Write up of CWHLS ‘Finding your true North’ article 28 April 2026.

You can read the article on pages 12 + 13 of the Spring issue of Central London Lawyer magazine.

President Suzanna Eames sums up well in her introduction to this issue on page 5 of the magazine about our event on Tuesday 28 April Philip Lewis

“We were delighted to host our ‘Finding your True North’ event. The discussion around career direction, resilience and defining success struck a real chord with attendees and reflected something fundamental about modern legal careers: there is no single path, and no single definition of success.

As a Society, we are committed to making space for those conversations – conversations which help our members navigate change, challenge assumptions, and build careers that are both successful and sustainable.”

5 panellists (from left to right, pictured. Picture credits to Claire Ballard, founder of ByBallard, event photography sponsor)

Gabriel Rodriguez, Partner, Carbon Law Partners

Gabriel Rodriguez is a Partner at Carbon Law Partners. He is an experienced Commercial Litigator and multi-faceted communicator. His broad career and education to date marry a legal eye with a creative and adaptable mind for the benefit of his clients. He originally trained as an actor, performing in theatres as well as working in events catering and education for children. He qualified as a lawyer in 2017, joining Shoosmiths, before moving to Carbon Law Partners in January 2025. The main thread of his career is communication in the form of legal writing, theatrical or voice performance, presenting, workshop facilitation or creative writing. He was born in Scotland and speaks Spanish.

Kavitha Joseph, Founder and Principal Solicitor, Lynwood Solicitors

Kavitha Joseph is the Founder and Principal Solicitor of Lynwood Solicitors. She founded the firm in 2016 and has since built a growing team of eight, including employed and consultant lawyers, with expertise across property, private client and corporate law. She began her career in corporate law, working on M&A and asset management, before specialising in property. Kavitha now advises individuals, investors and businesses on residential and commercial matters. Through her leadership, she is building a welcoming platform for like-minded professionals and setting a standard for modern, client-focused legal services, while maintaining strong traditional legal expertise. She is a strong advocate for female empowerment and actively supports community non-profit organisations that help graduates and professionals develop their careers.

Rumana Bennett, senior consultant employment lawyer at Saltworks Law

Rumana originally trained in immigration and litigation then retrained as an employment law specialist in the City. Rumana has recent experience of the performing arts/charity sectors. She has 20 years’ PQE and works at Saltworks Law, a Community Interest Company (CIC), where a percentage of her fee goes directly to the charity ATLEU (the Anti-Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit), which provides legal support to survivors of trafficking and slavery. Rumana has an active interest in promoting kinder, neuroinclusive workplaces and in supporting the retention of women going through perimenopause/menopause and gives talks on both. Rumana is now exploring how her skillset might be used within the BCorp model.

Lydia Brookes, Arts manager and freelance musician (oboe)

Senior manager in the music sector, including Deputy Director and Interim CEO roles at Sinfonia Smith Square and Tenebrae. A qualified solicitor with over 10 years’ legal experience spanning financial, public and voluntary sectors, and 8 years’ board experience in the arts, Lydia trained at Clifford Chance in London and Rome, joining the capital markets team on qualification. She later moved to Stone King, specialising in education and charities law as a Senior Associate and subsequently as a professional support lawyer. After deciding not to pursue partnership in private practice, she moved into the arts and now has a portfolio career combining arts management with performing as a freelance musician.

Daniel Winterfeldt MBE KC (Hon) General Counsel | Board and C-Suite Advisor | Capital markets, M&As, Governance | FT Legal Innovator

Daniel is a general counsel with over 27-years’ experience acting as a team leader and trusted advisor to clients, the C-suite, and boards. Most recently, Daniel worked as General Counsel EMEA & Asia at Jefferies, a global investment bank, for five years. Prior to that Daniel worked as an associate, then partner, in private practice at several law firms, including Weil Gotshal and CMS. Daniel was named “Legal Innovator of the Year” at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2012. In 2020, appointed by Queen Elizabeth as Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa (Honorary QC) as well as an MBE for contributions to capital markets and diversity, inclusion, and culture in the legal sector.

Event co-hosts Rachel Brushfield, The Talent Liberator ™ founder EnergiseLegal and Philip Lewis, Business Matchmaker

WHLS committee, pictured, left to right: Aneesha Bhunjun, Deputy Vice President and chair of Law Reform sub committee, Marta Sanchez Merino – EDI sub committee chair, Suzy Eames- president, Amanda Lathia – Vice President and Anita Winsome- Editor in Chief of Central London Lawyer magazine.