Life at Nexa – Ben Walmsley

What do you most like about working with Nexa?

My clients are happy.  The operations team at Nexa make life easy for me.  We have an intuitive practice management system, the compliance processes are straightforward and there is 24/7 support when I need it.  I can just concentrate on looking after my clients.

When did you join Nexa and where did you work before?

We merged my firm Peregrine Law with Nexa on 24 January 2020. I loved having my own firm (I owned it 50/50 with Nigel Clark) but I’m not a big fan of carrying out compliance tasks, administration or marketing and I just love supporting my clients on corporate deals. Nexa is the right platform for me and my clients and it’s exciting seeing the business grow and the brand develop. The time is right for the growth of the distributed law firm and Nexa is really leading the charge.

How has your life changed since you joined Nexa?

I’m less stressed, I have clarity on what I need and want to do and I’m as busy as ever, which for a lawyer is a great place to be.

What do your clients think about you joining Nexa?

They love it.  They’re happy if I’m happy.  The nexa platform gives me the freedom and flexibility I need and being able to monetise my referrals within Nexa is a bonus. I mainly act for SME corporates and investment funds both in London and internationally. They frankly don’t care that I’m not a partner in a big name firm when they know that I’m giving them my undivided attention and the level of service they expect. 

How are you building your practice and attracting clients?

I’m lucky in the sense that I’d done the hard work of building my practice before joining Nexa. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of capacity to build my practice further and I’ve always been able to attract clients just being on the tools doing corporate M&A and fundraising deals. The other lawyers at nexa throw up some interesting opportunities for me and I’ve recently picked up a cross-border European deal from Nexa which is exciting. 

What would you say to lawyers considering joining Nexa?

Plan the way you want to run your practice and ask the right questions of Nexa.  Talk to the Nexa team and envisage how it’s going to work on a day to day basis.  Run through your wish list, work out where you want to work from and whether your clients will be happy.  And ask your clients!

Please describe your typical day as a Nexa lawyer?

My typical 2020 day is now working from home!  Zoom calls, drafting, emails, playing and watching sport, driving my 3 kids around and repeat. I still try and get into the office at WeWork near the South Bank once a week.  I was already working from home one or two days a week within the nexa platform, so there has not been too much adjustment to more time at my home office.

Thank you Ben!

And for an informal and confidential chat to explore the possibilities for your firm, please contact our COO, Eliot Hibbert. Email: eliot.hibbert@nexa.law Telephone: 03300 24 24 20