Every month we speak to prominent professionals working in, around, and for the legal sector in the UK, uncovering their greatest inspiration, what makes them tick in a work capacity and out, and their own career paths and journey to the top of their game.

Interview with: Zaeem Khan | Director | RMZ Law Offices

WHAT HAS YOUR MORNING LOOKED LIKE?

I had a meeting at 10am, following which I was busy supervising a couple of completions that were lined up for today (approving payments etc.)

HOW IS BUSINESS AT THE MOMENT?

As a real estate lawyer, business could get better if the interest rates come down and cost of living goes back to normal levels – hopefully we can see these changes sooner rather than later.

HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN ‘LAW’ AS A CHOSEN CAREER?

Always! I’ve been studying law since I was 16, I opted for it in A Levels and went on to do the LLB, LPC and LLM before commencing my training contract. I’ve never cheated on the law!

WHAT IS THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

I have been lucky enough to work for some of the largest and most respected real estate teams/firms in the country, which gave me the opportunity to get involved with very large transactions for industry leading clients. However, my greatest achievement is that I have been able to create job opportunities for young people and training them to have the skills needed to be able to excel as a lawyer.

WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?

WHAT ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT?

The Establishment: And how they get away with it by Owen Jones.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE START OF YOUR CAREER IN THE LEGAL SECTOR?

Knowledge of the law will come with time and experience, now is the time to develop habits that will serve you well in the long-term. Habits such as diarising, networking, speaking to people (rather than sending emails) and being a reliable trainee or paralegal. If I had to choose, I would prefer working with a reliable trainee than a knowledgeable one who is not as reliable as the other.

HOW HAS THE LEGAL SECTOR CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?

The legal sector has become increasingly challenging for smaller firms to thrive in. It is easy to forget that law firms are also businesses, and a challenging environment for any business is also a challenging environment for a law firm.

Energy costs, increasing rents, competitive fees, rising wages and escalating insurance premiums have made matters worse for smaller high street firms. However, my mentor (Mr Martin Jinks) once said to me, “If you are good enough, you will always have work on your desk”.

OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT MAKES YOU TICK?

My two boys – one is 4 and the other arrived less than a month ago! They keep me busier than clients do

AND FINALLY, YOUR GO-TO PODCAST?

‘The Rest is Politics‘ which features Alastair Campbell, whose book ‘Winners and how they succeed‘ is worth recommending to young professionals.

RMZ Law Offices is a full-service law and consulting firm established with a client-centric focus with dedicated lawyers who provide specialised services across the UK. Practising in multiple areas of law, RMZ has been providing legal services from their Manchester office since 2015 and, due to continued success, have recently opened a London office too.