“I’m not taking the firm in a different direction to Tom [Poulton]. My strategy is not a different strategy to Tom’s. The real difference between Tom and I, I think, is that we are different people, different personalities and we seek to emphasise different things.”

Something that perhaps you wouldn’t have heard Poulton mention is a desire to see his staff have “fun”. He said he doesn’t mean lawyers should be “mucking around” all the time. “I mean they have to enjoy what they do. They have to find it challenging, they have to find it rewarding.”

For example, it’s the fourth reason Rose lists for making Asia a priority for his firm.

“It’s actually really enjoyable to find yourself in a foreign jurisdiction … running a case in China or concluding a transaction in Cambodia, working in a genuine international environment … it’s challenging and it’s fun,” he said.

See ‘The Whole Truth’ this issue