Profile: James Bryden

Tell us a bit about your career so far?

I studied law at Strathclyde, but I embarked on the course not really set on becoming a lawyer. I spent the summer after my third year working at a firm in Edinburgh and I really enjoyed the experience. I then decided that a legal career was for me. I was fortunate to be offered a traineeship at the firm and then qualified into the litigation department. 

The litigation team I joined was quite unusual (at the time back in 2010 anyway), as it did English litigation as well as Scottish work. This gave me a great mix of experience, with regular travel back and forth to England, and after a few years working in Edinburgh I decided to give London a go. 

When moving to London, I wanted to join an international firm that did high-profile litigation work, but which retained a close-knit feel. This led me to Taylor Wessing. I have now been at the firm for almost 10 years, and in that time I have developed a varied litigation and investigations practice. 

I feel that I have been very lucky in my career so far. I have had the chance to work on some really interesting matters with lots of great people, both as colleagues and clients. I have also been seconded to a large professional services firm, which has allowed me to gain a different perspective from private practice. 

Why did you decide to stand for Council?

Although I have been in London for almost 10 years, and I am English qualified now too, I have always been proud to be a Scottish solicitor and interested in the work of the Society. My friend, Naomi Pryde, had been the Council member for England, Wales & Northern Ireland for a number of years, so when she decided to step down, and having seen all the great work she had done, I wanted to get involved to help maintain the connection with the constituency. 

Have your perceptions of the Society changed since you joined Council?

Absolutely! From the Council meetings I have attended so far, I have been amazed by the breadth of the issues that the Society is dealing with now (both in relation to representing the interests of its members and considering changes to the law) and the passion with which all those involved look to tackle them. 

What are the main issues you think Council has to address at the moment?

Again, from my experience of Council so far, there are a lot of issues for the Society to consider now, and the role of the Council is of course to support that. The big issue on the agenda now is of course the proposed changes to the way in which the profession is regulated and the engagement of members on that topic. 

What keeps you busy outside of work?

I like to spend as much time as possible with family, which includes my young son who certainly keeps me busy! I think getting outside and moving is an essential counter to what is a fairly sedentary working environment, so I love to run whenever I can. I am just about to embark on training for the Boston Marathon next year, which I am looking forward to!