SLN Spotlight: Chris McDowall

The SLN Spotlight falls on Chris McDowall this week, a partner in the employment unit at Anderson Strathern. He is the partner with overall responsibility for human resources and was instrumental in the firm winning the Employment Team of the Year Award at the Scottish Legal Awards this year. He also sits on the senior management team.

What has been your best experience as a lawyer?

I had a brilliant experience in an Employment Tribunal a few years ago when I was defending an unfair dismissal claim. My client’s whole defence to the claim was predicated on the basis that the former employee was a complete maverick who would not abide by the reasonable instructions issued to him by his managers and it was reasonable for them to dismiss in those circumstances.

The employment judge, after a brief adjournment at the end of the evidence, advised that my client had successfully defended the claim. The outcome was obviously welcome, but the brilliant part was that the ET judge literally translated my submission as her oral judgement and then concluded that “she agreed with Mr McDowall that the Claimant was, indeed, a complete maverick”. I really felt like it was the closest moment that I will ever get to Tom Cruise’s character in that famous “you can’t handle the truth” scene from A Few Good Men.

What has been your worst experience as a lawyer?

It was one of my first court appearances as a second year trainee in the sheriff court. I was doing a plea in mitigation on a criminal matter and had been getting last minute instructions from the accused at lunchtime in the court holding cells. It was a busy court day and I had lost track of time. The accused’s case was now calling and the sheriff was losing patience. I was quickly directed to the court, but ended up coming up into the court via the dock with the accused. It gained a bit of a laugh at my expense from the public gallery!

Why did you choose the law?

Well it seems so long ago now but … I remember not being very sure what I wanted to do at the time I was applying to university. I certainly was not one of those kids who always dreamed of being a lawyer. I landed on law as I felt that it would create opportunities for me even if I decided not to become a lawyer. However, I very quickly decided I did want to be lawyer and am pleased to say that I have not looked back since.

Who or what has been the greatest professional influence in your life?

Well when I get to work every day with so many brilliant lawyers at Anderson Strathern it is hard to say! Genuinely I think it is getting to work with such a wide range of specialists within the firm and being part of those multi-disciplinary teams delivering exciting and leading projects for our clients.

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in the law?

I think I would be very honest about the opportunities and the challenges the profession presents. I would want to make sure they came into the profession with their eyes wide open. There is no doubt that how we deliver legal services to our clients has changed and is continuing to change. Someone entering the profession really needs to understand that and be on board.

What would you want to be if you were not a lawyer?

It’s perhaps too easy a call now given that I am employment lawyer but I think it would be a career in human resources and organisational development. I suppose I am very lucky that I get to do that as part of my partner role with the Anderson Strathern.

How do you relax after work?

I am bit of an exercise junkie really. I used to do a lot of running but have now got into obstacle course races as I find them more interesting and enjoy the team focus. So far I have done Tough Mudder, Spartan, Adrenaline Rush and Rough Runners. I also have big birthday coming up this year (!) so as part of my denial that it was happening, I got myself a personal trainer earlier this year. He really puts me through my paces each week but it’s a great way to relax from work as all you can do is concentrate on the agony that your body is experiencing!

What is your favourite holiday destination and why?

It has to be a Greek island. While I have not managed to visit every Greek island just yet, so, subject to further travels, I would go with Skiathos as my favourite holiday destination. It is a small beautiful island situated in the North Western Aegean. The breaches are stunning and there are lively bars and restaurants in Skiathos town but also a number of quieter towns/villages to visit as well. The food is tremendous and the Greek people are just so welcoming. They also have a dog sanctuary on the island which we visited the last time and it means that there are no stray dogs on the Island whatsoever despite this being a huge issue in the past. Dogs can be rehomed all over the world from there. It’s an amazing project and is how I plan to spend my retirement!