In Conversation with…
Julian Taylor
Julian Taylor, senior partner at Simmons and Simmons, on partnership being a privilege and culture starting at the top; why he’s excited by AI but how we’d all do well to recognise some things simply can’t be replaced by tech, and the importance of both soft skills and continued learning.
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Q. I know you believe partnership is not just a title and see it firmly as a responsibility to lead, to support, and to shape the future of the firm?
Partnership is a huge privilege. It brings with it a responsibility to develop others, uphold the firm’s values and lead by example. Our approach is one of collaboration; the partnership at Simmons is heavily encouraged to work together across their specialisms, practices and countries. Having a supportive, collaborative culture is a big part of that. When making lateral hires, it’s often one of the key factors cited by new partners as to why they’re joining the firm. For this culture to persist and be present throughout the entire firm, it must start at the very top – with the partners.
Q. You’ve been at Simmons almost 27 years, the last four as senior partner. I know you’re keen to create greater parity between business services and lawyers, including routes to partnership. Can you tell us a little about how you’ve negotiated this?
I’m proud of the firm’s decision to broaden the partnership. This was part of my platform when seeking election for senior partner in 2021. I think it’s important in any large international business that all functions feel their contributions are equally valued and respected. Yes, lawyers in a law firm are crucial, but they cannot begin to operate effectively without business services who are critical to the firm’s operations and success. So why shouldn’t this route be open to these professionals? After initial discussions, in a forward-thinking firm such as Simmons, the idea quickly gained support from the leadership team.
Q. Following on from that, you’ve said, “law firms are no longer driven by lawyers” and, as part of that, you’re passionate about multi-disciplinary skills beyond the individual’s remit. I believe you recently did a coding course?
What I mean here is two things. Firstly, law firms are increasingly realising that to capitalise on technological advancements around AI, they’ll need to invest in people who bring non-traditional skills sets. For example, through our innovation function Wavelength, we employ data scientists and other experts in building sophisticated legal products and AI tools. These individuals will be increasingly important in the years ahead.
Secondly, alongside this, lawyers and business services professionals will need to upskill and develop more multi-disciplinary abilities – such as technological proficiency – alongside their traditional expertise. For lawyers, in the profession in the near future, we could see AI taking on more routine legal tasks – freeing them up to focus on complex endeavours and spending more time building relationships with clients. This dynamic applies to those working in business services too. If this is the case, soft skills – like adaptability, critical thinking and collaboration – will also be increasingly important.
I was very pleased to complete an online Harvard computer science course which involved learning some coding – a great experience. I wanted to broaden my own skill set (it’s important for everyone to keep developing, even for us who are a little older!) – and for me it was also about setting an example as senior partner. I’d encourage others to take on new skills, particularly those that will help you to grow professionally.
Q. We have an article in this issue about the solicitor apprenticeship scheme launched by Trowers & Hamlin. I know Simmons is committed to talent never being limited by background. You’ve recently set a new target where, by 2029, a minimum of 20% of employees across a range of roles from trainees to partners will come from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Well firstly, can I come in and say solicitor apprenticeships are a fantastic route into law and they can play an important part of a firms’ commitments to widening access to the profession. I’m proud of Simmons’ apprenticeship scheme – we’ve seen some incredibly talented individuals on our programme working across multiple practices in London and Bristol.
Our social mobility targets are another important tool and we must that ensure that, as a firm, we’re hiring and developing those from a range of backgrounds. Our 20% pledge is ambitious – but it’s important we set ourselves these targets and hold ourselves to account. It’s a source of frustration to me that the profession remains one of the least diverse by socio-economic background. The onus is on us to do something about that.
I’m especially proud we’ve doubled down on these social mobility commitments in a wider environment where some firms are quietly stepping back from theirs. For me, this isn’t only the right thing to do, it makes good business sense; it’s about accessing the best talent across the board – and having diversity of experiences, backgrounds and views in any large firm is essential.
“It’s a source of frustration to me our profession remains one of the least diverse. The onus is on us to do something about that. For me, this isn’t only the right thing to do, it makes good business sense; it’s about accessing the best talent across the board.”
Q. Flexible working has become a much debated [and sometimes emotive] topic. You were something of a pioneer having taken Wednesday afternoons off for the past 20 years. What does this offer you? And, on a wider point, surely good employers encourage ways of working that bring out the best in their people?
That’s kind of you to say. For these past two decades, it’s offered me a lot.
