Kim Simmonds
Kim believes in making a difference. It’s a core value of hers. Whether that is helping your business succeed and grow to charitable endeavours around mentoring young adults. Kim believes in change for the good.
Law 365 was built to make a difference to your business, to your way of working with lawyers in the tech space to fundamentally making the experience of working with lawyers more pleasant, easier, and integral to your success.
Kim’s main goal is to have happy clients and happy staff. Change is good for everyone especially when change means success.
Where would we find you on a perfect Saturday afternoon?
Outside with friends and family having an alfresco lunch or barbecue.
Your favourite quote
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
Albert Einstein
What are you passionate about?
Sounds corny, but truly turning the legal industry on its head and making it more accessible and modern for clients and lawyers
What’s your Karaoke song?
OMG - the memories! It’s got to be Gangsta’s Paradise - it takes a lot of people by surprise!
Who is your role model and why?
I have quite a few to be honest! My dad has taught me very strong work ethics and also the fundamental lesson that you cannot change anyone, they can only do that.
What is your favourite book or movie?
Pan’s labyrinth is easily my favourite movie. With books, I only tend to read leadership or coaching books, boring I know to most but it’s my buzz. I have so many inspiring ones but the one most recently which has inspired me the most was ‘Net Positive’ by Paul Polman and Andrew Winston.
What is your proudest moment?
I have quite a few, the first time I felt immensely proud of myself was passing the New York Bar. I was working at Shearman & Sterling as a corporate M&A Associate and no one ever failed so I was justifiably nervous. When I passed, and it’s a notoriously hard bar to pass, I was the most elated.
Other proud moments include being in the Lawyer Hot 100 list and the numerous awards we have won because we are achieving our aim - shaking up the legal industry and it seems to be working.
My kids, always, always make me proud and the everyday of watching them develop into good hum beings, gives me that sense of pride each day.
Which is your favourite Law 365 value, and why?
Family - it’s at the top of the list and it’s why I set out to create Law 365. To create that community within where we look after one another. I always go for the utopian vision - somewhere deep inside me, I truly believe it is obtainable - you just got to infect enough people with the vision.
We have won Great Places to Work 2 years in a row scoring 100% both years so maybe I am infecting with it after all! They are all creating it within, I am only showing them we can achieve it together.
Tell us a lawyer joke
What did the lawyer name his daughter?
Sue.
And his son?
Bill.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about lawyers / and what’s completely accurate!
Misconception about lawyers is that non lawyers can do their job!
We see it all the time, people don’t invest in legal advice in everyday advice because they think they know how to handle it and often, we see so many disasters with attitude.
This is what I am trying to solve for people, stop making lawyers a reactive service but create a compelling proactive service that’s affordable and accessible to make Microsoft Partners grow with less risk.
What is completely accurate?
We are pedantic and often long winded. About everything.
It’s our job, but we can improve the long windedness!
What makes you happy at Law 365?
My team, they are truly awesome human beings, each and every one of them.
I try and do 1:1 lunches with everyone and I always have a lot of fun out on these lunches as everyone is just an amazing soul and so good at their jobs.
I barely manage anyone!
Education, Training and Qualifications
- University of Exeter | Exeter, UK | Bachelors of Laws with Honours in Law (European) (LLB European)
- L'Université de Rennes 1 | Rennes, France | Maitrise en Droit mention Droit Européen in Law (European) (LLB European)
- Fordham Law School | New York, New York, USA | Master of Laws (LLM), graduated cum laude (top 1% of my class)
- Admitted to practice law in New York
- Member of the American Bar 2007
- Completed the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (to practice English Law)
- Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, NY | M&A Associate 2006 - 2009
- Sherrards Solicitors LLP 2010 - 2012 | Corporate & Commercial Associate
- Teacher Stern LLP 2012 - 2014 | Corporate & Commercial Associate
- Law 365 Ltd 2014 - present | CEO and Founder
Memberships
