Martyr’s cause

Peter Martyr has developed something of a prickly reputation over the years, but as he looks out across the Thames skyline, Norton Rose’s chief executive couldn’t be more amiable. Maybe the fresh air and sense of space afforded him by the firm’s gleaming new office at 3 More London is allowing him to relax his guard a little. Perhaps it’s the fact that Norton Rose’s financial performance, after so many years of tepid growth, is beginning to show signs of life. Or maybe it’s because the firm has finally started to assume the shape – both domestically and internationally – that Martyr envisioned when he was elected to the job in April 2002.

Whatever the reason, Martyr is in remarkably good spirits when he meets Legal Business, speaking candidly about his five years in charge, and the roller-coaster ride he has endured along the way. The trouble for Norton Rose is that, over the past ten years or so, the downs have invariably outnumbered the ups. This negative perception has ensured that Martyr has often been on the defensive when discussing his firm – hence the prickly reputation. This is something that he is now very keen to correct.

‘I regret that we got into a bit of a negative spiral with the press, but I think it was difficult to avoid that at the time,’ Martyr admits. ‘That wasn’t comfortable personally and it wasn’t comfortable for the firm, but something I felt we probably had to endure. If I could change something I would change that.’

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