President of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) and civil litigation partner in an international law firm, Pete Allchorne still says his biggest professional challenge came on the first day of his first ever legal job
What was your route into the profession?
As a teenager, deciding what I wanted to do in life, the words ‘law’ and ‘insurance’ most definitely didn’t feature. In fact, if you had told my former self that I would go on to be a partner in an international law firm practicing in insurance, I would have laughed out loud!
Mine was a somewhat unorthodox route into the profession. While studying for an undergraduate degree in politics, I stumbled across a criminal justice unit in my final year of study. This piqued my interest and, to cut a long story short, I ended up enrolling on an intensive one-year post graduate course to convert my politics degree to the equivalent of a law degree (otherwise known as the Common Professional Examination (CPE)).
Having been in full-time education since the tender age of five, by the time I completed my CPE, I was desperate to get out of education and experience the real world. So I took a job as a paralegal, working in claimant personal injury, and was instantly smitten. I soon switched to defendant work, but remained practicing personal injury. There I learnt my trade before subsequently qualifying by undertaking a combination of CILEX exams and the Legal Practice and Professional Skills courses as a part-time student, alongside my case load. I’m delighted to see so many more routes into the law today, but back in the early noughties, I was very much the exception rather than the rule.
What has been your biggest career challenge so far?
Believe it or not, my most fearful moment in my career to date was my very first day working as a paralegal in the late 1990s. I can still recall the telephone on my desk ringing and thinking to myself: ‘I am going to have to pick that up and answer it!’ To this day, nothing in my professional life has challenged me more. Of course, like all things in life, the anticipation is far worse than the reality and from that moment on I never looked back.
Which person within the legal profession inspires you most?
Within my own firm, my role involves looking ahead—both from a technical perspective, in respect of upcoming reforms and changes in the civil justice system, and also in respect of changes to the operating environment of private practice law firms with advancements in technology, digitisation, automation and the advent of (generative) AI.
I am also passionate about embracing talent and new routes into the profession, which is why Christina Blacklaws is a lawyer that I find particularly inspiring. Christina is currently the chair of the Judicial Pension Board and has a wealth of previous experience as an entrepreneurial solicitor. She established a virtual law firm and the first UK ABS [alternative business structure], and advises on transformational change, innovation, and diversity and inclusion, as well as chairing the MoJ’s Lawtech UK panel.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you choose as an alternative career?
If I weren’t a lawyer, I would have been a journalist, or rather a broadcast journalist to be precise. I have a lifelong interest in current affairs (which stems back to my days as a politics student) and, unlike most, I enjoy public speaking and being on stage or in front of a camera. It’s horses for courses, I suppose!
Who is your favourite fictional lawyer?
I remember reading the Harper Lee classic To Kill a Mockingbird when I was at school and have admired the character of Atticus Finch ever since. Atticus is the lawyer who defends someone he believes to be innocent, and his character portrays all the essential traits of a good lawyer, championing equality and justice, and displaying a huge degree of empathy in the execution of his work.
What change would you make to the profession?
The role of a lawyer is to champion the rule of law. That requires an operating environment that promotes a level playing field and diversity of thought. I have been delighted to see so much good work within the profession to promote equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, socio-economic background, ethnicity or sexual orientation. I look forward to seeing the continuation of this good work in the months and years to come, which will only make for a richer, more effective workforce.
How do you relax?
I have always found cooking therapeutic, and a good way to unwind after a long day at the office. But they say that to relax properly, you have to release the endorphins, and I recently discovered a workout regime at a local gym that involves boxing gloves and a punchbag. The ultimate stress reliever!
As a long-suffering supporter and season ticket holder at Bristol City Football Club, I also enjoy regular trips to Ashton Gate with my children, though I’m not sure I’d ever describe supporting the Robins as a relaxing experience!
Pete Allchorne is a Bristol-based civil litigation partner, specialising in complex motor injury claims, at DAC Beachcroft. In November 2023, he was elected president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).
