Ian Metcalfe

I manage the legal and support sides of the business. A large part of that is business planning and budgeting - how to respond to changing markets and the needs of our clients, how we deliver and price our services and the added value that we can offer as a full service firm.

Tel: +44 (0)870 733 0667

Email: ian_metcalfe@wragge.com

My work centres around the heads of each of our legal groups, heads of support teams and a cluster of management groups; the operational committee, management committee and profit sharing committee. For a very good reason my job has been likened to herding cats!

I'm also active in the marketplace – attending and speaking at legal events and conferences, conducting client service reviews and acting as client-partner for several key clients. Communication inside the firm is vital too, so I tend to get around both the legal and support staff to keep up with the latest views of our people.

Best brains in ...

Implementation, implementation and implementation (and rugby).

Highlight of your career so far?

Joining Wragge & Co!

There have been many special moments with clients over the years, but as managing partner the here-and-now is what really matters. Making a success of the business and our client relationships is what drives me – it is the next highlight that I am interested in.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

British Airways Next Steps. Everything about the project screamed 'big'. It involved the outsourcing of the airline's mission critical IT systems to Amadeus. I project managed the job, working very closely with BA's in-house counsel Hugh Ford. The transaction stretched the whole team over ten months, with a final closing meeting lasting 60 hours. The end result - 40 lever arches of documentation and an exhausted but delighted client.

The demutualisation of Interflora and 3i's subsequent investment was also a particularly complex and satisfying job. It involved some intricate and difficult areas of law, and managing communications with Interflora's 2,000 or so members.

What's your definition of going the extra mile?

On my travels I get to hear some fantastic stories about our staff and lawyers. So much of it is invisible and behind the scenes, but it makes a massive difference. Our IT system suffered a failure late on a Friday evening. The team worked solidly over the weekend to fix the problem – and when everyone came in on Monday morning there was no sign there had even been a problem. Similarly, a receptionist working late one evening offered to take a client to a local hotel and help with their luggage. A small touch, but reflective of the high standards our people deliver every day.

So while there are some jaw-dropping examples of dedicated client service (every lawyer has their own completion meeting anecdote!), I'm happy to say that going the extra mile seems to be an ingrained part of our culture.

When have you given a client a real competitive edge?

When I was acting for the board of ITNET in the offer of its entire issued share capital by Serco, my role went beyond legal advice. I acted alongside Cazenove as an adviser to the CEO on the commercial aspects of the deal, which returned a significant premium to shareholders.

I always aspired to be a trusted business adviser and with experience it does make a difference. Very often a lawyer in a full service firm who works for a wide range of clients will have a perspective that the client might not have spotted. That is not to say that they will always take my views on board! But kicking ideas around is good risk management and sometimes turns a deal on its axis completely.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

Long-term support for both the Lord's Taverners and the Wooden Spoon sporting charities.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

Chambers once described me as a 'a gifted negotiator'. As a corporate lawyer that was crucial to getting deals done effectively. As managing partner that same skill serves me well in herding the cats!

Another comment I hear a lot is 'he gets things done'. That sums me up really.