Alex Dunn

Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

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 and 2018 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 is an active participant in Norton Rose Fulbright’s recruitment, training and mentorship schemes, acting as a role model and mentor for younger professionals.

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.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Stay curious and do not be afraid to ask questions. This is advice that I would give to anyone (regardless of gender) starting out in the industry, but is perhaps more applicable to women at the beginning of their careers who may lack the confidence to speak up in what can frequently still be a male dominated environment. As a junior lawyer, I certainly doubted my own abilities at times and worried about asking “stupid” questions but, as I’ve progressed, I’ve realised that you are more likely to earn the respect of your colleagues if you are honest about the limitations of your experience and ask for help when needed. A willingness to learn and develop is essential in an industry with an increasingly global outlook where flexibility will be key to longevity and success. 

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

That “networking” is not something to be scared of! One of the most terrifying things to be faced with at the beginning of your career is your first solo social event. A room full of strangers who seemingly know more about everything than you do can be a truly frightening proposition, but if you ease yourself in to the industry, by joining a committee or attending smaller more structured events, it becomes easier to build relationships and expand your network in an organic way. Unsurprisingly, legal training focuses heavily on the academic skills needed to practice law, but there is little emphasis on the softer skills that are so essential to success in the commercial finance industry. At Norton Rose Fulbright I was lucky enough to be supported at my first networking events by a partner who took the time to introduce me to clients and other key industry figures; this is something that I’m still grateful for and look to replicate with the junior lawyers that I support.

What do you enjoy most about your role? Least?

As I’ve progressed in my career, I find that I derive most job satisfaction from mentoring and developing junior lawyers. Offering encouragement and advice to the next generation of professionals in the industry is satisfying both from an altruistic perspective, as it’s rewarding to see mentees progress and succeed, but also from a personal perspective as new entrants to the industry can bring a fresh approach to ways of working that can lead to innovative solutions. I believe that the most successful mentoring relationships are a two-way street where both parties learn from one another.

In terms of what I enjoy the least, it has to be the hours! Working long hours is par for the course as a lawyer in the commercial finance industry and something that I’ve become accustomed to, but the unpredictability of those hours can make balancing work and personal commitments challenging. As I’ve become more senior, the level of autonomy over my workload has increased, which automatically helps to achieve a better work/life balance, but I’ve also made changes to my working day to prioritize taking some time for myself. I’m conscious that my actions set an example for junior women in my team and I hope that they see that it is possible to progress in the industry without sacrificing your personal life.