Talking Law with Dr Sally Penni MBE – Details, episodes & analysis

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Natasha Chahal

Natasha is an associate in Addleshaw Goddard's London office. She advises on a range of complex commercial disputes including claims for breach of contract, competition claims and business protection proceedings.

Sally and Natasha discuss the different routes that can be taken into law, including Natasha’s experience with a law conversion course. 

Natasha tells Sally about creating the Ethnic Business Growth Programme at Addleshaw Goddard, which supports businesses that have ethnically diverse owners to receive legal services. 

This episode is supported by Addleshaw Goddard. Find out more about their work here.

You can support Talking Law by making a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Click here to find out more.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Ann Francke OBE

Ann Francke is the CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, the UK's leading professional body for management and leadership.

In this interview, Ann talks about equality in the workplace and how all organisations, including law firms, can do more to promote women to leadership positions. 

Plus, Ann and Sally discuss why a good relationship with your line manager is one of the most important things at work.

You’ll hear some of the well being initiatives that have been implemented at CMI and why they’re crucial for all organisations to foster a healthy working environment.

You can now support Talking Law on Patreon

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on X @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Lord Jonathan Sumption

Lord Sumption is a former senior judge who sat on the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

Sally and Lord Sumption reflect on his career, the cases he enacted on as a barrister, including the Abramovich case, and why Lord Sumption once said it will take 50 years to achieve true equality at the bar. Sally and Lord Sumption also discuss the 2019 prorogation case, although he did not act on this case he shares his perspective.

During the pandemic Lord Sumption spoke out against the lockdowns when asked to comment by the BBC programme “The World at One”. He explains to Sally the reasoning behind his views and where he believes the government went wrong.

A former academic, Lord Sumption has authored several books and specialises in history. Sally speaks to him about his life outside of his work and his passion for the arts.
 

This episode is supported by Salford Business School. Find out more about their work here.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Dr Shaun Wallace and Tom Lyas

Dr Shaun Wallace is a Barrister at Great James Street Chambers and is also well known to the public as a celebrity quizzer. He was the first black man to win Mastermind and is now a permanent staple on ITV’s The Chase.

Dr Wallace tells Sally about how he’s been driven to be a lawyer since the age of 11, but he hasn’t always been regarded as intelligent. Dr Wallace shares how you should never rest on your laurels, as each new milestone is “the starting line to a new challenge.”

Tom Lyas is the Head of Resourcing at Browne Jacobson. He passionately believes that diverse hiring leads to the best talent. Tom shares with Sally how the work he’s done in DEI at Browne Jacobson has taken the firm from one success to another.

Tom also gives applicants some lucrative tips when applying for positions. 

This episode is supported by Browne Jacobson. Find out more about their work here.

Talking Law is presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Chad Doellinger. Chad is the Senior Vice President; Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Operations Officer for CBRE's global legal department.

Chad balances his day job with a teaching position at Chicago Law School, alongside life with four children and four dogs. He tells Sally all about his career history and his route to becoming Deputy General Counsel.

Sally and Chad share their views on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. They come to the conclusion that it’s no good being at the table, if you don’t feel welcome there. 

Hear Chad’s top tips for those looking to make a career in the field of law, but also for those who’ve been practicing law for some time and are looking to progress or change their career. 

This episode is supported by CBRE. Find out more about their work here.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Lord David Pannick KC, a Barrister at Blackstone Chambers who specialises in public law and appellate advocacy. He is also a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford and a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords.

David talks over his 40 year career and some of his most memorable cases including the case for Gina Miller on the unlawful prorogation of Parliament in 2019, he tells Sally all about the experience of dealing on such a public and politically significant case. 

Advocacy is one of David’s many interests within the law and is known for being one of the best on the subject, and he gives a masterclass in advocacy in the episode.

Hear why Lord Pannick says he is “constantly surprised” by what is going to happen in the court, the cases that have made him nervous and his advice to barristers at the start of their career.

This episode is supported by CBRE. Find out more about their work here.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 and Instagram @sjsallypenni

This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Erin Shoesmith, partner at Addleshaw Goddard where she leads the health and safety practice. She is regularly instructed by the firm's leading corporate clients and individuals facing prosecution or investigation by the Police, HSE, Local Fire & Rescue Service. Her practice also covers inquests and public inquiries, including most recently the Grenfell Tower and Manchester Arena Inquiries.

Erin reflects on one of the most poignant cases of her career – the inquest and subsequent inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. It was a pro bono case, and Erin explains why she loves pro bono work and why she often finds it so fascinating.

Recorded ahead of the Lionesses final game in the Womens Euros 2022, Erin has a keen interest in Women’s football and considers what the Lionesses victory will mean for gender equality in sport going forward.

This episode is supported by Addleshaw Goddard & Salford Business School.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 

This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Christina Blacklaws, a former President of the Law Society of England and Wales who now runs her own consultancy business providing strategic advice particularly in the areas of transformational change, technological developments and diversity and inclusion.

Hear Christina reflect on a fascinating portfolio career with roles ranging from advising government on the use of Artificial Intelligence in the law, to helping the The Co-operative Group set up an alternative business structure.

Christina shares her advice for women, and those suffering from Imposter Syndrome; she considers the causes of imposter syndrome and how we should look to overcome it.

Christina also discusses what it was like to be awarded the International Leaders Lifetime Achievement Award at the Justicia Awards, and to have her trophy personally hand-delivered from Europe.

This episode is supported by Salford Business School.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 

This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Shelley McGivern, partner in the Corporate team at Addleshaw Goddard and co-head of the Firm's SciTech sector. Shelley has a wealth of experience advising both corporate and institutional clients across a number of sectors with a particular focus on acquisitions and disposals and joint ventures in the real estate sector.

Shelley talks about ‘flexing’ her career; progressing professionally whilst juggling a busy home life with her children – something that her firm have been particularly supportive of. She even recalls how she never worked during school holidays, and handing over of work to another team member often meant that the length of time away was largely irrelevant to the progression of the workload.

Shelley and Sally discuss the role of forums for women, such as Women in the Law, and how equality and understanding of women’s issues will only progress if men are included in the debate. Shelley also has some fantastic advice for women – to be brave and speak up for yourself, as barriers and stresses can often be self-created.

This episode is supported by Addleshaw Goddard.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 

Find us on LinkedIn
or at WomenInTheLawUK.com

This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Alice Stephenson, Founder & CEO of Stephenson Law.

Hear how Alice struggled with progression in the law whilst being a young Mum, and became so disillusioned with the profession that she even decided to quit. Inspired by her entrepreneur husband, she then started her own law firm to see if she could carve her own path within the industry.  

Alice and her firm are extremely creative in their use of social media and Alice says authenticity is the key to success. She’s also very proud of her many tattoos – something which she thinks reveals her personality in a way rarely seen in the legal profession, but that actually is something many clients warm to.

Alice also talks about juggling work and family life, and the importance of having a strong support network around you. She also tells the story of how she recently relocated along with her family and now works remotely from Amsterdam.

This episode is supported by CBRE.

Presented by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at law at Kenworthy’s Chambers Manchester and founder and chair of Women in the Law UK. Follow Sally on Twitter @SallyPenni1 

Find us on LinkedIn
or at WomenInTheLawUK.com