Lessons I Learned in Law
Scott Brown is a 'recovering lawyer'. Following years working in international law firms, Scott now runs Heriot Brown, a Legal Recruitment business. His extensive discussions with people across the legal profession have given him insight into what makes lawyers tick. Now, Scott shares those insights with you - to help you in your career. On each episode Scott invites guests to leave their egos at their door, share their professional successes and challenges, as well as the lessons they've learned in law. Presented by Scott Brown of Heriot Brown Legal Recruitment. Follow Heriot Brown:Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Lessons I Learned in Law
Umar Aziz at DG Partners on Balance, Integrity and Building Long-Term Relationships
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Umar Aziz, Partner, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at DG Partners, joins Scott Brown to share lessons from a career that nearly took him into shipping brokerage before a major life event brought him back to law.
In this episode of Lessons I Learned in Law, Umar reflects on how personal circumstances shaped the start of his legal career, including his decision to return to Clifford Chance after initially turning down his training contract. His first lesson is that there is more to life than work. Drawing on his own experiences of loss, family responsibility and high-pressure legal environments, he discusses the importance of building a full life outside the job — and why excellence matters across work, family, friendships and personal pursuits.
His second lesson comes from advice he received early in his career: learn from the best bits of the lawyers around you. Umar explains why every lawyer you work with has something worth copying — and something worth leaving behind.
His final lesson challenges the idea that lawyers should always try to “win” every point. Whether negotiating with clients, managing internal teams or building long-term business relationships, Umar argues that sustainable success comes from fairness, trust and mutual respect — not squeezing every last drop out of the other side.
Along the way, Umar discusses moving from litigation into funds, the transition from private practice into DG Partners, his COO and GC role, and why full-contact karate helps him stay disciplined, present and switched off from work.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Wordsmith AI — the legal AI platform built specifically for in-house teams.
Guest Recommendations
- Sport: Full-contact karate
- Sauce of choice: Buffalo or curry sauce
Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Register your interest in joining The Lodge In-house Legal Community: https://bit.ly/TheLodgebyHB
- Heriot Brown: https://heriotbrown.com/
- Wordsmith AI: https://www.wordsmith.ai/
- Legal Engineering Project Application form: https://wordsmith.fillout.com/legalengproject
Listen to the Podcast
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/4
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/
Connect with Heriot Brown
About Heriot Brown:
At Heriot Brown, we help lawyers find fulfilment in their careers. Beyond recruitment, we foster a thriving community of in-house legal professionals who share insights, experiences, and growth opportunities.
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro – Umar Aziz & DG Partners
03:40 Turning down Clifford Chance twice
09:28 From private practice to GC & COO
16:12 Lesson 1 – There’s more to life than work
24:03 Karate, resilience & switching off
30:08 Lesson 2 – Learn from great lawyers
34:22 Lesson 3 – Winning isn’t everything
39:55 Building long-term relationships
44:31 GC, COO & wearing multiple hats
56:42 Hot or Not, AI & closing thoughts
