Emmie Rackham joined the firm as a trainee before qualifying into our Moscow office. Several job moves later, Emmie followed her heart and retrained as a psychodynamic counsellor running her own practice in Stroud

When did you join the firm?

I joined the firm as a trainee in January 2001 and my first seat was with Laurence Levy in corporate finance followed by rotations in litigation, property and banking. The banking seat was particularly memorable. I was part of the acquisition finance team alongside Tom Speechley who was one of the youngest partners at the time. We worked extremely hard with many late nights and long hours but we also had a lot of fun, networking and socialising. I remember feeling excited about a completion meeting in Stockholm but all I saw was glimpses of the city from the back of a taxi.

I was also lucky enough to do a seat in the Moscow office with Chris Viner and I qualified into that team and stayed in Russia. It was an unforgettable experience and I realise now just how many opportunities it opened up for me.  

Do you have any favourite memories from your time with us?

One of my abiding memories of my time in Moscow was the terrible food. I remember vividly being presented with a whole, grey, ox tongue for lunch one day.  Although the food was challenging, working with a great bunch of people certainly made up for that. Another quite hair-raising memory is that of a trip I took to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia, camping up in the volcanoes. We were dropped off with tents and supplies but no radios or mobile phones and we immediately came across a large brown bear. We had no protection except our tent and after a stormy night, we awoke to find bear prints circling the one tent that remained after the winds uprooted the other. As if that was not risky enough, we trekked along the steep slopes of the volcano wearing only trainers, with no ropes or other safety equipment. When I think back on it now, it seems quite unbelievable really.

Was there anyone at the firm who inspired you?

Yes, Marcia Levy. She was my supervisor in my second corporate seat and she was a brilliant role model. Women partners were still few and far between then and she just stood out as an amazing lawyer and judge.

Where did your career take you after leaving Norton Rose Fulbright?

After a crazy year in Moscow, I wanted to move back to the West Country to be near my family so I took a role in Bristol with Burges Salmon. I stayed four years before going in-house at Nationwide. Although I enjoyed it initially, after the birth of my daughter and a role change, I decided I wanted to pursue a career that I found more fulfilling so I retrained as a psychodynamic counsellor. 

Tell us about your counselling practice

My practice is wide and varied. I spend one day a week in a secondary school where I work with pupils on a wide range of issues including the normal teenage anxieties around exam stress, bullying and friendship problems alongside more complex issues.  This tends to be short-term work and involves a lot of listening and providing support.

In my private practice, I tend to work with clients on a longer-term basis, again dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, relationship/work/health problems. I have been working with some of my clients for up to four years and I know it has been truly life-changing/lifesaving for some of them. I feel very privileged to be a part of their journeys. At the moment, most of my counselling takes place face-to-face but I also see clients remotely, via phone or video call.  I do believe there is a place for online therapy, especially for people such as lawyers who lead pressurised and busy lives.

What do you do when not working to relax?

At present, I am busy in rehearsals with my daughter for a local production of Oliver. It is great fun and we both enjoy it. We also have a cockerpoo called Bella who seems to need an enormous amount of walking yet still seems to have boundless energy.  Recently, I started playing the piano again - I last played at university but I feel I am making slow and steady progress.

If you would like to know more about Emmie’s practice and her services, please visit www.emmierackham.com