Lucy Pert featured as the “Monthly Monday Member” by the Female Fraud Forum

Hausfeld's Co-Head of Commercial Disputes and Partner, Lucy Pert, was featured as the 'Monthly Monday Member' in the latest edition of the Female Fraud Forum newsletter. In the spotlight, Lucy shared some of her career highlights including securing asylum in the USA for the survivor of sexual assault in West Africa and protecting the Telegraph from Conrad Black. She also offered valuable advice to her younger self, stating, ‘if you are not having fun practicing the law, you are not doing it right’.

Why the FFF?

The fabulous Pheobe Waters, with whom I launched the Female City Supper Club, introduced me to the FFF. Female-led spaces are so important so we can share ideas, support each other professionally and personally, and work together to break the glass ceiling and provide a healthy counter-balance to the male led business development that is pervasive in our industry.

Favourite memory of her career?

So many to choose from: securing asylum in the USA for the survivor of sexual assault in West Africa to protecting the Telegraph from Conrad Black; a trip to the cinema with the Enron team to watch “The Smartest Guys in the Room”; my secondment to GE Capital; Hausfeld Karaoke nights; conducting an arbitration from an Austrian spa hotel and any time I helped to secure a good outcome for a client - whether through a settlement or a win in Court. When I think of my favourite memories it is the people with whom I have worked who come most to mind - the mentors and colleagues that make practicing law fun!

What career advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be afraid to be yourself. This one took some time to realise, but the more you are able to be yourself in your work, the happier you will be. Women often feel the need to fit into a legal culture that was not necessarily designed with them in mind. While it is important to remain professional, there should be more space to bring your personality to work.
Learn from mentors and sponsors. It is tricky to do all this on your own. Try to find people who can help you early on in your career and work with them. As you become more senior, look out for those that you can mentor and sponsor yourself, to help others up the ladder you just climbed.

Build a network from the outset of your career. I did not think about business development at the start of my career. Now that I have to rely on myself to find all my work, I wish that I had started to build this network a little sooner! You are off to a good start with the FFF.
Don’t be afraid to take risks. You can experiment, move firms, move jurisdictions, go in-house, take those extra weeks of maternity leave. Your career is long, so don’t feel that you need to reach a destination and enjoy the journey!

If you are not having fun practicing the law, you are not doing it right. This was the moto of Paul, Weiss when I joined. It is not realistic to think that you can have fun all the time - there are bound to be difficult moments. But we need to find the fun when we can – life is too short.