Faisal Baig

Our NewLaw division, Ashurst Advance, celebrates a decade of pioneering innovation in 2024. Meet Faisal Baig, who joined the Ashurst Advance Legal Analyst team in Glasgow in July 2014. 

Today, he thrives as Legal Counsel at the UK's largest mutual insurer, Royal London Group. Here, we delve into his remarkable career trajectory and find out what he has learned along the way.

Faisal, please tell us about your career since leaving Ashurst.

After a rewarding stint as a Legal Analyst in the Ashurst Glasgow office from June 2014 to September 2015, I joined RBS Group (now NatWest) as a trainee. The in-house training contract was a real eye-opener – working across retail banking, an external litigation secondment (at Pinsent's, Glasgow), M&A/Corporate and a unique seat in Jersey with RBS International covering commercial and institutional banking. I was offered a role at RBS Legal, but decided the best thing for me at that point in my career was to go into private practice. So I joined Addleshaw Goddard, Edinburgh, as a Banking & Finance Associate. Looking back, it was a steep learning curve, but despite the highs and lows, I feel I was able to grow and build solid foundations during my time in private practice. I'd make the same decision again.

After 18 months, I knew my skillset and interests were better suited to an in-house environment, so I joined soft drinks FTSE 250 business A.G. Barr plc (think Irn-Bru and Rubicon!) as a company solicitor based in Glasgow – covering anything and everything in a tiny team of two lawyers and an administrative assistant. It was a rollercoaster 2.5 years full of exciting but challenging work and experiences – and yes, we were regularly given trunks full of free soft drinks to take home! Working with senior C-suite stakeholders on a daily basis and advising on innovative marketing campaigns was a real highlight for me at AG Barr, early in my career.

Currently, I’m Legal Counsel at pensions, life and asset management mutual, Royal London. I’m a generalist really, with a focus on commercial contracts, IP, and brand and marketing.

What challenges have you faced?

Being a generalist – Establishing a career as a generalist lawyer and business adviser is challenging. From the outset, I focused on organic personal development, acquiring a broad skillset and getting involved in lots of interesting and challenging work. My skills are highly transferable, as you can see from my career. Some of my friends and peers found their specialisms relatively early – whether in-house or in private practice – and by all accounts they enjoy what they do. So, really, there’s no right answer. As a generalist, it can be harder to ‘find your fit’ or really pin down what it is that makes you tick – and where you want your career to go in the future. I value all the in-house experiences I've had and I think I’m a more rounded individual because of them. On the other hand, while it can be tempting to move around and change jobs every few years to find your precise fit, it's sometimes worth sticking around to seize an opportunity that might be just over the horizon.

Understanding business strategy – When working in-house, it’s really important to understand your business’s strategy and objectives early on – and you need to keep up with how they evolve. What are the business’s aims and objectives? What are the commercial drivers? Which markets is it targeting / active in? Who are its customers and competitors? This knowledge informs everything you do as a legal adviser; it's integral to your adding value as a business adviser. Often, you'll need to learn the language of the wider business environment you operate in. That can take time. Be proactive: speak to the right people in the organisation who can explain those aspects and also do your own research.

Being confident in your seat at the table – Most of us have heard of, or experienced, ‘imposter syndrome’. It took me a while to really build confidence in my role as an in-house adviser. Moving around every few years probably didn’t help, because you can feel like you’re starting from scratch with each new role. Working with senior stakeholders and feeling as though you don’t always have the answer can make you question your ability and your place at the table. Ultimately, what helps is developing your skillset, your networks and relationships, and building on your experience over time. It probably took 4-5 years' PQE before I felt comfortable in my role. Remember you’re there for a reason – because your colleagues trust you and you can more often than not add value by asking the ‘daft questions’ in business meetings. You also bring your subject matter expertise to the table. As an in-house legal adviser, things often cross your desk that others in the business haven’t seen before – and that may include commercially sensitive work. This gives you a more rounded view of the business – and you can join the dots and spot the risks that others can’t see. Know your worth!

