Meet the team.. Andrew McConnell, Director, Glasgow

What piece of advice would you give colleagues and peers?

Always be open to new opportunities and new challenges. You never know what is waiting for you around the corner and that is the most exciting thing about a career in law. I recall always being keen to be a Corporate Lawyer as a young trainee and never knew at that stage my career would be in insurance / litigation. I am delighted I was offered the opportunity to work in litigation as a Trainee which made me realise that this was what I was meant to do as a lawyer. I have never looked back since! 

Did you always want to practice Law or did you have any other aspirations?

Surprisingly, a career in law was not my first choice. I play both piano and flute and, following an audition in 6th year at secondary school, I was successful in securing a place at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire) in Glasgow. After weeks of deliberation I decided it was best not to pursue a career in music and instead I would keep music as a hobby. I know this was the right decision for me and I am glad to say the hobby is still alive and kicking after purchasing my new piano for my new house!

What are you most proud of in your work at DWF?

In addition to my day job as a Director at DWF, I also manage one of our CSR projects in Scotland known as "5 Star Futures". This is an invaluable project which allows DWF to give something back to the wider community. In particular, we work with schools in deprived areas and coach students on improving their confidence with workshops focused on CV writing and interview skills. Many of the students from the project have been successful in applying for law and other courses at universities. I am immensely proud of the 5 Star Futures project and thanks to the help of others in the firm, we have been able to make a difference in the lives of young people striving to achieve their full potential. 

What did you enjoy/hate most about lockdown?

There is absolutely nothing I enjoyed about lockdown! What I missed the most is the office and seeing my colleagues. Our relationship with our clients is central to the work we do and achieving the best possible result for them. Not being able to interact and socialise with colleagues and clients was extremely difficult and I am delighted to be getting back to doing that more regularly.   

What is your greatest work achievement?

During the early stages of my career at DWF, I was offered the opportunity to undertake an informal secondment with our London office. I was therefore working from our London office for 2/3 days every fortnight. The purpose of this secondment was for me to expand and develop my knowledge of the PI Construction sector. This opportunity proved to be invaluable and allowed me to build and strengthen relationships with existing and new clients in the London Insurance Market. I am proud that I have continued to work on these relationships which has resulted in an increased caseload for PI Construction claims and I am now regularly instructed to act on behalf of architects and engineers. I recognise this as a great achievement in my career when Insurer clients have referred to me as the "go to " solicitor for PI Construction in Scotland. As Director, it is my intention to continue to build and grow PI Construction in Scotland.