Andrew Lawrence Greystoke, an accomplished attorney and member of the New York Bar Association, has an impressive career spanning more than four decades.
Initially trained as a lawyer, Andrew Lawrence Greystoke moved into corporate law, making strides at NM Rothschild & Sons Limited before taking on senior roles at various banks and financial institutions.
Among his notable accomplishments, Andrew ran a London investment bank and oversaw operations at the First National Bank of Chicago, then the eighth largest bank in the world.
His contributions to the legal field go beyond practice; he served as a Westminster councilor for eight years and co-authored a standard textbook on takeovers and mergers with Sir Blank and Sir Weinberg. Currently, as director of Pantheon International Advisors Limited, Andrew Lawrence Greystoke provides strategic development consultancy, supporting the growth of emerging companies nationally and internationally. His career path is characterized by a blend of legal acumen and an unwavering commitment to cultivating the next generation of legal professionals.
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in your chosen field?
I originally intended to study medicine at Trinity College, Cambridge, but decided I didn’t like the timetable. So I discussed it with my tutor, who advised me that since I was useless, I would be better off switching to law. I did it, and having qualified for almost 60 years first as a barrister and then as a solicitor, I loved every minute of it. I was fortunate to be a pupil of Lord Slynn, one of the best judges in England. My wife and I moved to New York around 1968, and while there, I qualified as a New York lawyer, which I have remained in good standing with ever since, although I no longer practice.
Can you share a defining moment that shaped your career?
Upon completion of my studies at Cambridge, where I obtained a double honors degree in law, I was awarded the Joseph Hodges Choate Fellowship, a personal appointment by the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Lord Adrian, who gave me the right of entry to Harvard, where I studied for an LL.M. My BA from Cambridge became an MA. I met my wife, an American mathematician from a family of mathematicians, while washing dishes at an event at Harvard. We were together for 60 happy years, married for 54 and have six children and 13 grandchildren – an important part of the fabric of my life.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
As for advice to my younger self, I would quote, as I often do with my colleagues and interns, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls: “If someone bet me a hundred dollars that an elf would get up and piss in my ear, I would prepare for a wet ear.” I have experienced several international crises, which almost destroyed my professional life. The first was the oil crisis of 1972, when I was living in New York in a three-bedroom penthouse on Sutton Place, where I was very rich on Sunday nights and couldn’t pay my support on Mondays.
This was followed by the 1987, 2008 and COVID incidents. My wife and I survived it all and continued to have and love children thanks to her indomitable spirit and hard work. So, be careful, and also be careful what you want because you might get it. I also went bankrupt because of Lloyd’s of London, a financial scandal that led to hundreds of middle-class bankruptcies. My second failure was due to the FCA destroying my law firm, Atlantic Law, which had operated successfully for almost 10 years and could not pay the FCA fine, as the FCA well knew. There was never any criticism of my conduct during the bankruptcy.
What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am very proud to have trained 27 lawyers over the years. Many of them hold senior positions in major international law firms, investment banks and in the business world. In the last two years, three of my colleagues have qualified. As far as I know, there has never been any criticism of any of them on a professional level and they all uphold the high professional, ethical and moral standards they have learned with and from me.
How do you manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance to ensure overall well-being?
I travel a lot to work with our mostly international clients and I enjoy it. I’ve had the same personal trainer for 27 years, who comes to my house (where I’ve lived for 45 years) twice a week. My family is scattered all over the world (four in the United States), and I need to visit them and ideally share vacations, new places and new experiences with them, especially with grandchildren whose ages range from 4 to 16.
How do you define success?
The ability to wake up in the morning looking forward to a day full of professional challenges and personal fulfillment. I choose my colleagues carefully. We have a pleasant office near Baker Street in London in a Georgian building, we work hard and we lunch a lot! The team is made up of six people and we work as a team. I also like to live to a high standard, drive a Porsche 911 convertible and travel well. As already mentioned, I have lived in the same house for many years. It’s in Hampstead, with a garden, a dog and two cats (but, alas, recently without my late wife). I often go to the opera, both the Royal Opera House and the Country House in the summer, as well as the ballet and theatre.
Who is the entrepreneur or business leader that you consider your greatest example and inspiration? Why?
I have worked for several important and charismatic people. The best human being I ever worked for was Governor Stassen (I worked for him the summer after Harvard). He was the former governor of Minnesota (at the time the youngest ever) and, having fought in the war, often tried to become president. He taught me to tip before service, not after!
I also worked for Gerald Ronson, one of our most successful real estate developers, but not for long. I went to the United States in 1968 as a senior vice president of Slater Walker. Jim Slater was a genius who successfully invented asset stripping. He had a stack of folders that said “Wait until the president dies.” I became a director of a NYSE company at the age of 30, but unfortunately the oil crisis destroyed the company. He had extraordinary attention to detail without ever losing sight of the big picture. His biggest mistake was not following my advice. and buy Kapalua Beach on Maui before it is developed. He was loyal to his colleagues, who were loyal to him.
Are there any charitable organizations or community service-oriented activities you are involved in?
We support a variety of musical companies, including country opera, often small and poor companies, as well as a number of Jewish charities. We are somewhat observant but not religious, although ritual is important and was very important when my wife died unexpectedly recently. Her absence has radically changed my life for the worse. My mantra is that we had 60 happy years together and that she died peacefully. My second mantra is that Chapter 1 is over and Chapter 2 is beginning, although I must admit that I am 82 years old.
Tell us an inspiring and uplifting story about a time you helped change someone’s life or someone who helped you change your life and made a difference.
As already mentioned, I have trained several lawyers. One, Veronika, came to work for me as a receptionist, she was 18 or 19 years old, from Slovakia. She told me she wanted to be a lawyer and I told her not to be so stupid. Eight years later, still working with me, she has qualified and is one of the best commercial lawyers I know, practicing as in-house counsel for a major life sciences company.
Thank you, Andrew Lawrence Greystokefor taking the time to share your insights and experiences. Your contributions to the legal field and the education of future lawyers have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the profession.