60 seconds with… a 2023 award winner

In light of the launch of this year’s In-House Rising Star Award, last year’s winner Christopher Knudsen joins us to reflect on the impact winning had on him professionally and personally, and his career journey so far.

Can you tell us a bit about your career so far?

To be honest I’m really surprised and grateful for where my career has led me. I never would have imagined that being a Scottish lawyer could take me on such a diverse and exciting journey.

I didn’t get the best possible results at university, so finding a traineeship was extremely difficult. I had to stay patient and build experience as a paralegal – thankfully a group of kind and supportive lawyers helped me to kick-start my legal career.

Following that I’ve navigated roles in both governmental bodies and private enterprises across various sectors, including sports, technology and sustainability. My professional path has also spanned cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Copenhagen, New York and Tokyo – which is where I live and work now.

It’s maybe not the expected brochure description of what it’s like being a lawyer, but I’ve heard lots of exciting stories and career paths from legal colleagues and that’s helped guide me to where I am today and teach me the type of legal careers that are possible.

What impact, if any, did winning the Society’s In-House Rising Star Award have on you, both professionally and personally?

First and foremost, I’m still incredibly grateful for receiving this award.

Professionally, it has given me so many unexpected opportunities that have been great for my career. I’ve had the chance to speak with lots of new people and take on new responsibilities, added credibility to my work, and lots more.

Personally, the best part has been giving my parents the award as thanks for their endless support. They have encouraged me during my toughest moments and decision making, like when I couldn’t initially get a traineeship. They ran mock interviews with me, coached me through working life, and we’ve even carpooled to work together. They are definitely the unofficial career mentors I needed in life and I was really happy to share this with them.  

The In-House Rising Star Award celebrates the brilliance of trainees and NQs with up to five years’ PQE –  what would you say to someone looking to nominate a colleague and why do you think this is important?

I think it’s so important to share and celebrate the successes of others. Especially those colleagues who make such a significant positive impact on the day-to-day work and go above and beyond to help you or the business because they care. So please nominate these brilliant colleagues who deserve to be recognised.

Also, I believe we can learn a lot from new lawyers in the profession who are innovating what it means to deliver legal services to a business. They bring different perspectives and ways of working to the in-house community to allow us all to grow and learn, so on both accounts these early-career lawyers deserve to be nominated and recognised.

Do you have any advice for someone early in their career looking to join the in-house legal sector?

Make the most of the incredible support network within the in-house legal community to navigate your career journey.

Attend as many community events as possible, hosted by groups like the Law Society, Crafty Counsel and law firms, and reach out to lawyers who are working for businesses you are interested in. The in-house community is a really strong network of people who care about supporting and helping each other, including those early in their career. I’ve been overwhelmed over the years at just how positive a response I’ve received from other legal professionals when I reached out to someone for help who I’ve never met before.

On that note: you’re welcome to contact me anytime. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of every colleague and lawyer who’s taken the time to support and teach me along the way, so I’m always more than happy to pass that on. Hopefully this article helps in that respect too.

Looking back on what you’ve achieved so far, is there anything you’d say to your younger self?

I would probably critically tell myself to read more… or listen to podcasts or audiobooks. Just always be learning if you have free time, purely because it’s fun.

As ironic as it is to tell a lawyer to read more, on reflection I would say reading has exponentially helped me to develop the soft skills I’ve needed in my career. For example, there’s endless options to read (both fiction and non-fiction) about things like emotional intelligence, psychology, relationship management, leadership, mindfulness and meditation, problem-solving and beyond. If you want to get started I always just say pick a topic you’re passionate about or story you like.

Lastly, you’ve mentioned before that you’re an avid runner. What keeps you busy outside of work?

Well I’ve just recently moved to Japan, so while I’m envisaging that I will soon be trail running up the mountains in the summer and snowboarding down them in winter, for now I’m immersed in learning the language and enjoying the small things in life while I find my feet here.

Nominations for this year’s In-House Rising Star Award are now open – nominations close on Friday 17th May.