By Business & Finance 
Jamie Olden is Managing Partner at RDJ, an Irish corporate law firm. RDJ offers corporate and commercial legal services, with a focus on combining legal insight with human intelligence to provide solutions for clients.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What are your main priorities and goals in the role?
My main focus is to invest in our people; they keep our business growing from strength to strength. Developing talent, widening diversity at all levels and creating career pathways are key to our future success.
I’m a big believer in sustainable growth, expanding RDJ’s capabilities, while at the same time protecting the culture and values that have got us to this point. Consistent client engagement is also a key priority. It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, by listening to clients’ needs, we can tailor our services to suit them and anticipate legal difficulties they may face.
Like most businesses, a lot of my role currently is taking the time to future-proof our business through the right technology adoption. We know the right digital tools can streamline our operations, lift productivity and give staff more free time to build deep relationships with clients. It takes time to assess them and ensure they are the right fit for us and our clients.
What are your biggest challenges as Managing Partner?
Honestly, I don’t see anything as a challenge. There are elements of the job that require more attention at any given time, but I am in year four now as Managing Partner, so I am used to different issues which arise. Recruitment and retention are always something to focus on. The market is filled with so many great roles now that practitioners are spoilt for choice. I see this as a good challenge for RDJ as it keeps us on our toes constantly to evolve our employee experience. We are doing a good job of that right now, but there’s always room for improvement.
I mentioned it earlier, but technology is a key challenge. It is critical in our profession that standards and security are at the heart of everything, so we must balance innovation with prudence when adopting new tech tools.
Ultimately, we need to maintain our profitability and be smart about how we grow, that means disciplined on costs, but creative in how we deliver value.
What have been your highlights in business over the past year?
This year, the firm reached two milestones that were highlights for the team. We achieved B Corp certification, becoming the first legal practice in Ireland to meet that global standard for social and environmental performance, a recognition of the long-term choices we’ve made on governance, people and community. We also launched “Well Within the Law”, an initiative to improve the mental well-being of legal professionals across Ireland.
Both initiatives underline our commitment to building a firm that delivers client outcomes while standing for positive social impact. I was hugely proud of our team, who had huge passion, and it showed me what our people can achieve when they get behind something bigger than themselves. It is also the case that both milestones have led to positive interactions with the next generation, who we want to join the firm and help us build.
I strongly believe the initiatives align with doing the right thing, the fact that they will lead to increased productivity and profitability without damaging the culture of the firm is a happy byproduct.
What’s next in your firm?
We will continue to invest in AI and automation and investigate other digital tools that will benefit us as a firm. Alongside tech, we are expanding our sustainability and ESG advisory capabilities to support clients navigating regulatory and market transitions.
We are always committed to people-centred investment and will further build our training, mentorship and career development programmes. Our growth depends on how well we grow our people.
What new trends are emerging in your industry?
Generative AI is the big one, it’s already transforming how we do legal research and first-draft preparation. The challenge now is using it responsibly, without compromising on quality, security or trust.
On the client side, regulatory change is keeping everyone busy. ESG and the new CSRD reporting rules, the EU AI Act, the NIS2 Cybersecurity Directive, as well as evolving rules around employment and remote work. All of these are top of mind for businesses right now.
Finally, there’s a growing focus on cybersecurity and data privacy. Clients are looking for proactive advice, not just a reaction when something goes wrong. That’s a big shift, and one that will only intensify.
What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?
Right now, the Geopolitical landscape has been as uncertain as I can remember. The constant changing of the goalposts has created uncertainty for clients and advisers, requiring agility and deep, sector-specific insight.
Ensuring AI is used appropriately, and that the newly qualified learn appropriate analytical skills at an early stage is key as a lot of the more mundane work we did, are now being done by systems.
How do you keep your team/staff motivated?
We focus on creating a collaborative, inclusive culture where people feel their contribution is valued. We’ve done this a few ways, career progression, recognition and flexibility.
Firstly, we develop clear career pathways for everyone, with structured mentoring and meaningful professional development. We are dealing with highly motivated and intelligent people, so we give them the tools to progress and support them along the way. The hope is that people decide what they want out of their career in RDJ and get it. At various stages, there is a conflict between career, personal life, family life and what we hope is that we make sufficient allowances so people can decide at various times what they want and get it.
We want people to understand, but also be the driver, of their career progression. Secondly, we publicly recognise achievements and reward commercial and technical innovation. Lastly, the legal sector can be tough at times in terms of long hours – we have flexible working and wellbeing initiatives so that colleagues are supported and can achieve a healthy work/life balance. At the end of the day, if our people are thriving, the firm is thriving.
Are there any major changes you would like to see in your sector?
We need to see progress on gender balance at partnership and senior leadership levels in the sector. A more representative leadership team will improve decision-making and create better role models for the next generation of lawyers.
How do you define success, and what drives you to succeed?
Success for me is delivering value for clients, for colleagues and for the communities we serve. RDJ wants to leave a positive legacy for the next generation of lawyers and to consistently deliver results that justify the trust clients place in us. Ultimately this is a business and without the fundamentals on revenue and profit, we cannot deliver so it is key to get the balance right. We need to do all that and keep our current culture.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in business?
“Never tell a lie, it always catches up with you.”
What advice would you give to others starting out in law?
Read newspapers. You need to understand what is happening in the world, and more importantly, to understand people you do not agree with. Phones and their feeds are invaluable; however, the bias of what you are receiving is lessening your ability to analyse and consider all sides.
Learn how to speak to strangers. Technical excellence matters, but we expect that everyone can do the job. The ability to explain complex issues simply is what builds trust. Equally, combine legal capability with commercial awareness: understanding the business context makes legal advice far more valuable. That’s how you go from being a good lawyer to a trusted advisor.
What is your favourite hobby and why?
I enjoy participating in sports such as running and swimming. I find problems and issues become more manageable when I have had a chance to consider them on a run or in a pool.
What is your mantra for life?
This too shall pass.
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