A very warm welcome to Roxanne Selby who joins White & Black as a Senior Associate within our Litigation & Disputes team. Roxanne has a particular focus on IP, IT, and technology-related disputes.

We asked Roxanne a few questions to get to know her better!

How did you end up with a career in law?

I read Classics & English at Trinity College, Oxford.  Like many graduates, I was unsure what I wanted to do when I graduated. After a brief stint in Blackwell’s Bookshop, I rapidly moved into legal publishing, where I became responsible for publishing in various subjects at Sweet & Maxwell (now part of Thomson Reuters) and Oxford University Press.  I was able to meet many fascinating senior legal figures, work on some incredible products, and be at the forefront of the development of strategies to shape the transition from print to digital.

However, I realised early on in my publishing career that I was more interested in practising law.  Moving into practice took a few further years because publishing was so enjoyable, but a period pursuing my own digital development and strategy consultancy work and then working in market strategy roles for Thomson Reuters gave me the opportunity to study for legal qualifications.  I joined a national firm in Oxford where I trained and qualified as a commercial litigation solicitor, and worked at a full-service firm in Reading before moving to White & Black.

What most excites you about joining WAB? 

I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work in a more specialist firm and to focus more closely on a range of commercial and intellectual property litigation.  I am keen to learn more about our clients and their business priorities and the way in which I can help them avoid and resolve disputes and focus on their business priorities.  Having worked mainly for larger organisations, I am also really looking forward to being part of a smaller, more closely-knit team.

Roxanne Selby – Senior Associate

What interests you most about your area of law?

As a commercial litigator, the sheer range of disputes and areas of law I need to get to grips with means there is never a dull day!  In the last few years, I have dealt with disputes on areas as diverse as pipeline pigging, garment labels, specialist insurance products, and technology, many of which have involved an international dimension. I enjoy applying the law to help clients resolve their disputes so that they can focus on their business priorities.

Do you have a ‘stand-out’ moment of your career so far?

There is always something special about winning at trial.  One of my recent career highlights is winning a seven-day trial on all points, getting a great result for clients who had been in litigation for several years.  However, the greatest wins for clients are not always going to be those where there is a big legal victory to celebrate but where we have been able to secure a commercial settlement at an early point, avoiding the expense and stress of lengthy and uncertain litigation.  These might not quite be stand out moments, but they are some of the most rewarding moments.

What do you do when you’re not ‘lawyering’?

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my son, reading, running, going to the gym, doing tai chi badly, and aiming to do karate less badly.  In the last year, I have travelled to Poland, Germany and Greece to attend karate seminars and I enjoy making friends in the local, national, and international karate community.