A Different Perspective - Grocer to Global Law Firm: Sir Nigel Knowles on Building DLA Piper

About this episode

Nick interviews Sir Nigel Knowles about his journey from a working-class background to leading DLA Piper as a global law firm.

This week Nick talks to Sir Nigel Knowles Sir Nigel has been Chairman of Zeus Capital since 2014. As Managing Partner of DLA Piper from 1996 to 2016, he oversaw the firm's expansion from a UK regional practice into the world's largest global business law firm. He is currently CEO of DWF, the publicly listed international law firm. Sir Nigel has also served as High Sheriff of Greater London, chairs the Sheffield City Region LEP, and is a Council Member of The Prince's Trust. Nick and Nigel discuss Sir Nigel's path from a working-class upbringing in Stocksbridge, Sheffield, to building DLA Piper into the world's largest law firm. Sir Nigel reflects on the formative influence of working in his father and uncle's grocery shops, which instilled in him a practical understanding of profit and commerce, and credits an inspirational law lecturer, Arthur Goodwin, with steering him towards a legal career. From there, he traces his progression from article clerk at Broom Heads and Neals in 1978 through a series of mergers and expansions that eventually gave rise to DLA Piper as one of the largest law firms in the world. Sir Nigel's book choices where: Anything by John Kotter John le Carré…

People in this episode

Host: Nick

Guest: Sir Nigel Knowles

Topics covered

• law
• business expansion
• career progression
• legal profession
• inspiration

Keywords

• DLA Piper
• Sir Nigel Knowles
• law firm
• business law
• career path

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: DLA Piper, Zeus Capital, DWF

Books & works: Les Misérables, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Lincoln Lawyer

Places: Stocksbridge, Sheffield, Greater London

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