Kate Partridge
Corporate Partner at DMH Stallard
Kate Partridge, Corporate Partner at DMH Stallard, shares a glimpse into her working day, her unconventional route back into private practice, and how a four-day week has helped her balance a demanding legal career with family life.
My career certainly hasn't followed a straight line.
I started out in private practice, working in the City, then moved in-house with a US investment bank. I took time out to have my family and move to Brighton, on the South Coast, before returning to law through a consultancy model and later setting up my own boutique law firm.
Eventually, I returned to private practice as a corporate partner at DMH Stallard.
Each stage has taught me something different about the kind of lawyer I want to be – and the kind of working environment I want to be part of. Running my own business gave me enormous independence but also made me realise the value in having a strong team around you.
I work a four-day week, and I don't see flexibility and ambition as competing priorities.
I have three children – a teenager and seven-year-old twins – so finding balance between work and home life matters to me. I work a four-day week, and I don't see flexibility and ambition as competing priorities.
Morning routine
My mornings are precious. As a corporate partner, I’m often out at client events in the evening, so I like to keep the early part of the day for my family.
My day starts around 6.30am, helping the children get ready and doing the school run when I can. With three children there isn't really such a thing as a quiet morning!
I actually think those early hours are one of the nicest parts of my day. Once the school run is done, I can switch into work mode knowing I've already had that time with the children.
My days can be varied
Once I start work, my days can be very varied. I might be advising a client on an acquisition, working through transaction documents with colleagues or talking to a business owner about their plans for the future.
I enjoy the commercial side of the work as much as the legal side. Having run my own business, I understand first-hand the decisions clients make beyond the legal transaction in front of them – and the personal investment, in time and money, behind them.
Making a demanding career work for family life
Coming back into private practice was a big decision. I wanted to keep working at a high level without feeling I had to choose between my career and my family.
Corporate law can be demanding: deals don't always fit neatly into office hours, and there are evenings when I'm at events, travelling home from London or closing a transaction. The four-day week is what makes that possible – it gives me the flexibility to manage both.
Having worked in several different environments over my career, I knew the culture of the firm I joined would matter as much as the work itself.
I was drawn to DMH Stallard's approach to flexible working, its support for female partners, and the strong mix of women in senior roles. Having worked in several different environments over my career, I knew the culture of the firm I joined would matter as much as the work itself.
For me, work-life balance isn't about a perfectly even split between work and home every day – some days are inevitably more work-heavy than others. It's about having an environment that recognises people have lives outside their jobs, and gives them the autonomy to manage both.
Supporting women in M&A
That experience has also shaped my interest in supporting other women in the profession.
I’m a founder member of March Women, a women in M&A group, and have been involved in panels and events focused on women in leadership.
Female representation matters even more as you become more senior. Being able to see women in senior roles – and speak openly about the realities of building a career like this – is something I care about deeply.
The work doesn't stop at the legal advice
A large part of my role is also about people.
Corporate work is collaborative by nature. You’re working with clients, other lawyers and advisers, often under real time pressure, and everyone needs to be moving towards the same outcome.
I enjoy that team element, and value having colleagues around me who bring different expertise and perspectives.
It’s also what drives my commitment to mentoring and supporting people earlier in their careers. I think you learn a huge amount from the people you work with, regardless of their seniority.
When the working day winds down
There isn't always a neat end to my working day.
If I'm at an event or meeting a client, I might be working into the evening; if I'm in the middle of a transaction, the pace can be particularly intense.
But when I’m at home I try to properly switch off and be present with my family.
Three children have a way of putting work into perspective: they don't particularly care about the end-of-year tax deadline or that you’ve just finished a complicated transaction!
The ability to do challenging corporate work, support other women in the profession and still make space for my family is what makes this career feel successful.
That’s probably the biggest lesson I've taken from my career so far: ambition doesn't have to look one particular way.
You can take a career break. You can move in-house. You can set up your own business. You can work through a consultancy model. And you can return to private practice.
You can also be ambitious about your career while wanting to be there for the school run, attend your children's events and have a life outside work.
For me, the ability to do challenging corporate work, support other women in the profession and still make space for my family is what makes this career feel successful.
And perhaps that is the most important thing: success isn't about following the traditional route. It's about finding a route that works for you.
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