Baker McKenzie’s Tom Edwards discusses his early sports career, the ‘buzz’ of exciting deals and wellbeing in law
“Sometimes the path you start on isn’t the path you finish on,” says Tom Edwards, reflecting on his journey from aspiring professional footballer to becoming a corporate partner at Baker McKenzie.
Born and raised in a small village and attending the local school, Edwards initially set his sights on a sports career, dreaming of football stardom. “The original plan wasn’t to be a lawyer! I was going to be a footballer, which I’m sure you hear pretty regularly,” he says laughing. Playing for a Premier League Academy team when he was younger, an injury rerouted his destiny toward corporate law. “I was doing lots of sports: that was my number one focus, and then when that didn’t quite work out, I went to uni to study law,” Edwards explains. “Studying law opened up a new world of challenges and opportunities I hadn’t considered before.” After formally hanging up his football boots and graduating from law, Edwards cut his teeth at a local firm before seizing an opportunity to join the ranks of global law firm Baker McKenzie.
What drew you to corporate law? I ask Edwards. “I think I knew pretty early on, during my training contract, that I wanted to do transactional work,” he replies. “I love the buzz of the deal. I really enjoy getting to know a business, to know the personalities involved in that business, its strategy, its strengths, and its weaknesses. So, I’ve always enjoyed corporate work, and it gives great variety because no two transactions are ever the same,” Edwards explains. “And I guess the rest is history.”
After a quieter couple of years for corporate practices, following a rise in interest rates and inflation, Edwards explains how his practice has weathered the financial storm. “It’s right to say that M&A, like the wider economy, is cyclical. We’ve had a period where activity has been a bit suppressed, but the fundamentals for M&A remain strong,” he stresses. The firm has been able to capitalise on wider market movements, keeping the practice buoyant, Edwards explains. “Consumer companies are always needing to evolve their brand portfolios — clients are needing to acquire technology to adjust to the AI revolution, shifting their strategic focuses, etc.. So, the fundamental drivers as to why businesses need to do deals haven’t disappeared.”
And his outlook on the future of corporate practice remains optimistic. “We’re seeing the macro environment becoming more friendly again,” he says. “Inflation and interest rates are stabilising, so there’s lots of activity. Because market activity is cyclical, it’s a virtuous circle. We’re seeing assets that have been held back starting to come to the market which is really positive. We’re certainly pretty busy at the Bakers end!”
With Bakers advising Carlsberg on its multi-billion pound takeover of soft drinks giant Britvic, it’s clear that Bakers’ corporate practice continues to attract high-profile deals. “I think this is one of the main benefits of training at Baker McKenzie,” says Edwards — “the exposure to incredible work. We’re a leading transactional firm working on some of the most exciting deals in the City.” Edwards continues: “I think that I’m slightly biased but it’s an incredible place to work and build a career. We strive to create an environment where, yes, you work hard, but you also do great work and enjoy collaborating with your team.”
Having a huge global footprint, with offices spread across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and the Americas, Baker McKenzie was the obvious choice for Edwards. “I think it’s really important, especially early in your career, to trust your instincts. Personally, I’ve always appreciated how global Baker McKenzie is. On any given day, I might be working with colleagues or clients in the UK, Europe, the East Coast and West Coast of the US, and Asia. I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to work with so many exceptional people around the world.”
Edwards’ professional journey included a spell in the firm’s office in Dubai, so I’m keen to explore his takeaways from his time in the Middle East. “On a personal level, I felt incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity, as a junior lawyer, to go on secondment to one of our offices there,” he says, expressing his appreciation for the exposure to a different legal and regulatory environment. “This is one of Baker McKenzie’s standout features—we encourage such experiences because they offer a chance to immerse in different cultures and ways of working, while also building friendships and connections. For example, when I work on projects involving the Middle East, I’m not just emailing someone randomly; I’m messaging a friend,” he explains.
This connectivity is one aspect of the benefits of having a global presence, Edwards explains. “The MENA region is becoming increasingly vital to the global economy, making it an exciting place for business. Our firm has maintained a strong presence there for over 40 years, which is truly remarkable. We have a terrific practice in the region, and we continue to collaborate extensively with our colleagues in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other parts of the region from our London office.”
As a global corporate lawyer, Edwards is also actively involved in the firm’s mental wellbeing initiatives. I ask why mental wellbeing is important to him, and how attitudes towards mental wellbeing in the workplace have shifted over the course of his career. “To address the first part of your question, I often ask, ‘What could be more important than well-being?’,” he answers. “I firmly believe that well-being is the foundation of everything we do. It’s something I’m passionate about, but it’s complex, and interesting.” Whilst it’s true that well-being issues are not discussed as often as they should be he admits, these issues are common and close to his heart. “Even if your own well-being is generally good — and I hope that’s the case for many — everyone experiences ups and downs, which is completely normal. Ultimately, to perform well over a long period, you need to take care of your well-being and receive support in doing so,” he says.
Bringing to the conversation to a close, Edwards provides some career advice that he believes everyone should hear. “I’m going to sound like a self-help book,” he jokes, “but I think, attitude is so important in your career and just life in general. So, I would say, always be open-minded and look to make the most of opportunities.”
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