Career development in the 21st century should be considered every lawyer’s main concern, according to Norton Rose energy and resources partner Robert Milbourne.

In March 2010 Milbourne made the decision to quit his role as general counsel for mining company Vale Australia, a role which saw him travelling extensively.

Vale, the world's second largest mining house, based out of Brazil, has been expanding within the Asia Pacific region aggressively. Milbourne commented that working within the company provided an incredible opportunity to repreent a rapidly growing South American company in new markets around the world. He found working in Portugese and dealing with Brazilian cultural expectations provided new complexities and opportunities for growth of the legal counsel. 

While the most common reasons for switching to private practice or in-house relate to hours, work/life balance, the motivation behind Milbourne’s move is slightly more unique. “I made the decision to move from a company to a law firm not for the money; and not for the quality of life, but to expand my career in new and challenging ways,” Milbourne said. “Anybody who wants to have a dynamic, long term career as a lawyer in this day and age needs to be able to navigate the skills of a law firm and a corporate role.” While this may be common advice, used to encourage yearlong secondments, there are still questions to be answered. What is the best way to provide young and mid-level lawyers with the international experience and commercial insight required to advise major global clients whose business they are competing for? For Milbourne the answer is straightforward: send them to the right strategic locations and encourage them to explore; but not all firms are doing this. “Law firms in the future will require increased corporate and commercial understanding, particluarly with respect to operating within diverse cultures and languages. To be representing these clients, you need to have your people understanding what it (business) means,” he added.

“What is the major cultural difference for working in major international  law firms in Singapore, Hong Kong or London? There are differences but they are not huge ones,” he notes. The answer, how to push people to grow hard and fast, according to him, lies in sending them to the areas where developments are happening and encouraging them to immerse themselves in the local culture and language for an extended period. “There are easier and more cost effective  ways of developing international commercial expertise than packing [lawyers] off to Harvard. I would rather see firms subsidise 20 associates each year to go work in China, Indonesia, India, Russia or somewhere,” he said.

Milbourne, who speaks Mandarin and Portugese, has spent the last decade in energy,  mining and natural resources, and focused as much on understanding the mining and resources industry as corporate and transactional matters. He commented that effectiveness in legal advice demands an understanding of the commercial context in which that advice is given. Milbourne's practice as a mining and corporate resources partner with Norton Rose frequently sees him sitting with clients from Brazil, China, India or elsewhere with their dealings and interests either in Australia, Asia, South Americal or some other part of the world in a truly cross-border fashion.

To facilitate that understaning, those in senior positions also have a responsibility to create relevant opportunities for those with whom they work ,according to Milbourne. “If all GCs and partners think about is moving people from London to New York, then the lawyers of the future may not have the level of preparation that will be required, they won't be as prepared as they could be” he added. And change must happen according to him if the industry is to capitalise on the growth in Africa, Brazil and Asia of 8% -10% year on year.