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 Lincoln, and his advice for students who are considering law. You’ll hear key areas of interest for Dunca...
May 20, 2025•30 min
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 from her career advising on contentious matters for Fortune 500 companies. This episode is supported b...
May 13, 2025•45 min
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 legal profession. Plus, Sam offers his advice on succeeding in the profession for new and progressing...
Dec 13, 2024•57 min
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 Eastern Caribbean and offers advice for aspiring lawyers. You’ll also hear why Nadia emphasises the impor...
Nov 15, 2024•48 min
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 abuse and human trafficking, and his role in establishing the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA). Th...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 15 min
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 for legislation and her personal struggles along the way. This episode is sponsored by the University of Salford’s Bu...
Nov 05, 2024•33 min
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 ...
Oct 25, 2024•47 min
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 in...
Mar 22, 2024•54 min
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 Solicitor Apprenticeships are an attractive route into the law for employees and employers alike, and...
Feb 23, 2024•52 min
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. They discuss the importance of increasing diversity when it comes to government legal careers; what’s been a...
Dec 12, 2023•27 min
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 role that ARAG has played in some high-profile medical negligence cases in the UK. This episode is suppor...
Nov 08, 2023•35 min
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 Goddard’s approach to encouraging diversity in their law careers, including their apprenticeships; the Fl...
Nov 01, 2023•32 min
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 Go...
Jul 06, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 5
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. ...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 36 min
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 a...
May 13, 2023•55 min
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...
May 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min
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 pan...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 23 min
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 miles...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Season 2Ep. 13
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...
Jan 18, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 12
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 cas...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 11
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 c...
Oct 06, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 10
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 u...
Sep 29, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 9
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 – somethin...
Sep 22, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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 k...
Sep 08, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Jo Sidhu , a criminal barrister who is widely regarded as one of the leading criminal trial lawyers in the UK and has appeared in some of England’s most serious prosecutions. Jo served as the Chair of the Criminal Bar Association in 2021-22. Jo explains what motivated him to become a criminal barrister, and tries to explain why many in the profession are protesting; a response to what he describes as a ‘process of attrition and by neglect from succes...
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Ayo Onatade who is a personal assistant to judges based at the Supreme Court. Ayo describes her many roles and responsibilities, and details what it’s like to work at the highest court in the United Kingdom. Ayo is also a freelance commentator on crime fiction, writing articles and featuring on panels about the genre. Ayo explains how she found her love of crime fiction, and shares some of her favourite novels. Ayo also reflects on what it was like t...
Sep 01, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Iain Simkin . Iain Simkin is renowned for his expertise across the range of regulatory cases and he also specialises in serious crime. Iain recalls the extreme determination it took to begin his career and reflects on some of the most memorable cases of his career, including his work as prosecuting counsel in the case of Reynhard Sinaga, and the difficulties he faced in presenting evidence in that case. Iain also shares his experiences of being a tra...
Jul 22, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 4
This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Dinah Rose KC, who is a barrister and member of Blackstone Chambers. Dinah was also appointed President of Magdalen College, Oxford in September 2020. She is the 43rd President of the College since its foundation in 1458, and the first woman to hold the post. Dinah describes how she juggled her career at the bar around raising two children. She also recalls one of her most memorable cases; an employment tribunal on behalf of Jane Couch also known as ...
Jul 15, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Margaret Casely-Hayford . Margaret was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Honours list in 2018, for services to charity and for promoting diversity upon ending her term as trustee and Chair of international development Charity ActionAid UK. She was Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary for the John Lewis Partnership for nine years. Before that she worked for twenty years with City law firm Dentons where she had been a partner and jointly led an ...
Jul 08, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Welcome to a brand new season of Talking Law with Sally Penni MBE! This week Sally Penni MBE is Talking Law with Banke A. Odunaike , Head of Legal in EMEA at CBRE . CBRE is a real estate firm that offers a range of services to help companies with all their property needs. With over 100k employees across 100 different countries, they are the largest company of their kind in the world. Banke shares how her love of the judiciary began at an early age, earning her the nickname ‘The Shortest Judge’ o...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 1
