Part of the fun of working at LoopUp is that we’re encouraged to engage with all aspects of the exciting global technology movement we inhabit, no matter our office location. (I am based in our offices in London’s ‘Silicon Roundabout’, but I know the same holds true for my colleagues in San Francisco and our other offices around the world.) We love seeing and discussing what’s new and participating in industry events, from funding (such as NOAH Conference) to awards (like our recent shortlisting for the World Communication Awards), or large-scale events such as Dreamforce, where Jana Rhyu, our Senior Manager of Marketing and Sales Operations, gave a well-received talk on effective data management. And we also get involved in long-term initiatives, such as founding the Silicon Valley Internship Programme – also known as SVIP – to help UK engineers experience working in Silicon Valley businesses, with the ultimate goal of them returning to the UK with their new-found entrepreneurial skills, and contributing to the tech scene here.
As LoopUp’s General Counsel, I enjoy getting involved with all of these events and initiatives, but I especially enjoy those which combine both technology and law. For example, at a recent event we hosted for our lawyers’ Tech Law programme here at the London office, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Pedro Telles from the School of Law at Bangor University. This led to an interesting conversation over post-event drinks, during which Pedro invited me to talk to his students on the realities of life in-house at a tech company, how it differs from private practice, and how one can add value to the business. (And also a bit about my rather indulgent career path…) I happily took him up on this offer.
After talking to the Bangor University law students about life as a tech lawyer, we had a really interactive session on a real-life case study. The students were very impressive, keenly identifying the major legal points and showing a high level of commerciality in considering them. I came away very motivated by their enthusiasm and equally impressed by the University. I hope I gave them an interesting insight into life in-house at a tech growth company and possible career options.
I look forward to hosting and participating in more events of this sort, which I find refreshing and motivating on a personal level, and serve to remind me that LoopUp is a great place to work. I’ll have worked here (hopefully adding value…) for 10 years in February, and there are many other long-timers on both sides of the Atlantic, which must say something!
