James Blair, former General Counsel at Speedy Hire plc: Doing the right thing when it isn’t the easy option
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For James Blair, former General Counsel at Speedy Hire plc, it’s about judgement, resilience and having the courage to do the right thing, even when it isn’t the easiest option.
From walking away from investment banking when the work no longer sat comfortably with him, to navigating major corporate upheaval at Speedy Hire, James has spent much of his career dealing with situations where the legal answer was only part of the picture.
James’s journey into law started in New Zealand before taking him to the London Stock Exchange, private practice, investment banking and eventually senior in-house roles. Along the way, he learned that being a successful General Counsel is about far more than technical legal knowledge. It requires commercial judgement, resilience, the confidence to speak up and the ability to act when something doesn’t feel right.
You’ll hear why James chose to leave a highly successful career in investment banking, despite knowing it would mean taking a significant pay cut, and how that experience shaped the way he approached leadership for the rest of his career.
He also takes us inside one of the most challenging periods of his career at Speedy Hire, where a major corporate crisis led to investigations, leadership changes and several years of boardroom turbulence. James reflects on what it takes to stay calm when things go wrong, support the wider business and make decisions when there are no easy answers.
We break down:
- Why trusting your instincts matters when something doesn’t feel right
- What it takes to lead through a major corporate crisis
- Why General Counsel sometimes need to step outside the traditional legal lane
- The importance of earning trust and respect, rather than trying to be liked
- How resilience helps leaders navigate uncertainty and unexpected challenges
- What the Post Office Horizon scandal can teach in-house lawyers about ethics, responsibility, speaking up and, when necessary, being the “conscience of the company”
James also shares his thoughts on whistleblowing, the personal consequences that can come with challenging bad behaviour, and why in-house lawyers can find themselves in a particularly difficult position when their professional obligations come into conflict with the organisation they work for.
His advice to aspiring GCs brings the conversation together: expect the unexpected, be resilient, stay true to yourself and, ultimately, try to do the right thing.
Essential listening if you’re an in-house lawyer, an aspiring GC, or a business leader interested in what good judgement and ethical leadership look like when the pressure is on.