An interview with Tom Brennan, Legal Counsel at Evercore

Emmanuel Janssens spokewith Tom Brennan, the Legal Counsel at Evercore to find out about his experience.

Can you describe your experience working with Odgers Interim?

When I first came into contact with Odgers, they took the time to fully appreciate what it was I was looking for from my next role. Considering how broad my outlook was at the time, even that conversation helped me to narrow down the key features I was looking. They then reached out with suitable opportunities, and I was particularly appreciative of how open they were with how closely aligned particular roles would be with my goals. Since then, they’ve been very supportive in creating a clear line of communication in my current role.

How has Odgers Interim helped you navigate the challenges of interim legal roles?

One of the difficulties I had initially was simply to understand what I was looking for and what was out there. Through numerous conversations with Odgers I was able to get a better picture of the opportunities available and what features were important to me. Their knowledge of the clients they were recruiting for was also very helpful in building up a picture of hiring teams before going through the interview process.

Current Interim Role

How are you finding your current interim role?

My main concern going down the interim route was to be viewed as a ‘filler’, performing a function without much attention being paid to who was filling that function. My current role has been far from it, and I’m very appreciative of the investment that’s being made to ensure I’m able to fit into the demands of the business. Having moved from private practice in a specific speciality, the support and opportunity to broaden my skillset has been excellent. 

What are some of the key challenges you’ve faced in this role, and how have you addressed them?

Transitioning from a specialism to in-house has its challenges, particularly at a junior level. Two key challenges have been the need to adapt to unfamiliar legal areas, and the level of responsibility in a smaller team. Key to overcoming the first point was giving myself the space to read into new topics, and to be honest when something was unclear or there was a question, I felt I didn’t have the expertise for. For the second, building a strong relationship with those which are more senior has been key to allow me to reach out without being overly concerned about how it might look.

 Advice for Aspiring Interim Executives

What advice would you give to someone considering an interim legal role?

Don’t overly rely on your perceptions of a particular sector or company. At the same time, if you know that something isn’t going to be right for you, hold firm to it. 

What are some common misconceptions about interim legal roles that you would like to address?

At a junior level, I was concerned that people in the business wouldn’t take me seriously. However, particularly when dealing with the business outside of the legal team, they just see you as the providers of legal advice, regardless of your ‘PQE’. My own input and opinions are given much more weight than when I was in private practice.

What resources or networks would you recommend for those looking to enter the interim legal market?

As obvious as it is, LinkedIn was key for me. Not for looking at opportunities as such, but looking at people I aspired to or employees at companies I thought I might be interested in. Seeing the range of experiences (including interim) that they had I found reassuring and insightful.