Our culture is your story - Steven Downs
For the first 19 years of my marketing career, I mostly worked with firms in the insurance industry. From insuring £300,000 prosthetic limbs to superbikes (with a few more traditional products along the way), the sector was where I gained my skills and experience. When I first saw the AG job advert I immediately talked myself out of it. I had no experience in professional services and I assumed the firm would not be interested in someone lacking first-hand exposure to the nuances of a law firm. However, after speaking to the recruiter I realised how wrong I was and decided to apply. I’m so glad I did, it was a real ‘sliding doors’ moment.
The recruitment process was brilliant. Even if I hadn’t been offered the job, the experience alone was invaluable. My first interview was with the hiring manager and one of her colleagues. It was a really relaxed interview and it just felt like I was part of a brilliant conversation with people who clearly loved their work. It was inspiring. That interview led me to another one with two senior figures at the firm. I Googled them both before meeting them, and reading their track records left me absolutely terrified to be honest.
Leaving that interview I was really unsure if I would get an offer, so when the phone rang on my birthday offering me a job at AG I was delighted.
Working at AG has been unlike anything I've ever experienced before. It's undeniably challenging, but it's so much more rewarding and the people I work alongside are absolutely phenomenal.
Moving to the firm is the best professional decision I have ever made. My life before AG was often about where the next step on the ladder would come from and not necessarily the purpose of what I did. That has all changed. In some of my previous roles marketing and business development were often seen as a cost, something that had to be tolerated at best and sidelined at worst. At AG, it was immediately clear that people saw my work as an enabler and a positive force for growth. It's now a natural part of life to be in conversations with Senior Lawyers and Partners discussing ideas and sharing opinions on how we can improve our efforts.
