He joined Clifford Turner in 1981 at a time when it was possible to know the names of all the partners - but many probably never quite learned the name of that fresh-faced articled clerk (as they were then called) with the early 1980’s moustache.
A year following the merger with Coward Chance, he became a partner in Clifford Chance and under the stewardship of one of the finest gentlemen corporate lawyers in the old City, he took control of the firm’s energy and natural resources group. The early 1990s, with the privatisation work and liberalisation of the energy market, was an exciting time for a young partner and Alan travelled extensively in an ever global market place.
Leaving Clifford Chance in 1995, he joined the New York firm of LeBoeuf Lamb, Greene & MacRae as it then set up its London office virtually from a standing start. There his wide corporate, commercial and project background enabled him to work on a range of matters as well as continuing with certain key clients. Never one for the discipline and politics of the large City firms, he was naturally offered a management role in the London office which he undertook with great enjoyment for a couple of years. This experience however prompted not only the major decision to shave off his moustache but more fundamentally to search for a new identity.
This he found in LXL. Joined by his former colleagues, Giovannella D’Andrea, Donna White and Ayad Ridha (and equally importantly his secretary and personal assistant, Teresa Goddard), Alan settled into the challenge of building the necessary infrastructure and relationships to anchor a new law firm seeking to continue with quality business and corporate law work. Some say that fortune smiles on the free spirit and within three weeks Alan had been engaged to act on one of the largest projects he had worked on in his career for an old and highly respected client. The project lasted several months and was a blessing as well as something of a distraction – he realised well into the summer of 2003 that he had not even informed many old friends, colleagues and clients of his new venture (please accept this as an open apology).
With the spring Giovannella announced her forthcoming pregnancy and happily in August 2003, gave birth to a son. She now has her hands full, both at work and at home and continues her active legal career, travelling between Rome, Brussels and London.
Organising the firm’s first Christmas party has been exciting – having a staff party makes one feel that one “really has arrived” and working out where best to meet, exercises one’s geographical skills – a day out in Lille is the chosen venue for our first anniversary party.
It is too soon, of course, to be reminiscing about LXL and too early to be sure that the incredible start we have had to our practice will continue at the same pace but a few comments can be made with some conviction based on our experience so far.
Most things are possible if one’s mind is put to the task of achieving with a positive and balanced attitude; anything is possible with good fortune and the ability to appreciate it when it comes; and nothing should be taken for granted or could be achieved without the support and loyalty of clients, friends and family.
Thank you for visiting our website, thank you for reading this far and for all of you who know us, work with us or would like to know us, we thank you for your support and wish you all good wishes in the year ahead.
Richmond, November 19, 2003