Dealing with the unexpected – Of course, this happens in private practice too, but is perhaps more keenly felt in-house where you tend to operate with leaner resources. It can be difficult dealing with the unexpected – how you respond to the experience and build your resilience is crucial. You can’t do it all and at times sacrifices have to be made, but people usually want you to succeed and will understand when you sometimes have to say no.

Building trust in your peers and colleagues is important. I remember when I worked at AG Barr, my colleague was unexpectedly off sick, which left me as sole legal adviser to the business for five months! Looking back, it was a period of growth for me, personally and professionally – but it was incredibly stressful and I’m surprised I managed to avoid breaking point if I’m honest. That said, my business colleagues were very supportive. Sometimes you need to step back and realise there are limits to what you can do in a crisis situation – and you need to remember to protect yourself too.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

I’m fortunate to have met lots of talented people while doing interesting work throughout my career. Recently, I helped negotiate Royal London's new innovative sponsorship of the British & Irish Lions Women’s team. Royal London is the founding partner of the Lions Women's team, whose first-ever tour will take place in New Zealand in 2027. It speaks to Royal London’s purpose and strategy, and the company is investing significant sums in grassroots women’s and girls' rugby in the run-up to the tour to try and level the playing field with the men’s game. It has been a real labour of love working on this contract and seeing it come to life.

I’ve also participated in various external panels/forums, discussing my in-house role and sharing my experience of working for an organisation that is using artificial intelligence within the business.

Finally, the thing I’d say I’m most proud of is my role as an occasional mentor on the Social Mobility Foundation’s Aspiring Professionals Programme. Every other year, I mentor a school student who is applying to university with an interest in law. I first did this as a Legal Analyst at Ashurst all those years ago and I'm happy to say I’m still involved!

What advice would you give fellow alumni looking for an in-house legal role?

• Develop your general skillset, but don’t be afraid to pursue a specialism or other interest (think about how you could apply it within your chosen sector).
• Develop your soft skills. Presentation and communication skills (including pitching things at the right level), prioritisation skills and stakeholder management are all really useful in an in-house role.
• Be open-minded when people present you with development opportunities – don’t be too quick to dismiss them. Consider ‘me’ (how will this work for me and my interests?) and ‘us’ (is this consistent with my role in the wider team / our business objectives?)
• Keep learning and seize any opportunity to share what you’ve learned with stakeholders, eg emerging tech tips or risks.
• Take time to get to know people and understand their perspectives and priorities. Ask what’s on their agenda.
• Build your internal and external networks (don't neglect the latter). When you speak to others, eg other in-house legal teams or people you know in private practice, it’s amazing how quickly you realise that they often face the same challenges as you and you’re not alone.
• Secondments to in-house legal teams are a foot in the door and a great way to grow your network and see whether you enjoy working in-house. At Ashurst, my secondment to RBS in London got me noticed and people kept in touch.
• Curious about what it’s like and want to find out more? Why not reach out to someone who works in-house – perhaps drop them a message on LinkedIn and invite them for coffee. You’ll find that people are often generous with their time, happy to help and keen to build their own network!
• Recognise the power of mentoring. Find someone in your organisation who can guide you, whether that means benefiting from their technical expertise or simply developing a broader skillset. Some organisations have formal mentoring arrangements in place. Mentoring should be a mutually rewarding experience.

What was most memorable about your time at Ashurst Advance?

I have fond memories of my time at Ashurst Glasgow. The office developed a really special culture in a remarkably short time. It was a very sociable office where people had the time and space to develop relationships and get to know each other – something I haven’t experienced anywhere else. I think I became a more rounded individual during those formative years. I also enjoyed some of the extracurricular activities provided by various committees, such as learning French at lunchtime.

Again, my secondment to RBS in London was a highlight and a springboard to other things. I also particularly enjoyed the international aspects of the work, both the work itself and liaising with colleagues in other Ashurst offices, such as Hong Kong and Australia. You really see the value you're adding when you pick up the baton in UK time while your colleagues are sound asleep!

I'm still in touch with friends from my time at Ashurst, which is great.

Connect with Faisal on LinkedIn