school tie’.
But the legal profession during this time has also had to endure some extremely difficult challenges. Decades of chronic under funding in publicly funded work has seen the gradual erosion of morale within the profession; the growing exodus of experienced talent; and acted as a serious deterrent to attracting much needed new and diverse members. This trend, if allowed to continue, could see our great profession – once seen as the benchmark of legal professions around the world to follow – eventually ‘wither on the vine and die’. It could also lead, sadly, to the denial of access to the ‘best legal talent available to those who cannot afford it’. This, of course, should give rise for concern.
As a profession we must always remain forever vigilant that we must never be compromised or diluted out of sheer expediency. I, for one, alongside thousands of like-minded legal professionals will remain at the vanguard to ensure that this will never happen in our professional lifetimes, or indeed, future professional lifetimes.
When I reflect on my near 62 years’ existence, the two major tenets that underpin and define my entire career are a lifelong love affair with the law and a lifelong devotion to educating my mind. Let me make clear, though (to paraphrase that classic remark from celebrated author Mark Twain) that ‘my impending demise and/or retirement is hopefully some way off!’
My love affair with the law goes all the way back to the 11-year-old kid who was religiously glued to the legal dramas unfolding in fictional Fulchester Crown Court in the 1970s Crown Court. Also, to the brilliant advocacy skills of my fictional legal hero, Horace Rumpole, the creation of one of my all-time real legal heroes, the late John Mortimer QC, who apart from being one of the best advocates of his generation, is also the finest exemplar of a barrister being able to use his training and skills in a transferable way to create and develop a new career.
There is immeasurable value in a barrister’s skill set which includes, inter alia, thorough preparation and research, fearlessness, and the ability to think quickly on your feet. It has not only served me well in my criminal defence practice, but proved an invaluable aid when working as a part-time lecturer alongside my career at the Bar.
Those 14 years, teaching four nights a week at Hackney College were probably some of the most rewarding of my whole professional life. Aside from helping to develop my confidence in public speaking, as well as providing crucial financial support during the challenging and, at times, notoriously difficult early stages of a fledgling career, it gave me the opportunity to nurture, educate and support students, irrespective of their age, gender, race or background to realise their own individual long-term held dreams and ambitions in the same way (if not surpass) that I myself have managed.
For me, it’s important to use the talents and gifts with which we are blessed in an altruistic way; to educate and assist the next generation to become the leaders of tomorrow. Not only should we help to create what I call the ‘ladder of opportunity’ for potential talent to climb up, but it is also important, in the provision of any such wholehearted support, to make harsher truths clear.
The world of work is not only highly competitive but can appear, at times, arbitrary, even to the point of unfairness in terms of who will thrive and who will fall by the wayside. Without wishing to sound somewhat matter of fact or, indeed, glib, the advice I always try to give to any up and coming talent, whether in law or any other profession, is this: ‘Make sure your talent is displayed at all times... because you never know who is watching! And if you get that chance, make sure that you are ready to seize it, because it may not present itself again...’
Even the most successful and gifted individual in any given field has needed that all-important bit of luck – being at the right place, at the right time, and being seen by that person who could provide the platform to help make their talent shine and develop.
The only way you stay in control of your destiny is to ‘educate your mind’. This passion for learning was instilled in me from an early age by my family, particularly my eldest sister, Sandra. She was always drumming into me how important education would be in terms of enhancing my ‘life chances’. Together with those trusted ‘transferrable barristerial skills’, it is a mantra that has served me well (even into my sixties!) and lured me to the somewhat fickle and at times cutthroat world of entertainment. Certainly, a devotion to learning was instrumental in helping me become a Mastermind Champion in 2004 and, since 2009, ‘The Dark Destroyer’ on the teatime quiz show, The Chase. Being in such a fortunate and privileged position – able to divide my time between two very demanding, but no less satisfying, careers – is in no small part due to the support that I receive from my clerking team at chambers and the team at ITV.
There is no room for complacency. I’m forever conscious of the fact that in terms of my legal career, ‘I’m only as good as my last closing speech’ and as a ‘Chaser’, I’m only as good as the last question that I answered correctly, thus ensuring that I take nothing for granted!
With fame comes responsibility. Having a public profile means that I can go into schools, colleges and prisons to talk to students and inmates alike. In the former two institutions, I will tell them that they represent our future lawyers, doctors and leaders, and that they shouldn’t be afraid to dream! In the latter, the fact that they are incarcerated doesn’t mean that they should be forgotten – I tell inmates to spend their time as best as they can, within the resources available, to help prepare for eventual release and reintegration into a society where they can make a worthwhile contribution.
It gives me an overwhelming and unrelenting sense of pride to be a member of the legal profession over the last 38 years. In that time, the profession has seen a tremendous paradigm shift in terms of greater diversity in terms of race, gender and disability in its membership and at the top of the profession; based now on merit and talent as opposed to the archaic and arbitrary ‘old school tie’.
But the legal profession during this time has also had to endure some extremely difficult challenges. Decades of chronic under funding in publicly funded work has seen the gradual erosion of morale within the profession; the growing exodus of experienced talent; and acted as a serious deterrent to attracting much needed new and diverse members. This trend, if allowed to continue, could see our great profession – once seen as the benchmark of legal professions around the world to follow – eventually ‘wither on the vine and die’. It could also lead, sadly, to the denial of access to the ‘best legal talent available to those who cannot afford it’. This, of course, should give rise for concern.
As a profession we must always remain forever vigilant that we must never be compromised or diluted out of sheer expediency. I, for one, alongside thousands of like-minded legal professionals will remain at the vanguard to ensure that this will never happen in our professional lifetimes, or indeed, future professional lifetimes.
Mantras that have served Shaun Wallace (aka 'The Chaser’) well, alongside the ‘transferrable barristerial skills’ that lured him to the world of entertainment
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
Giovanni D’Avola explores the issue of over-citation of unreported cases and the ‘added value’ elements of a law report
Louise Crush explores the key points and opportunities for tax efficiency
Westgate Wealth Management Ltd is a Partner Practice of FTSE 100 company St. James’s Place – one of the top UK Wealth Management firms. We offer a holistic service of distinct quality, integrity, and excellence with the aim to build a professional and valuable relationship with our clients, helping to provide them with security now, prosperity in the future and the highest standard of service in all of our dealings.
Is now the time to review your financial position, having reached a career milestone? asks Louise Crush
If you were to host a dinner party with 10 guests, and you asked them to explain what financial planning is and how it differs to financial advice, you’d receive 10 different answers. The variety of answers highlights the ongoing need to clarify and promote the value of financial planning.
Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page
If your current practice environment is bringing you down, seek a new one. However daunting the change, it will be worth it, says Anon Barrister
Creating advocacy opportunities for juniors is now the expectation but not always easy to put into effect. Tom Mitcheson KC distils developing best practice from the Patents Court initiative already bearing fruit
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
The long-running fee-paid judicial pensions saga continues. The current cut-off date for giving notice of election to join FPJPS is 31 March 2024, and that date now gives rise to a serious problem, warns HH John Platt