For the latest litigation edition of Realm Talks To… Associate Consultant Rebecca Blundell spoke to Jeff Lewis, Partner and Head of Litigation at Brabners. During their conversation, Jeff shared Brabners’ exciting growth plans, his Supreme Court ambitions and his go-to karaoke song.
If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what would have been your plan B?
I don’t think I had a Plan B. I was one of these boring types who always knew what they wanted to do – unless of course Radio 1 begged me to become one of their DJs!
What do the next 12 months look like for you and your team?
It looks like being another really busy year. We have some great cases on the go at the moment, we have plenty of work in the pipeline, and plenty of plans for growth. And we‘re looking forward to our upcoming move to new, state-of-the-art offices.
When it comes to recruiting, what do you look for in a lawyer?
Obviously, I look for legal skills, but more than that I look for the right personality fit. It’s a cliché, but you spend most of your waking life at work (even if less of it is in the office these days), so it’s important that we get on with the people we work with. Difficult personalities, people with sharp elbows, untrustworthy types…we have no room for them in our team.
Is there anything career-wise you’d still like to achieve?
I have never yet taken a case to the Supreme Court (or its predecessor, the House of Lords). It would be nice to go there just to ‘tick the box’.
Which TV show are you currently bingeing?
I hardly ever binge-watch TV, but actually, right now I am bingeing on repeats of ‘This Life’ on iPlayer; for those who aren’t old enough to remember it, it’s a series from the 1990s about a group of young lawyers sharing a house and living lives that were filled with sex, drink, drugs and scandal. My own life as a young lawyer was considerably more dull!
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘I’m Still Standing’ – Elton John
About Jeff Lewis
Jeff is a Partner and the head of the Litigation team at Brabners in Manchester.
A highly experienced commercial litigation solicitor, Jeff also specialises in property litigation and sport-related disputes. He also runs a specialist partnership dispute website. He is an accredited mediator and is listed on various mediation panels such as Sports Resolution and North West Mediation Solutions.
Jeff is a former President of the Manchester Law Society and is the Council member of the Law Society for Manchester. He also sits as a Deputy District Judge and holds Higher Rights of Audience in civil cases. He also sits on the Football Association’s Judicial Panel.
Jeff has been recognised by both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a Leading Individual for many years.
He is also a member of Brabners’ Management Board.
