The well-worn narrative of ambitious parents steering their children towards medicine, law, or accountancy takes on deeper meaning in this IHLJ. Alan Chan’s parents arrived in Britain in the 1970s with little more than grit and determination, and such familial encouragement became the foundation for a successful in-house legal career. Today, as General Counsel with Parabellum Investments, Alan manages legal affairs across a diverse international portfolio – a role that may well have seemed impossible to a young boy starting work in the family business.
Alan’s career progression reflects the methodical thinking you’d expect from an experienced lawyer. His move in-house at 7 years PQE wasn’t impulsive but a carefully considered decision based on market realities. “My view at the time was that I did not want to leave it any later”, he reflects, recognising what is often perceived as a narrow window for making such transitions successfully. A pragmatic approach to career development has shaped his journey, leading to a role that combines the commercial engagement he sought with the technical challenges that keep the work interesting and intellectually rewarding.
Our interview with Alan is the latest in Florit Legal’s In-house Legal Journeys®
What is Parabellum Investments?
Parabellum Investments is a family office that deploys its own capital in acquiring and growing businesses. The sectors in which Parabellum Investments have invested are mainly companies operating in enterprise software, business & IT services and life sciences. The current portfolio groups are based internationally.
What factors made you choose to work there?
I was actually working in-house for a PLC for several years beforehand and, rather surprisingly, they outsourced their entire legal requirements to a law firm, meaning that I actually TUPE-ed to that law firm. To a degree, my role was the same but suddenly providing the service as an external solicitor did not have the same appeal as a true in-house lawyer. As a result, moving to a new GC role for a business that had ambitions to grow and exit was particularly appealing. Being part of that senior leadership team that had real influence and a true desire for success was attractive.
Parabellum Investments has been a good place to work because of the diversity of people and challenges that come with a wide portfolio of companies. The ability to interact with people from a wide variety of roles and backgrounds from different geographies is something that I enjoy, because it requires the tailoring of approach and advice for different backgrounds and cultures. Similarly, due to the international aspects of the businesses, this also requires appreciation for local laws and strategy, which I really enjoy and have become familiar with at Parabellum Investments and in my previous roles.
How have things developed since joining?
I was originally appointed as GC for one of its portfolio companies, Parseq, and through time became the GC of Parabellum Investments. So, I now look after all of the portfolio groups as GC. This has given me an exposure to many different sectors and therefore very different challenges. It has also meant that, in effect, I am simultaneously carrying out GC roles for different businesses within one overall organisation. I think this experience is quite unique and has helped me to develop experiences and skills in a shorter period than usual, especially given the variety and breadth of the legal and commercial requirements for the businesses.
How did your move in-house come about?
I suspect my answer will be an echo of what others generally say when moving from private practice to in-house. I actually enjoyed being in private practice but wanted to explore an in-house role when I was seven years qualified. My view at the time was that I did not want to leave it any later, because my impression was that it would have been more difficult to find a role if I left it too late. The main draw was to be part of the business, rather than just an external advisor. To be able to influence things from the “inside” was very appealing and ultimately made giving advice and making decisions more meaningful.
When I first left practice, I felt it was a “now or never” decision. I mean this in the sense that my impression at the time was that if I left it much longer, then I might be seen as unattractive for senior in-house roles, given I had no in-house experience. Conversely, I did not want to move too early in-house because I believe that my private practice experience helped to ground me in good technical and commercial training that you would not necessarily get in-house.
How have you changed as a professional?
Moving in-house has definitely changed me as a lawyer in that I feel that I have become less one-dimensional. Whilst lawyers in private practice, especially corporate lawyers, need to appreciate other legal disciplines, being in-house exposes you to much more from a hands-on perspective. This means I have become much more rounded in different areas of law, more understanding of the different drivers for success in varying businesses and generally more adaptable. Additionally, being part of a business and having a direct impact on its journey is very rewarding and makes the advice you give focus more on the commercial impact rather than a strict legal response, which you sometimes find in private practice.
What has been the biggest challenge?
I would actually look back in time to when I was a child looking for a career as a lawyer. The challenge at the time was not really knowing what a lawyer does, largely because of ignorance but also because of the lack of role models or opportunities to understand this. As a Chinese kid growing up in the 1980s, it was pretty unheard of for someone from that background being a lawyer and so it was difficult to see beyond the stereotypical occupation of takeaway worker/owner. Thankfully, things have changed and there is better representation in more occupations, but in those days motivation and opportunity felt limited. Hopefully, nowadays, people from most backgrounds have someone to look to that represents a spectrum of professions.
