Alex Dunn

Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

40 Under 40 Category: Legal Services

Biography: 

Alex Dunn is a senior associate based in the London office of global law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright. She joined Norton Rose Fulbright in 2012 after completing her legal training. While Alex has experience in a broad range of commercial finance transactions, she has focused primarily on secured corporate lending with specific emphasis on asset-based lending, earning her a recommendation for that work in the 2017 Legal 500 UK.

Alex predominantly represents banks and other financial institutions on both a transactional and general advisory basis and particularly enjoys the challenges presented by complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, from structuring through to documentation.

Alex earned a BA degree in Politics from the University of Sheffield in 2006 (with a stint at the University of Wisconsin from which she emerged a diehard Green Bay Packers fan!) and a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Law, Birmingham in 2008.

How do you think the commercial finance industry can attract more young professionals?

“Everyone’s so nice,” delivered in a surprised tone, is the most frequent response I receive from students and other young professionals when asked what has surprised them the most about their experience of vacation schemes and open days at Norton Rose Fulbright. Sadly, I think this is indicative of the reputation that the commercial finance industry still has for a number of people, particularly those who have grown up in the post-2008 financial crash era and who no longer necessarily view a career in finance as aspirational or in line with their principles. They are genuinely surprised that we are humans!

Changing this perception is not an easy task, but I believe that the key is to start early. Potential candidates should be invited into organisations on placements, open days and other schemes as early in their education as possible. In this way the industry is demystified and candidates can see themselves in the dynamic individuals that they meet and interact with.

Tailored marketing is also important in the age of social media. The commercial finance industry is now in competition with tech start-ups and social media enterprises to attract the most talented minds. These are innovative industries that promote themselves as offering the coveted work/life balance, and remote and flexible working initiatives. While more “traditional” industries are making these adaptations, organisations could do more to publicise the options that are available to young professionals and shake off the out-of-date views that many still have.

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor/what advice would you give to the forthcoming generation of talent aspiring to win this award?

The number one message that I try to instil in the junior lawyers that I mentor is to stay curious and never be afraid to ask questions. As clichéd as it may sound, I strongly believe that every challenge encountered is an opportunity to learn and develop and that sometimes we learn the most valuable lessons when things do not quite go to plan or work in our favour.

I was once asked by a junior associate whether I ever found working on commercial financing transactions boring. My response was a resounding “No!” Every structure, borrower and lender is different and I can safely say that I have not worked on a transaction yet where I didn’t learn something new; be that a technicality of law in a new, jurisdiction or the processes of a particular industry. The key to getting the most out of each transaction is to be interested and enthusiastic and to put in a little more effort to improve your own understanding. The majority of the transactions that my team are involved with include a cross-border element of some description and we call on our colleagues across the Norton Rose Fulbright network for their expert assistance on non-English law matters. While it is great to have this pool of expertise to rely on, for me, what differentiates a great junior associate from a good one, is that a great junior associate will take the time to expand their own knowledge of the multi-jurisdictional issues, by questioning and clarifying points with our colleagues. Demonstrating a little intellectual curiosity will mean that you can never be bored.