Julian Summerhayes
Solicitor
Experience
Julian Summerhayes has 24 years’ experience in dispute resolution and commercial law. Most recently, and for a period of nearly five years, he has been In-house Counsel for a large engineering company in Devon where he was responsible for the full gamut of legal advice to the business, including dealing with large commercial contracts across Europe, Russia, North Africa and the United States. He is also a former CEO of a law firm where he was responsible for the firm's performance, hiring, business development, marketing and people management.
Julian has significant experience in advising on the complete range of issues for the SME market and is used to working for owner-managed businesses and advising both on the legal and commercial issues under consideration.
As to his dispute resolution practice, he previously qualified as a mediator (2007) and takes the view that court proceedings should always be a last resort. He takes a very pragmatic and common sense approach and will always advise his clients to consider a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") which he believes gives the dispute the best chance of early settlement.
In Julian's own words...
“In the current climate, it is vital that companies, but especially the SME market, obtain practical and cogent legal advice in order to navigate the prevailing headwinds of a difficult and challenging market. Not just this, but I like to be seen as an extension of the business -- i.e. a trusted advisor -- and not merely a supplier of legal advice. With my In-house experience, I'm very well placed to be that sounding board and advisor. I've worked with a lot of successful owners over the years and have been there to help them navigate the vicissitudes of running their company.”
Education
- LLB Law, University of Plymouth, 1992-1995
- Legal Practice Course, Exeter University, 1995-1996
Achievements
- Best student for the Free Representation Unit and awarded the Bond Pearce Prize for outstanding achievement
- Contributed articles to the Solicitors Journal, and written for a number of legal publications
- Regular speaker at legal events
- Former Trustee to Transition Town Totnes
Other Interests
Julian is a writer and blogger -- not always on the law. He's an avid book collector and is slowly running out of space much to his wife's consternation. He lives close to Dartmoor and when he's not helping his three children with their busy lives, he can be found walking his two adoring dogs across Dartmoor or around the green lanes of Devon. Oh, and he has a few bikes which these days gather more dust than is healthy but he's promised himself that he's never too old to get back to the dizzy heights of riding in the Pyrannese and the Alps.
Languages
He used to speak fluent Afrikaans but he's given up on trying to learn a new language until that is he might have to move to Europe to see out his final days.