The decision was borne out of my work-life balance and, specifically, my family. I was struggling. I had just been made partner but found I wasn’t spending enough time with my kids. I didn’t want to become one of those “weekend dads” so I took the leap and formally requested I retain my current role but at 90% over the week, taking Wednesday afternoons for my family. The firm said “yes” and were incredibly supportive.
They were so ahead of the curve to do this in 2005 – and since then I haven’t looked back. It’s not only afforded me more time with my children over the years, allowing me to be more present with them but, crucially for Simmons, I feel they’ve got more out of me too as I’m able to operate at my very best with this more balanced arrangement. I completely agree. It’s the sign of a great employer, and I’m very lucky to have this support at Simmons.
Q. Can we turn to AI. You feel it’s true potential in legal work goes beyond merely saving time and reducing headcounts. How do we transform so we define our focus and unlock more time for strategic thinking, client relationships, and creativity? This must surely be where the true value lies?
Law firms make a lot about how Gen AI tools are increasing efficiency and unlocking value for clients – and this is certainly true. We’re seeing this at Simmons with our in-house tool Percy and other AI functions deployed in both our business operations and client-facing work. The productivity gains are clear and we think in many areas we’re starting to gain a competitive edge. But you’re right with what you touch upon as, for me, AI also promises to deliver so much more. These tools should also be seen as ways to liberate and grow our lawyers and business services professionals. As I mentioned, it should serve to free them from the more routine aspects of their work and give them more time to solve the biggest problems in a creative way. The possibilities are exciting.
“In this Gen AI era, there needs to be an emphasis on placing the human side of relationships right at the centre… but we’d all do well to recognise some things can’t be replaced by tech. Building deep trust with a client over time, and understanding their everyday demands and concerns can’t happen exclusively over a screen. We can’t lose sight of that – we must get that balance right.”
Q. And linked to that, what about protecting trust and truly understanding our clients who are dealing with their own perpetual winds of change and uncertainty?
In this Gen AI era, there also needs to be an emphasis on placing the human side of relationships right at the centre. I think much of this will happen naturally if, as we expect, employees are freed up from more everyday tasks by sophisticated AI tools or agents. In theory, it should afford them more time to build personal interactions with clients.
But we’d all do well to recognise the importance of in-person relationships and that some things can’t be replaced by tech. Building deep trust with a client over time and understanding their everyday demands and concerns can’t happen exclusively over a screen. We can’t lose sight of that – we must get that balance right.
Q. You’re a co-founder and trustee of The Pennies Foundation, a digital charity box that allows for micro donations. You’ve already raised almost £60 million. How did you get involved in setting this up?
A few of us had a similar idea and came together to try and make it work. It was all moving very slowly until we found our amazing CEO, Alison Hutchinson – she brought it to life. The vision is simple: wherever consumers use a card or other digital payment to pay for something, they are given the opportunity to donate a few pennies to charity. We kicked things off in 2010 and it’s fantastic to see us reaching that £60m figure recently – all through these micro donations.
Q. Finally, what keeps you interested and excited for the future of the workplace within professional services.
We’re living through a transformative moment in the world of business, and professional services is certainly not exempt. I foresee AI instigating lots more positive change in the years ahead – providing great opportunities to those professionals in the industry. I’m especially interested in how technological change can also act as an equalising force, breaking down traditional hierarchies and barriers to progression in the workplace, as well as helping to improve access to justice.
We have also seen huge progress in the profession in terms of firms supporting their employees in relation to wellbeing. This is no longer a peripheral issue and in recent years many law firms like my own have invested in strong initiatives and programmes of support. I’m very optimistic this trend towards a more supportive culture in the workplace will continue.
Getting to Know You
Best bit of advice you’ve been given?
Be yourself, not the person you think others want you to be
Best bit of advice you’d give someone at the start of their career?
It’s important to enjoy what you do – don’t make too many sacrifices for what you think will make you happy in future.
What led you to this career?
I started as a barrister, then did a secondment to Simmons in 1999 for four weeks. Was dreading it – but had such a good time. It was the people.
Best holiday destination?
I absolutely loved Nepal
Favourite pastime?
Singing in a choir!
Snap Shot
2021 – present
Senior Partner
Simmons & Simmons
1999 – 2021
Partner
Simmons & Simmons
2008 – present
Co-Founder and Trustee
The Pennies Foundation
2021 – present
Director
Brampton Manor Academy Trust