Visiting Professor Kevin Doolan, Partner in the international law firm, Eversheds, will be teaching a short course “Corporate Skills for New Lawyers,” starting April 7. Professor Doolan has been a partner at Eversheds for more than 25 years and since 2001 has been a full time member of the firm’s management team based in London. In 1996 he completed his MBA at Henley Management College and, in his role as Head of Client Relations, is responsible for leading all business development activity for Eversheds Offices in 27 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
1. Why did you choose to teach at UM Law?
“I first became aware of UM Law due to the amazing LawWithoutWalls Program. This has spread your reputation around the world and I came across LWOW through a fellow professor while teaching at IE Law School in Madrid. He introduced me to the inspirational Professor Michele DeStefano and I agreed to teach networking skills on LWOW. As a senior partner in the International Law Firm Eversheds I had been running training in Business Development and Networking for our young lawyers for many years and I believed that networking was very important in career terms (and socially) but that many lawyers disliked it. So I was keen to show them that everyone can network and enjoy it. After teaching for a few years on LWOW I had been talking to Dean Trish Whiteabout the type of training in business skills that law firms give to their new lawyers and she suggested that this could be of interest to UM Law students.”
2.What are you most looking forward about teaching at UM Law?
“Lots of interaction I hope! I teach post graduate classes at the London School of Economics on their Masters in International Management Program and it’s really useful to hear about how people interact today and how that relates to the way people do the same things in business. For example, the current generation are quick to connect to each other (for example through LinkedIn) whereas the older generation expect there to be some personal connection before they connect online. That was relevant for students who were seeking to connect to older people as there was a mismatch of expectations and this only emerged during a class. So I have refined my advice on using LinkedIn as a result of that. Also it’s sunny there, right?”
3. What can a UM Law student hope to get out of your class?
“They should get a feel for how businesses operate and how they use lawyers. Clients tell us that they need lawyers who really understand their businesses and of course law graduates don’t come equipped automatically with that, because they have had to focus on passing their law exams. They should also gain new skills – particularly in networking and in personal confidence and influence. I hope that all of these will be relevant to graduates as they seek jobs.”
4. What is your most memorable teaching experience?
“Walking across Harvard Yard to deliver my first ever teaching at Harvard Law School. I had developed their Case Study on how to price legal services and had been asked to join their Executive Education Faculty as a Visiting Professor, but I was conscious that there were some pretty good professors teaching before and after me (including Michele!).”
5. Where is the coolest place you have gotten to travel, either as a result of teaching or personal travel?
“Actually I think Miami is pretty cool! On my last visit I added in a week at South Beach which was really interesting, especially as my hotel room had an upper deck with an open air hot tub. I have just returned from working in Macau in China which is a kind of low rent Las Vegas and has curiosity value! My most frequently visited destination is Los Angeles because I am British and I love the settled sunny weather.”
6. Please give us one fun fact about yourself.
“I once gate crashed a party for Prince Charles and Princess Diana. When I got into the room I discovered there were only four other people there. It was a private reception and we were all going to be individually introduced and spend time with them one to one. At the exit there was a guard with a machine gun so I had to stay there and bluff it out. Don’t try this at home! (Don’t worry my networking training is much better now).”
