IWD Interview – Ben Heaviside

This International Women’s Day, we are turning the spotlight outward.

We asked leading men across the profession to recognise the women who have influenced their careers, shaped their thinking, and continue to drive meaningful change within the legal industry. From respected mentors to rising stars, their reflections celebrate the women whose leadership, resilience and expertise are helping to define the future of the profession.

Together, these perspectives offer a moment of recognition – and a reminder that championing progress is a shared responsibility.

First up is Ben Heaviside, Senior Clerk at Mountford Chambers.

Ben plays a key role in the strategic development of chambers and its relationships with clients across a wide range of practice areas, including serious and organised crime, white-collar investigations, professional discipline and health and safety. Ben was shortlisted for Clerk of the Year at the Legal 500 Bar Awards in 2022.

In his reflections for this International Women’s Day feature, Ben highlights the profound influence of the woman closest to him – his wife, Aja Hall, plus Lady Justice Carr, Katy Thorne KC and Chloe Birch.

Which woman in the legal profession has most influenced or inspired your career, and why?

This is an easy one for me. My wife. We met when she was undertaking her pupillage (different chambers, I add!) and I have watched her progress her career from the very beginning to where she is now. Having taken two career breaks to have two children, change her career path entirely from the one she set out on, and now to watch her command her role as Director of Regulation at British Horseracing, a sport and industry traditionally dominated by men. Not only has she dominated her own career she has consistently pushed and advised me on the right thing to do at the right time with my own career. She has always advised and subsequently supported me in whatever career decision I have made. Knowing I had that level of support is invaluable, particularly when I was appointed to my current position. We knew it was the right time and knowing I had her backing not only championing me but knowing she would take a greater supportive role at home whilst balancing and advancing her own career progression, was invaluable. 

• What is it about her leadership, approach, or character that stands out to you?

When she deals with me, its her ability to cut to the heart of the issue in a logic-based approach to difficult situations, always mapping out the different routes that any situation could develop into before settling on her advice. For her team, I watch her mentor and guide them with kindness and compassion, always acting as their biggest cheerleader and making them believe in themselves. She does this with confidence,  always backing their decisions as the right ones to make but also ensuring they have the space to grow and develop. As a result, I have seen individuals within her team flourish and progress their own careers. With her operating within an international industry, all too often she is the lone female in the room. I have witnessed her champion other women not only within her team, but her counterparts from across the globe in similar positions, to give them a platform to strive for a seat at the table that she presently occupies.    

• Can you share a moment where you saw her demonstrate real impact or authority?

I watched a situation play out over the course of several months in her present role where she took a prominent member of a foreign royal family to task over an unpaid debt (owed to someone within the racing industry). Without going into too much detail, she faced immense adversity from this individuals’ legal team and professional advisors, which included personal attacks on her character and gender. She took it in her stride, and persevered on the course of action she embarked on at the outset eventually settling the issue in favour (and the right outcome whatever way you look at it) of those she represents in the industry. Again, without going into too much detail, even after the matter had concluded and a further personal attack on her was made, seeing her fellow executives and board stand in support of her course of action without questioning her, showed she had the support and backing of everyone within the organisation. Many personal calls and affirmations were rightly credited to her by her colleagues, both senior and junior, in her approach to the situation, and it was a real watershed moment for her career. I was and am very proud of her for the way she conducted herself throughout this time.   

Who do you consider a “powerhouse” in our industry right now, and what makes her one?

Lady Justice Carr, being the first Lady Chief Justice and Head of the Judiciary needs no further explanation. It does however demonstrate how much further we need to travel having only appointed the first Lady Chief Justice in 2023, after hundreds of years, and 97 previous appointments.  

What qualities do you think the legal profession can learn from more women leaders?

Women have traditionally faced more adversity and less opportunities than men in leadership positions, constantly having to fight to be seen, heard and most importantly, respected. Having a level of self-belief and knowing your self-worth is something we can all admire and is a quality we can all learn from.  

Is there a woman whose work is shaping the future of the Bar/solicitor profession that deserves greater recognition?

