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Welcome to Episode #9, the grand finale of season two of @highperformancewithjoesprange! Today, I'm thrilled to chat with my big brother, Tom Sprange, who has been one of my heroes for as long as I can remember. To be honest, when I decided to do a podcast on high-performing people, Tom was at the top of my list for who I wanted to interview. It might seem unusual since he's my brother and we've shared countless conversations, but I knew there was still so much more to learn from his incredible journey and how inspiring it would be for others.
Tom’s journey began as a lawyer handling high-volume insurance claims in Australia. Fast forward to today, and he’s a leading advocate for complex, high-value international disputes. Tom is a King's Counsel (KC) and the managing partner of King & Spalding’s London office. He also heads their International Disputes practice while still practicing law and providing top-tier advocacy and strategic advice. King & Spalding is ranked 22nd among global law firms. One of his colleagues describes Tom as “one of the very best litigators and advocates in the world.”
Among Tom's legendary cases are Motorola v. Uzan, once the world’s largest fraud case, and the WADA v. Jack dispute, which was a groundbreaking moment for protecting the dreams of an innocent athlete and advancing legal standards to reflect scientific innovation., which he talks about in this episode.
Tom believes that high performance in the legal world involves working at an elite level consistently over time, under intense pressure, and addressing complex strategic issues. His keys to success include:
- Talent: It’s a given.
- Timing: Knowing when to push hard and when to maintain control.
- Teamwork: The ability to work well with others.
- Balance: Sustaining high intensity over the long haul.
- Curiosity: A genuine love for what you do.
- Resilience: Mental fortitude and the ability to work through tough times.
Tom also emphasises the importance of being kind to yourself to ensure long-term success and finding ways to nurture yourself outside of work.
One quote from our chat that truly resonated with me is, "I have taken much more over the years out of failures and out of big dramatic losses than from things that have gone well." I’d love to hear your favourite insights from our conversation - drop them in the comments below!
If you aspire to reach the pinnacle of the legal profession or excel in any high-performance field, this episode is an absolute must-listen.
This marks the end of our second season, stay tuned for season three, launching soon! Don’t forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode. If you know someone who would make an incredible guest, feel free to DM me. Next season, we’re diving into the world of high-performing athletes. As you know, I thrive on conversations with extraordinary individuals so I can’t wait for this season we’ve got some excellent guests lined up.
As Tom would say, “Be kind to yourself” and I’ll see you soon,
kslaw.com/people/thomas-sprange
linkedin.com/in/tom-sprange-qc-9b2b873/
