Geoffrey Timms
Group general counsel
Legal & General Group
Geoffrey Timms considers himself an unconventional manager of a highly qualified team. He hates bureaucracy and regimentation and above all, babysitting. He likes proactive individuals who strengthen relationships, work independently and exceed targets. This also applies to the external firms he uses. ‘I like working with lawyers who understand how we work and approach issues, who go the extra mile bearing in mind all risk factors,’ he says.
The UK-based in-house team is smaller in size when compared to teams in rival insurance companies, but headcount has remained fairly stable over the last year with some 30 fee-earners.
Law firms used (known to use): Berwin Leighton Paisner, Clifford Chance, Slaughter and May
1999-present: General counsel, Legal & General Group
1993-99: Head of legal services, Legal & General Group
1990-93: Solicitor, Clyde & Co