Julieanne Wilde joined Peerpoint in January 2026. Here, she reflects on her first six months, what sets Peerpoint apart and her vision for the future of flexible legal resourcing.
You joined as head of UK in January, and you're now just over six months in. What drew you to Peerpoint, and how would you reflect on your time here so far?
I was drawn to Peerpoint for the opportunity it provides to drive positive change in disruptive professional services, backed by A&O Shearman’s global brand. Peerpoint’s model, built on quality and adaptability, is a natural fit for my core values of collaboration, curiosity and growth.
Six months in, what stands out is the dynamic ecosystem at work – Peerpoint, A&O Shearman, our consultants and clients creating real value in synergy. I have spent this time connecting with our communities and getting a real sense of what matters most to them. That has been energising and has reinforced why I am here: to continue building the business, elevating the Peerpoint brand, and futureproofing our consultant panel to meet our clients’ evolving needs – and I know I have a brilliant team behind me to help make that happen.
For someone who hasn't worked with Peerpoint before, how would you describe what we do?
Peerpoint is A&O Shearman’s flexible legal resourcing business. We connect our global panel of over 400 experienced consultant lawyers with the in-house legal teams of world-class organisations, covering everything from parental leave and transaction support roles to regulatory change, transformation projects and specialist expertise on demand. We were one of the first law-firm backed flexible legal resourcing disruptors and we have been operating and evolving for 13 years.
For lawyers, we offer control over how, when, and where they work – without compromising on quality of work or clients. Our differentiator is the backing of A&O Shearman which gives our consultants access to training, knowledge resources, and partner contacts.
What’s driving lawyers towards flexible legal careers and where does Peerpoint fit in?
Lawyers are re-evaluating what success looks like, particularly post-pandemic. They want more control, a better work-life balance, and the freedom to choose clients and projects that align with their interests rather than being assigned work on capacity alone.
There’s a generational shift too, lawyers earlier in their careers see legal consulting as a way to diversify their experience faster. At Peerpoint, we enable that flexibility while maintaining the highest standards: high-calibre assignments with leading organisations, backed by the resources of one of the world’s leading law firms. Our consultants keep progressing as top-tier lawyers without putting the rest of their life on hold.
Which sectors is Peerpoint focused on, and how are you helping clients meet the ‘do more with less’ challenge?
We invest in understanding each client’s drivers so we can match the right legal consultant, acting as a trusted partner who brings the right people together to solve problems. We work with clients across financial services, private capital, technology, and energy, covering a wide range of transactional, regulatory, and advisory specialisms.
In-house teams need to do more with less, moving at pace while grappling with new technology and AI. We support them with flexible, specialist expertise at the right seniority, exactly when needed. Our consultants slot in quickly as members of the client’s in-house team, so clients get the support without permanent headcount or any compromise on standards.
When a consultant joins our panel, they go through a partner-led technical interview and that endorsement carries weight. It means that when they walk into a client on day one, the quality question is already answered. They don't have to spend the first few weeks proving themselves. The A&O Shearman name behind them does that work and that changes the dynamic of every assignment.
Looking ahead, what's your vision for Peerpoint in the UK, and what would success look like for you personally?
My vision is for Peerpoint to be the first name that comes to mind when legal consultants or in-house teams think about high-quality flexible resourcing in the UK. That means continuing to grow the business, deepening our market positioning, and staying ahead of demand by making sure we have the right people ready before our clients need them.
I measure success by impact: the consultant who finds an assignment that genuinely fits their career; the client who tells us we solved a problem they didn't expect us to; the A&O Shearman practice group that sees Peerpoint as integral to their work and client relationships. I am also investing in how we work through better use of data and technology, AI education for our consultants, and stronger insight-sharing across the wider network.
Ultimately, it comes back to three things: quality, community, and genuine care. Everything else follows from there.
