What’s it like to work at Archor?
An interview with Liam Hendry, Senior Associate
Liam is a Senior Associate who joined Archor in April 2024. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor he spent fifteen years working as a quantity surveyor and estimator in the construction industry, and before Archor he worked for a local full service law firm – so he has seen both the construction and legal worlds from different angles. Having been at Archor for over a year, Liam is well-placed to provide insight into Archor…
Distinction in the Market
What advice would you give to someone applying to Archor or considering a career here?
Keep an open mind about working for a boutique firm based outside of London – construction is a broad practice area and construction cases are a big contributor to the law. Despite our location we often act opposite (and beat!) London-based firms. Trainees at Archor are also given a lot of responsibility early on so you’ll develop quicker than peers at other firms.
What do you wish you’d known before starting your legal career – and how did Archor help you figure that out?
I wish I’d known how useful the skills and contacts I’d made in my previous career as a QS would be. For example, my management skills have transferred to supervising junior colleagues and working directly with previously clients has made BD as a lawyer easier. Don’t discount any non-legal work experiences.
Looking Ahead
What are you most excited about in the future of Archor or your career here?
l’m looking forward to working on bigger and more complex cases, expanding my own client base and helping junior colleagues develop.
How do you see Archor continuing to grow or evolve in the next few years?
I think that Archor will continue to expand its client base, particularly regionally with our Cambridge office and projects such as Sizewell C. I think that we’ll be involved in a lot more building safety disputes once projects started under the BSA 2022 regime start to reach practical completion.
Personal and Professional Journey
What inspired you to pursue a career in law?
In 2018 (a few years into my first career as a quantity surveyor) I took a master’s degree in construction law. I really enjoyed studying an area of law where I had a good understanding of the commercial and practical context. Some of our lecturers were construction lawyers and at some point I asked myself “I wonder how I get to do what they do?”. That set off a train of research and ended up in me taking the plunge and changing careers in 2020.
What attracted you to join Archor?
I really wanted to focus on construction disputes and Archor gave me the opportunity to do that. I also liked the idea of learning and developing in a large, specialist team.
Life at Archor
What makes Archor different from other law firms you’ve encountered?
Archor is generally a fun place to work and that translates to how we work internally and with clients. It’s also quite fast-paced (probably because I do a lot of adjudications!) which means that you learn and develop quicker than you might do elsewhere.
How would you describe the culture at Archor in three words?
I think that Archor is (1) fun (we have less formal relationships with clients and the office is a vibrant place to work), (2) sociable (we are encouraged to socialise with clients and do lots of fun things together outside of work) and (3) challenging (a lot of our matters are fast-paced and involve a lot of money – naturally that creates a certain amount of pressure, which I enjoy).
What types of clients or matters do you typically work on at Archor, and how do you think that compares with other firms?
Most of my work at Archor is for main contractors and sub-contractors and involves adjudication and high court litigation. As a comparison with working elsewhere, the disputes I work on at Archor are generally for larger clients and bigger sums of money. We also tend to act against large London-based or national law firms more often.
Are there any unique initiatives at Archor that you’re especially proud to be part of?
One of my colleagues and I have started a regular breakfast event for “up and coming” people at key clients in the local market. The breakfasts give us an opportunity to start building relationships with the people who we’ll be working closely with in future.
What has your progression within the firm looked like so far?
I joined Archor in April 2024 and was promoted to senior associate in April 2025. The firm has a clear route for career progression and I’ve also found that the partners are open to discussing the requirements to progress to the next level. The culture at Archor is also very supportive and all of the junior staff are happy to see each other progress.
Is there a moment in your career at Archor that particularly stands out – whether it’s a big case, a client success, or personal achievement?
A personal achievement is my promotion to senior associate (as mentioned above). I’ve also played a key role in a recent case – Jaevee v Fincham – which has been widely commented on and helped to build my profile.
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