Talking Law with Dr Sally Penni MBE

Content warning: references to suicide, depression In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here . Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Merry Varney. Merry is a Partner & Solicitor in the Human Rights Depar...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Mark Emerton. Mark is a Governor at the University of Lincoln, and a now retired employment judge. In this episode, you’ll hear how Mark’s route to the Bar started in the Royal Navy, where amongst his other responsibilities, he sat as a judge in court-marshalls.  Sally and Mark discuss his appointment by the Prime Minister as the Judicial Member of the Senior Sa...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with John Bowers KC. John is the Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford and he sits out of term as a Deputy High Court Judge. John has been described as "an employment law rock star”.  John discusses with Sally some of his landmark employment law cases, including overturning the ban on gay servicemen. You’ll hear how John handles the different responsibilities o...

Dr Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Professor Duncan French Professor Duncan French is Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Health & Science at the University of Lincoln. Duncan shares with Sally his passion for international environmental law and the legal implications of climate change Duncan and Sally discuss how his life has changed since his career move to the University of Linco...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Emma Riach Emma is an experienced Attorney at Stanbrook Prudhoe, specialising in complex and cross-border cases. Emma discusses with Sally how her work has spanned England, France, and now the Turks and Caicos Islands. You’ll hear how Emma got her start working in French tax law, and some of the challenges that came along with it. Plus, Emma shares highlights fr...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Sam Townend KC Sam is the chairman of the Bar Council and he tells Sally about the diverse roles and responsibilities of the Bar Council, the challenges of his chair year and his journey to becoming a barrister. You’ll also hear Sam talk about the importance of advocacy experience, and the significance of addressing diversity, equality and inclusion within the l...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Nadia Chiesa. Nadia is a litigator at Stanbrook Prudhoe where she specialises in complex commercial litigation and multi-jurisdictional disputes. In this interview, Sally and Nadia discuss her journey from studying journalism in Canada to practising law in the Caribbean. Nadia details her involvement in impactful LGBTQ+ constitutional challenges across the Easte...

Sally Penni MBE is talking law with Sam Cottman. Sam is a Partner and Head of Pro Bono at Travers Smith. He’s also the founder of the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA) and the Cottman Foundation.  Sam shares his unconventional path into law, transitioning from studying languages to pursuing a legal career. He discusses his extensive pro bono work, particularly with survivors of domestic abus...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Figen Murray OBE Figen shares her journey following the tragic loss of her son, Martyn Hett, in the Manchester Arena attack on May 22, 2017. Figen and Sally discuss her relentless campaign for 'Martyn's Law,' which mandates that venues implement security measures to protect against terrorism. Figen discusses the challenges she faced in lobbying fo...

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 cou...

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...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Joanna Hughes. Joanna is the creator of Joanna Hughes Solicitor Apprenticeships and Advisor to the City Century career creating collaboration of 50+ City of London law firms which identifies, attracts, recruits, onboards, educates, networks, develops and qualifies significant numbers of talented and committed solicitor apprentices. Joanna and Sally discuss why S...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with The Rt Hon Victoria Prentis.   Victoria has served as Attorney General for England and Wales since 2022.  She is also a Government Minister, and the MP for Banbury.   Sally and Victoria discuss the day to day role of Attorney General and what that entails.   Victoria also shares insights into how the crossover between law and politics in her career came about. ...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Lisa Abrahams & Emma Wilson.  Lisa and Emma both work in insurance at ARAG, which provides legal insurance products on a global scale.  Lisa and Emma both discuss how they came to their careers via alternative routes, and stress that it’s never too late to start. They also discuss the improvements they’ve seen in diversity in their roles.  Emma shares the ro...

Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Sarah Foster.  Sarah is a Partner in Restructuring at Addleshaw Goddard, where she provides advice on all aspects of restructuring; including business support, turnaround and insolvency.  Sarah shares her journey from studying history and history of art at university, through to taking a conversion course and training in the firm. They also discuss Addleshaw God...

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...

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 so...

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...

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...

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 2...

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 reg...

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. S...

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,...

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 th...

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 gove...