There are so many that it is really difficult to name all of them, but I look around at my colleagues and clients within the criminal fraternity for inspiration. Katy Thorne KC and the other committee members at WICL (Women in Criminal Law) have made huge strides in supporting working mums and women in general at the Criminal Bar, offering mentoring opportunities for those who may have Judicial or KC appointment aspirations. All of the women in any chambers at the bar who play a part in the pupillage application process, mentoring, supervising and undertaking advocacy training roles for the next generation. All of them are able to draw on their own experiences, adversary and challenges to impart that knowledge on the next generation as future Heads of Chambers, Silks, Judges and leaders of the Bar. More work still needs to be done within the industry however, to accommodate women who are all too often still considered to be the primary care providers at home.     

Who represents the next generation of leadership we should be paying attention to?

I think any young woman embarking on her career in whatever field it may be, is who we should be paying attention to. It is impossible to know early on in anyone’s career who will become a generational talent in their field be it male or female, but affording young girls and women the same guidance, support and opportunity as anyone else will ensure that they are given the platform to become the leaders of the future. I only need to look at my own wife and what she had to go through with her pupillage experience and where she is now. If those in power at that time took the time to support and encourage her they might have been the beneficiaries of her work today. Nurturing talent should be recognised as a role and responsibility from the second they walk through the door. You do not know where they are going to end up and how the roles could one day be reversed.    

Is there a rising star whose work or perspective you find especially encouraging?

I will always champion Chloe Birch (Mountford Chambers), who is, by far and away, one of the most talented members of the bar I have come across in over 20 years of doing this job. She is universally loved by clients (both professional and lay), and is an incredibly gifted advocate. She is also active within various industry organisations (founding member of WICL) and also within Chambers’ internal committees and functions. She has managed to achieve so much in her 8 years as a barrister, which includes a career break to start a family, and acting as one of two primary carers for a close relative. Her approach, resilience and talent is incomparable to anyone I have ever worked with.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you personally, as a leader in the legal profession?

For me it is an opportunity to champion the efforts of those women who went before us and in many cases who may not have received the recognition they fully deserved. For too long the legal industry has been one that primarily championed the efforts of men. When you go back and talk about the all time greats in this job whether it be a Judge, barrister or clerk, the list is invariably made up of men. For me, IWD is an opportunity to start the conversation to change the narrative, not just for a day, but for years to come.   

Why is it important that men actively participate in conversations about gender equality?

As we have already discussed, it is only when men recognise that for too long the focus has been on our achievements, and it is time we redirect the attention to those who may not have only contributed to our success, but are achieving the same and often, more. So often is the case that many of those individuals in question are women. It could be your colleague, your wife, your mother or your sister. Women shouldn’t have to fight for the same recognition, it should be afforded to them by those who are in a position to do so. The most important role men can play is what they  say and do when women are not in the room. It’s all well and good saying what you are doing on days such as IWD, but it is even more important that you follow this up on every other day of the year, particularly when they are not in the room. I want my daughter to follow the progress her mother has made and not have to restart as we see all too often.       

What changes have you seen for women in the profession during your career –  and what still needs to happen?

Change is happening all the time. When I first started, there were no prominent female senior clerks (within criminal chambers) and young girls were not regularly considered for junior clerking roles given the physical nature of the work at the time of trolley loading/running and room clearing. Whilst working practices have changed and the legal world has become more digital making these excuses obsolete, the numbers still do not add up. There has been real progression in women in leadership roles within the industry as a whole, but it is important to drive equality in numbers across employed roles within chambers to achieve greater balance. More conversations regarding flexible working environments, more opportunities need to be presented and more talk about gender pay gaps at the bar and within law firms need to take place. Spotlights need to be shone on those who are able to turn the tide.  

How do you ensure women’s voices are heard in the rooms where decisions are made?

As previously stated, I think only when you achieve parity in numbers in terms of individuals that make up committees, clerks’ rooms or members do you start to see the impact of change and women’s voices are heard. That has been an important aspiration of ours within chambers, and we have had huge success over the last 5 years in achieving this goal. We still have work to do, certainly at KC level in terms of appointments and recruitment, but we are self-aware of our own failings and are striving towards addressing the change all the time.