About us

Since 2006 Legal Support Network (LSN) has been building a community for people in law firm management throughout the UK.

LSN brings the legal business services community together online through our website, our events, publications and social media channels. To support our online activities, LSN hosts a number of networking events annually across the UK, which provide the community a tangible platform to meet, establish and collaborate with peers. LSN also produces Briefing, a monthly digital magazine aimed at delivering thought-leadership content to the community in PDF format. In 2011, LSN introduced a conference arm to the business, with a view to delivering delegate conferences, seminars and workshops.

Who works in a firm like this?

David Sparkes
Founder/Managing Director

David Sparkes has worked in the legal industry since 1992. He started out at Thomas Eggar Verrall Bowles, later moving to HCL Hanne & Co. In 1997 he joined Adept Recruitment, a legal recruitment consultancy.

In 2006 he set up legalsupportnetwork. The rest, as they say, is history...

David's icebreaker:
Golf, cycling, Chile and triathlon

Contact David:
020 8322 7790
07958 655 288
davids@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/davidsparkes

Sarah Cox
Head of client services

Sarah Cox spent six years working for TFB (now TikitTFB), eventually managing the company's marketing department. Sarah joined LSN in 2009. She's responsible for keeping all LSN's clients happy, managing networking events and making sure everything client-related runs like clockwork.

Sarah's icebreaker:
Exploring the sights of London, running and horoscopes. Trainee domestic goddess.

Contact Sarah:
020 8322 7790
sarahc@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/sarahcoxlsn

Rupert Collins-White
Head of content and community

Rupert Collins-White has been in legal publishing since 2005. He spent nearly five years at the Law Society Gazette, rising to features and commissioning editor, and de facto head of web. Rupert trained post-grad in journalism and has worked for IT Week, PC Advisor and SC Magazine, among others.

Rupert's icebreaker:
Can tend a small vineyard, if required. And I studied Star Trek at university. No, really, I did.

Contact Rupert:
020 8322 7789
07824 645 406
rupertw@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/rupertwhite

Sam Irvine
Head of events

Sam Irvine has over 10 years' experience in research and production of successful, commercial B2B events, and spent six years as senior conference producer and content manager at Ark Group. Sam is responsible for LSN's conferences and delegate events, including the new Operational Leaders in Legal and Legal Practice Management strands.

Sam’s icebreaker:
London’s restaurants; studying maps; unique wildlife holidays.

Contact Sam:
020 8322 7792
sami@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/samirvine

James Callard
Head of corporate partnerships

James Callard has over 10 years’ experience in recruitment marketing. He's worked for boutique recruitment business Witan Jardine and, more recently, Ambition. James is responsible for the recruitment arm of LSN - building partnerships with law firms and other legal service providers, recruitment consultancies and suppliers to the legal market to support their hiring strategies.

James's icebreaker:
I love triathlon, golf, cricket, football… basically most sports and, of course, rhubarb.

Contact James:
020 8322 7793
jamesc@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/jamescallard

Stella Paterakis
Client services manager

Stella joined Legal Support Network in January 2012 and is trying to fill the big shoes that belong to the lovely Sarah while she's on maternity leave. With over six years experience in the legal market, more recently with DocsCorp Australia as a global account manager, Stella is more than capable of looking after all our networkpartners and making sure things like networking events continue to run like clockwork.

Stella's icebreaker:
Travelling and impersonating David Sparkes saying the Greek alphabet!

Contact Stella:
020 8322 7794

stellap@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/stellapaterakis

Phoebe Brewster

Team Assistant

Phoebe is a recent postgraduate in Business Management having previously studied Media Communications. She worked as a media assistant for BAA during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Now she assists the LSN team with database management, event organisation, research, administration and anything else that needs to be done.

Phoebe’s icebreaker:
She once won a gold medal for ballet and jazz dance which means she can throw a few good shapes and likes nothing better than devising dance routines to Steps’ back catalogue.

Contact Phoebe:
020 8322 7797
phoebeb@lsn.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/phoebebrewster

Mike Simpkins
Design

Whilst Mike is not a direct employee of LSN we still consider him part of the team. Mike has been integrally involved in the design and creation of the LSN brand from day one. We are always keen to acknowledge his creative input and amazing efforts into the LSN brand and all our media information. Basically, he's in this list because we love him. We love ya, Mike.

Find out more about Mike's work at www.mcml.co.uk

Here's what Mike had to say...
It's not hard to see why Dave and the team are so successful at what they do. Complete dedication and an infectious enthusiasm for providing an unrivaled level of service.

Mike's icebreaker:
Stronger in the arts department. Enjoy tickling the occasional guitar string