A day in the life of… Rebecca Kirk

Being a Partner leading the Employment and Immigration team in the Hereford office and Head of HCR’s Defence, Infrastructure and National Security (DINS) sector means two things: no two days are the same – which I love – and every day is busy.

Like most working parents, I start my day having already “put in a shift” – getting my two young children up and out of the door to school and childcare, having been dressed, fed and cuddled. On this particular day, I cuddled them a little longer, as I’ll be in London for the rest of the week attending DSEI – the UK’s largest defence expo.

I usually arrive at the Hereford office by 8.15am, coffee in hand. Barring any early meetings, my first job is to review my inbox, prepare my to-do list and plan out the day, ready for the daily catch-up with my team at 9.15am. Often, my inbox will have a few “quick queries” that need to be dealt with right away – either from DINS sector clients about new or ongoing matters, or from colleagues about business development, events or management issues.

I arrange to speak with a DINS client late morning about a grievance they received overnight from an employee working at one of their customer sites overseas. I also respond to an international referral about need help with navigating security clearance requirements for defence contractors

At 9.15am, I meet with my team to check in, see what’s on their to-do lists for the day and support with any supervision requirements.

Afterwards, I deal with an urgent enquiry from a client who needs advice about a potential employee with a criminal record. The client is a very experienced employer with a large workforce and is used to handling complex matters. While they need advice on the law – particularly the relationship between employment rights, data protection and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act – most of our discussion centres on risk management. We explore the legal, commercial, financial and reputational risks associated with each of the client’s options, so they can make an informed decision.

Increasingly, and especially in the defence sector, my work involves stepping back from the legal issues to understand the culture of my client’s organisation and the environment they operate in. They’ve often researched the law before speaking to me – what my clients want is strategic, commercial advice based on risk.

Following the Teams call, I turn my attention to drafting work for other clients – including a contract of employment for a new hire for a DINS sector client who will handle firearms and must hold the highest level of security clearance, and a settlement agreement for another client who wishes to exit a director and shareholder.

After a quick bite to eat from one of the many delicious local delis near the office, I review and update the employment provisions in an asset purchase agreement (APA) for a defence client buying another business. They’re being supported with the transaction by our Corporate team and Head of Office, Jenny Staples. My role is to ensure our client understands the liabilities and obligations they’ll inherit when the seller’s employees transfer to their employment on completion under the TUPE regulations, and to protect their position in the APA as far as possible.

Mid-afternoon, I check in one final time with the team before catching the train to London to attend DSEI the following day.

DSEI is held every two years at ExCeL London and is the largest defence expo in the UK. It’s a key event for most of my defence clients – many of them spend two years preparing to exhibit, using it as an opportunity to meet existing clients and customers, secure new business and network within the sector. Some of our Herefordshire-based clients are even sponsoring DSEI this year, highlighting their significant presence and standing on the global defence stage.

As Head of the DINS sector, attending DSEI gives me a great opportunity to connect with existing clients, support them as exhibitors and undertake some business development with potential new clients and contacts. It also helps me gain valuable sector knowledge and insight. Following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review in June and the Defence Industrial Strategy just a week before DSEI, sector insight is even more important this year.

I spend my time on the train responding to a few emails and confirming coffee meetings for the next four days in London. Before winding down, I have a video call with my children to hear about their day and say goodnight. Then I take an hour to relax with a podcast and a coffee (decaf, of course, given the time of day!) so I’m ready for what the rest of the week has in store once I arrive in London.