What made you become a lawyer in the first place?
I am from a Chinese family – doctor, lawyer or accountant. Choose one.
Who would you say has been the most influential to you along the way?
The most influential lawyers in my career were probably from my years as a corporate lawyer at Pinsent Masons. Andrew Black and Andrew Kerr, partners in the corporate department, helped shape me into the lawyer that I am now. Their focus on being truly commercial and not just technically capable, and also their ability to adapt to different challenges, were important lessons for me. Their skills were not only in making sure that a transaction would complete successfully, but they also had a great knack of keeping a sense of humour during the most challenging times.
On a non-legal level, the greatest influence by far in my career, and in my life generally, was my late father. He was uneducated and poor and came to the UK in the 1970s to turn his life around. He was the most hardworking person I have ever known, with no exaggeration, and what he achieved during his life from what little he had is truly inspirational. Clearly, I never appreciated this as a child, but as an adult it is clear that what he instilled in me is the reason for any success I’ve ever had professionally.
What advice would you give to someone looking to join the legal profession?
Make sure you pursue the legal profession because you enjoy it, not because of anything else. Like most things, if you enjoy the thing you do, you stand more of a chance of succeeding, and enjoying what you do is hugely important. I would also say that being successful in the legal profession requires more than wrestling with the law. In my opinion, it also requires some element of entrepreneurial flair, whether in private practice or in-house. So, my advice would also be to be prepared to be flexible and understand business.
What’s the preferred working pattern at Parabellum?
I have the same core hours as everyone does, but this may be altered by requirements to travel for work in the UK or overseas. I work from home, and have done since Covid, so this enables me to be more flexible. Also, due to the international elements of our businesses, the requirement to cater for different time zones is another reason why working patterns are not always fixed.
What do you do to relax outside work?
I have quite a consistent strength training regime which I helps me relax and I find it hugely important for my physical and mental health. Additionally, I enjoy sketching and painting which is a great form of escapism for me. Aside from that, I just enjoy spending time with my kids and appreciating the time I get with them before they inevitably flee the nest.
Who would you most like to get stuck in a lift with?
The idea of being stuck in a lift, regardless of who else is in it, is generally one of my worst nightmares. However, to ease the anxiety, I guess it would be good to have the members of the Wu Tang Clan stuck in there with me. They are my all time favourite hip hop group. I have a lot of questions about some of their lyrics but I would probably see if I could squeeze a few free tickets to their final tour gig.
Do you have any guilty pleasures?
As a kid I used to love playing video games. Now that I am older, there are virtually no opportunities to play video games. On a rare weekend, I might sneak into my son’s bedroom when he is out and fire up the PS5 for a short but sweet slice of video gaming nostalgia.
What was your first job before becoming a lawyer?
Stereotypically, as my parents were Chinese immigrants in the 1970s, they were in the takeaway business. So, I started work at the age of eight years old. I carried out the simpler tasks such as chopping vegetables with a butter knife before graduating to meat cleavers and cooking on the woks.
It was hard work and long hours in a hot and oily environment. It was not particularly sociable and I can remember feeling resentment that I could not spend time with friends in the evenings like other people. However, with hindsight, I would not change a thing because the hardships taught me a lot about work ethic and business from a young age. Also, spending time with my family was precious, even though I did not appreciate it at the time.
What song was No1 when you qualified?
“SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland. I have no further comments.
What was your first car?
My first car was a Nissan Micra. It was not a looker. However, as with all first cars, it was the key to freedom and I loved driving it. Simple and effective. Though, thinking about it, I do remember the 1.0L engine struggling to get up some hills, so maybe not quite as effective as the nostalgia suggests!
What would you do if you won the lottery?
If I won the big EuroMillions, I would actually give the majority of it to family and friends. I think it would be better to change the lives of many, especially the people you love, than horde all the cash and slowly become obsessed with it. Better to take away the temptation early. Not to say, I wouldn’t keep the rest and enjoy some nice holidays with the family. No Lambos and yachts for me though, just not my style.
Most annoying phrase you’ve heard in the workplace.
I actually don’t get too annoyed by the cliché phrases or corporate lingo bingo, maybe because I have become immune to it over the years of exposure. Whether you’re squaring that circle, taking it offline, getting your ducks in a row or picking the low hanging fruit, I don’t really mind!
