Business | STYLE
Spotlight on: LEE PECKHAM
Lee Peckham is director at
Roach Pittis Solicitors, based in Lugley Street, Newport. Lee specialises in commercial and land-based litigation. We caught up with Lee to find out a bit more about him
Why did you become a lawyer?
I am not sure quite what led me into law, but at high school I had already decided I wanted to be a solicitor. Growing up I was always interested in crime thrillers and I wonder if that had something to do with it!
What was your most embarrassing moment as a solicitor?
Time of Your Life, Green Day Napoleon Bonaparte
As a newly qualified solicitor, I was sent down to the Youth Court with virtually no warning and certainly very little instruction. I was dealing with a youth charged with arson and a decision had to be made as to whether this was a “grave crime” and therefore had to be dealt with by the Crown Court. To determine this the District Judge asked the legal advisor what the maximum sentence for the offence was. He stated that he thought it was “ten years”. She asked the prosecutor who believed it was “life imprisonment”. She then turned to me and said “Mr Peckham, this is your client, so you must know the maximum sentence for arson?” I did not know the answer and decided to side with the legal advisor, saying “I believe it is ten years ma’am”. They looked it up and it turned out it was life imprisonment and thus this was a “grave crime”. The District Judge heard submissions from the prosecutor and then turned to me and said “Mr Peckham do you have any comments to make in respect of the grave crimes argument you were not expecting to have?” I certainly hoped the ground would swallow me up at that moment.
What is the proudest moment in your legal career?
Lee taking part in the Inflatable Rainbow Run July 2019, supporting Wessex Cancer Trust Charity
My proudest moment (although we lost), was representing Jon Platt in the Supreme Court in 2017 after he was prosecuted for not sending his child to school. Jon had succeeded in his
argument in the Magistrates Court and the Isle of Wight Council had appealed him to the High Court. Jon won again in the High Court and the matter was then appealed to the Supreme Court. It was a fascinating experience watching legal arguments at such an intellectual level and also effectively law being created.
What piece of wisdom would you pass on to a child?
You should never worry about what someone else is doing. There will always be someone cleverer, someone seemingly working harder or who appears to be more successful. You cannot influence that, but you can influence what you are doing. Put your energy into improving yourself.
If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I would probably trade places with one of the world’s top sportsmen. Maybe Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal as I love tennis and it would be great to perform at that level.
Favourite song?
Time of Your Life by Green Day. There is an excellent message in it, it’s a great tune and it evokes strong memories.
Which person from history you would most like to have a drink with?
I reckon meeting Napoleon Bonaparte would be quite interesting as he was an exceptional character.
Finally, what is your favourite hobby?
I really enjoy watching and playing sport. I play a fair bit of squash and I also like to run. It is particularly good to get outside when you have spent the whole day in an office!
September and October 2019
125
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132
