Nigel McClea: The golden career of lawyer who helped firm become a global giant

Nigel McClea is to retire as head of the Leeds office of Pinsent Masons in October. He will be replaced by Mark Owen, head of property in Leeds, with Mr McClea staying on as a consultant.

As one of Yorkshire's best-known lawyers, Mr McClea has played a part in the creation of the Jorvik Centre in York, the Royal Armouries in Leeds, the Rose Bowl at Leeds Metropolitan University and the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.

He has also spent his entire career with the firm which he joined as Simpson Curtis, which then had 80 staff, which changed names several times and in 2005 became Pinsent Masons, a global giant which today has 280 partners, more than 1,000 lawyers and more than 1,700 staff.

"I have had a golden career," Mr McClea said. "To the point where I am a proud member of an enormous legal operation which spans the globe – I would not have believed that when Madge the caretaker made buns for the articled clerks (in 1973).

"The nature of the business has transformed beyond all recognition. We are doing the sort of work I would have gasped at thinking of."

Mr McClea, 59, joined the profession in a very different age. As well as the buns baked for staff, the dentist's son was paid the princely sum of 750 a year. He went into property when the practice was still involved in residential transactions and was made a partner the day before his 26th birthday – which he admits is unlikely in today's legal world.

In 1984, he became head of property in Leeds and in 2000 he moved up to become group head of property, before being entrusted with the reins of the Leeds office in 2004. It was this, he said, that may have been the most interesting part of his career, presenting the chance to study the city and then to get involved in it, becoming a founder sponsor of Leeds Legal and chairman of Marketing Leeds.

"I swapped going round the various offices in the UK for working in this environment. I had never paid much attention to what made Leeds tick and the past six years have been a learning curve.

"I have met a lot of people all of whom embody an aspect of our great city and region. I don't think anybody runs Leeds or the region but an awful lot of people add value to what the city is about."

Mr McClea was tasked with steering Pinsent Masons through the last recession, the longest and deepest since the end of the Second World War, and said he was "greatly grieved" that the firm had been forced to reduce its number of staff, although this has been mitigated by cost-cutting, particularly in transport, as well as the introduction of short-time working, sabbaticals and secondments for some workers.

"I think it has been the worst and the most dramatic recession. I am very proud of how we have dealt with it.

"As head of office, it is part of my job to have a good family here. It is a situation where a very good organisation has ended up lean and confident and not complacent – as soon as you stop running as hard as you can you go backwards."

The number of people working in the Leeds office has fallen from 325 to 300 but Mr McClea said this had been a mix of compulsory and voluntary cuts.

Asked his advice for solicitors at the start of their career, he said it was vital to show stamina and cited the occasion in the 1990s when work on one building had necessitated having 25 lawyers from 16 firms in one room. He also said practices should not show weakness and never be complacent.

And on the growth of Pinsent Masons? "It has been the work of very many people and if I played my modest part then I am pleased. I should watch with great interest and a lot of pride to see how it develops. It has been fun as well."

NIGEL McCLEA: A LIFE IN LAW

Nigel McClea is well-known for his part in shaping modern Leeds. As well as being involved in deals for many buildings, he has helped the city to grow and sell itself to the wider world.

He was a founder sponsor of Leeds Legal and, as chairman of Marketing Leeds, he has helped the city shape its image as a centre for business and investment. He paid tribute to Deborah Green, its chief executive, saying he had "enormous respect" for the work she had done after the body had endured a difficult start.

Mr McClea is also on the board of social enterprise Leeds Ahead whose chief executive, Stephanie Burras, he described as a "force of nature" and a leader in the field of corporate social responsibility.

He also avoided being downcast about Leeds' prospects, despite the effect of the economic slump and the coalition's spending cuts.

"I am passionate about the city and I am passionate about the region and I think the next few months and years are going to be very interesting and they are something I want to be part of.

"We are going through a period of great change – a period of great challenge both for the public sector and for the private – but I am irredeemably optimistic. I think we have some really great people and good organisations operating in and around Leeds."