Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Richard Pike, Partner, Brodies
This week’s 60-second Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Richard Pike, Partner at Brodies
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
I am a partner at Brodies LLP, a top 50 UK firm headquartered in Scotland. We lead the way in private client work in Scotland, and have one of the largest private client offerings across the UK. I head up the firm’s Private Wealth Disputes practice; we cover a broad range of litigation work with the common thread being disputes involving private clients and the private client industry. Our ‘bread and butter’ work covers disputes over inheritance, trusts and family offices / investment companies, but we regularly find ourselves involved in litigation involving land, shareholdings, partnerships, and professional advisers.
What does a typical day look like for you?
If I’m at home in Edinburgh, the day starts helping my two daughters get ready and dropping them at junior school on my way into work. And drinking plenty of coffee! At work I try to start by ‘swallowing a frog’ – tackling the task I am most dreading or that is going to take the most energy. This is easier said than done at times, but I keep working on it. The rest of the day is a mix of meetings to advise clients, business development actives, negotiations with opponents and supervising team members. It is a total cliché, but working in private client disputes is so varied – genuinely a case of no two days being the same.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Generally, I like to go into the office most days. Despite the flexibility wfh brings (especially for those of us with families), for me being together still has so many benefits, especially in terms of training junior lawyers, who will eventually lead the profession. Plus we have an amazing space in the heart of Edinburgh, with some of the best views in the city.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.
There is never a dull moment in private client disputes – one recent instruction involved siblings based in different jurisdictions at loggerheads over an international estate, with serious allegations of power of attorney abuse levelled. In another matter, there is a dispute about the Deceased’s domicile for succession purposes, with high consequences for either side depending on which country’s law applies. At the more esoteric end, my team is working on a case where we are trying to establish the terms of a large endowment fund set up by the estate of a deceased philanthropist several decades ago; the fund now needs to be repurposed, but unsurprisingly barely any paperwork can be found confirming the detailed terms of the endowment.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
A big trend is increasingly complex family dynamics: for example extended blended families, families based across multiple jurisdictions, secret relationships uncovered after a death, and paternity disputes. Sometimes all of the above in the same case! Helping clients in these situations requires more than hard legal and commercial skills; high levels of empathy, care and, dare I say it, a sense of humour, are key.
Another growing theme in my practice recently has been clients seeking to unwind transactions which have resulted unexpected financial consequences, usually due to issues with the professional advice given at the planning stage. Often the subject matter is a large unwanted tax bill, and there may be a range of mitigation options that can help everyone, such as rectification or the equitable mistake jurisdiction.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
My proudest achievements have always been in securing good outcomes for clients, especially in hard fought cases. One of the things that motivates me is helping people; in private client work the outcomes you secure can make a big difference to the lives of real people, and I find that hugely satisfying.
In terms of my career, my proudest achievement was having the courage to try something new and join Brodies in 2024, having spent my whole career until then at the same firm. It has been personally and professionally invigorating to step out of my comfort zone.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
A mindset that you are there to serve those you lead; role modelling the behaviours you want to see in the team; and having a vision for the team that you are passionate about.
Who do you most admire and why?
It is a soppy answer, but it has to be my wife Emily. As well as being an incredible partner to me and wonderful mother to our girls, she also excels in her career as a law firm partner. I am not quite sure how she pulls it all off, but I admire her hugely for it.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
For work, it was the Contentious Trust Association annual conference in Rome. A very enjoyable few days, reconnecting with professionals from a range of jurisdictions, meeting new contacts and sharing our experiences in private wealth disputes.
For pleasure it was skiing in the Ötztal valley in Austria, with my family and some good friends. There is no better break from work in my opinion, although the Austrian take on apres ski music is not for everyone!
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
Something that involved working in the mountains, or music, maybe both! Earlier on in my career, I took a 9 month sabbatical and worked for a start-up chalet company in the Alps. Part of my job involved ski-guiding which was an amazing day-to-day existence, so I could definitely get back to that!
How do you relax after a long day?
Usually by starting the ‘second shift’ with the kids at home, which can make the day job seem easy! But when I do get the chance, sitting in front of the fire with a single malt and some implausibly dramatic TV does the job – I’m currently working my way through Yellowstone.
Key Takeaways
- Richard Pike is a Partner at Brodies, heading the Private Wealth Disputes practice, focusing on litigation involving private clients.
- His typical day merges family duties with client meetings, business development, and team supervision, showcasing the varied nature of his work.
- Recent cases include international disputes over estates and complex family dynamics, which require empathy and legal expertise.
- Pike values securing positive client outcomes and credits his wife, Emily, as a source of inspiration in both personal and professional realms.
- He enjoys relaxing with family and watching shows like Yellowstone after a busy day, reflecting on life outside work in the context of the Citywealth Leaders List.
Brodies’ Citywealth Leaders List profile
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