Interview with Oliver Jackson, Director at Roberts Jackson Solicitors

I don't Tweet, but if I did, my Twitter profile would read? I'm very happy at the  moment. I have two fantastic children (Jake and Georgia), a great wife (Karen), a very large and close extended family, a rewarding job that allows me to spend all day with my wife (co-Director) and I deal with all the exciting and challenging issues that are currently presenting themselves in the legal sector. I am healthy (touch wood!) and still find time for football and tennis. I'll enjoy it while I can; nothing lasts forever!

Why law and why your particular area of expertise? I chose to be a Corporate Solicitor as I enjoyed the commercial side of law. Working in house has given me great commercial exposure. All this has helped me to make commercial decisions to improve and expand our law firm.

Describe your firm in three words. Modern, passionate and experts.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Observing my wife train and develop the Fee Earners we have. She is so committed to helping them do well. It's inspiring.

In these tough economic times; what is the most challenging element of your job? With every expansion, with every recruit, there is always the question of are we doing the right thing?

Tell us about your 'landmark' case; the one that really stands out for you in your career - why was it so significant? My stand out deal was a $600 million hostile reverse take-over of one of our US competitors when I was working in-house in London. It was very clever because we took their best Account Executive, they sued us for $1 billion but in the meantime their share price suffered so badly due to the loss of this 'mega star' Executive that we were able to buy them and then of course the litigation went away when the deal completed!

In your view; what does the future hold for the legal profession, what will be the 'next big thing' in the legal industry? ABS's will dramatically change the legal profession; from the good old high street firm with experienced senior Partners who you could call upon for immediate, succinct advice to corporate monsters with call centres in India and telephone systems which means it takes 20 minutes just to get through to a teenager who has never seen a law book in their life!

Who's been the biggest, single influence or inspiration in your career and why? My wife; she is quite awesome at what she does. She works 70 hours a week, comes home and is a great laugh (most of the time!) and a brilliant mother (all of the time!).

What advice would you give to an ambitious Solicitor at the start of their career? Join Roberts Jackson! Speak to other professionals or recruitment consultants about the firm you intend to go to. There are some terrible firms out there but you only find that out when it's too late.

What has been your greatest achievement so far in life? My two kids. Creations rather than achievements but all the same, they are two amazing little people.

Please tell us a little bit about you. I was not a good student; I preferred to play sport and went on a tennis scholarship to the USA! I then did the conversion course and I must say, my journey through the law has been fascinating. Going to London was special as it is the place to be both for business and pleasure; things were never dull!