Brian Or

"Joining Peerpoint has helped me gain exposure to a wider variety of work, as well as in-house experience."

I’ve always enjoyed legal work, but found private practice wasn’t for me. With three years’ post-qualification experience as a financial restructuring and insolvency lawyer, I was starting to feel a little stymied. I wanted more flexible working arrangements and more control over my time. I also wanted more choice and variety in my work.

The switch to consulting with Peerpoint has been transformative. For my first placement, I’ve been working on an IBOR transition project with a global financial institution based in Hong Kong. I’m involved in managing projects and timelines, and collaborating across countries, product lines and businesses. It’s great to be working with a really interesting organization, doing varied and complex work with good people I can learn from and who value my contribution.

Recently, my assignment was extended, and I’ve taken on new responsibilities in a more hybrid role. While I’m still mainly focused on project management, the scope of work has expanded to include areas such as quality control. I’ve also gained exposure to a wider range of product types used in different markets.

Given the sheer scale of this project, my placement has also proved a great way to enhance my soft skills, especially communication and stakeholder management. I’ve found it helps to be pretty adaptive mentally, able to hit the ground running and fit easily into teams – all learnings I’ll be taking forward to my next assignment.

I could certainly imagine consulting as a long-term option. The flexibility that comes with working this way is a big part of that. I want to do things outside work that are important to me, such as spending time with my family, travelling and pursuing my passion for rock-climbing. With Peerpoint, it’s possible. I feel I’m in a stronger position now to shape my career on my own terms.

A&O Shearman was formed on 1 May 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). This consultant profile may include reference to roles/assignments generated by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.