Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Susanna McGibbon

Susanna McGibbon is His Majesty’s Procurator General, the Treasury Solicitor and the Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department, or GLD.  She is the most senior civil servant who gives legal advice to the government of the day. 

Susanna and Sally discuss the important distinction that whilst she and the GLD act in their client’s best interests, they are politically impartial.  

They reflect on Susanna’s passion for ensuring that the Government of the day is advised by people who live and work all over the country.  It’s vitally important to Susanna that the Government is advised by people who reflect the society that they serve.  

Susanna also shares with Sally why her most significant case was actually a defeat, when the High Court ruled that MPs must be given a vote on whether to trigger Article 50.
 
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 Michael Mansfield KC

Michael was called to the Bar in 1967. In 1984, he established Tooks Chambers and became Queen's Counsel in 1989. He has represented defendants in criminal trials, appeals and inquiries in some of the most controversial legal cases the country has seen, particularly where issues of Civil Liberty have arisen.

Sally and Michael discuss some of the high-profile cases Michael has worked on, including Stephen Lawrence and the Grenfell Inquiry. 

He also shares his experience of chairing inquiries for mistreated groups and providing equal opportunities for black practitioners. 

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 Nicola Williams. 

Nicola is the author of the hit novels Without Prejudice and Until Proven Innocent. She’s also a part-time Crown Court Judge and one of the 100 most influential black people in the UK.

Nicola shares with Sally her journey to the bar, and how the skills she learnt there took her to the Cayman Islands.

Nicola shares her insights into the life of a legal professional, as she tried to balance her career as a part-time Crown Court Judge and as an author. 

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 Nik White.

Nik has been the Managing Partner of Brabners since 2018. With a background in commercial law, he has devoted his working career to the firm, having joined as a trainee solicitor in 1995. 

Brabners is a leading independent law firm which helps private, public and third-sector organisations, as well as private individuals.  They recently worked on the now infamous “Wagatha Christie” case for their client Colleen Rooney.   Sally discovers what it was like to work on such a high profile case, with so much media attention. 

Brabners have a focus on sustainability, not just in the environment but in the workplace too. Sally hears about their work to encourage employees back to the office post-pandemic and also about the “Brabners Bog”, a peat bog they’ve invested in to help tackle carbon emissions. 

Nik describes himself as an “accidental lawyer”. He and Sally discuss his journey to become Managing Partner; the skills and values he has carried with him and why he’s never moved on to another firm. 

This episode is supported by Brabners. 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 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