Alicia Bray
From private practice to building an in‑house legal function from the ground up, Alicia Bray reflects on a career shaped by strong foundations, trusted relationships and knowing when the time was right to make the move.
After leaving Hall & Wilcox, Alicia Bray moved straight into an in‑house role at MECCA, a decision that quickly proved to be a defining step in her career.
At the time, Alicia had been a Senior Associate for just over a year and was beginning to think about what might come next.
‘I remember sitting in the kitchen at Hall & Wilcox saying I wouldn’t move for just any role,’ she recalls. ‘It would have to be something like MECCA. That very day, MECCA advertised a role.’ Maybe it was fate…
Building a legal function from scratch
Alicia joined MECCA as its most senior lawyer, with one junior lawyer reporting to her who was nearing admission. Within nine months, she was promoted to Head of Legal.
‘When I joined, there wasn’t an established legal function,’ Alicia says. ‘Since then, we’ve built the team from one lawyer to three lawyers and a paralegal.’
A significant part of her role has involved creating systems and processes, as well as educating a business that wasn’t accustomed to working closely with lawyers.
‘In‑house is very different from private practice,’ she explains. ‘You’re embedded in the business, you see matters from start to end, and you’re involved in strategic decision‑making, not just the legal pieces. You can really see the value you’re adding.’
Her Hall & Wilcox chapter
Alicia’s focus had been on intellectual property and media law. Keen to deepen that specialisation, she was drawn to Hall & Wilcox’s strong IP practice and to its people.
‘Friends of mine, Britt and Steph, were already at Hall & Wilcox and spoke so highly of the firm,’ she says. ‘It was the combination of the people, the culture and the specialist IP focus that appealed.’
Alicia joined the firm during COVID and worked remotely for an extended period before meeting many of her colleagues in person.
‘They all thought I’d be taller,’ she laughs. ‘But it’s a real testament to the culture that you can feel so supported and comfortable, even when you’ve only worked together through a screen.’
She credits colleagues such as David Mummery for helping make the transition seamless and reinforcing the strong sense of connection within the team.
Seeing the bigger picture
The shift in‑house gave Alicia a new perspective on legal work.
‘In private practice, you go very deep into the law,’ she says. ‘At MECCA, you still do that, but you also understand the commercial context. People across the business want to talk to you, and you’re able to contribute in a much broader way.’
She also values the variety her role brings.
“No two days look the same. There are always interesting projects and issues to navigate, which keeps the work exciting and challenging.”
Advice for junior lawyers
Looking back, Alicia says her time in private practice was essential in preparing her for an in‑house role.
‘Building deep technical expertise and experiencing a range of practice areas was incredibly valuable,’ she explains. ‘My graduate rotations, including in employment law, still help me every day.’
Her advice to junior lawyers is to be proactive about their interests.
‘Find what you’re genuinely interested in and make it known. I really wanted to work in IP, even when I was close to being placed elsewhere. The relationships I built and the conversations I had, helped me get there.’
Connections that last
Alicia remains closely connected to her Hall & Wilcox network. Several former colleagues have also moved in‑house, creating an ongoing professional support system.
She still speaks with Susie Dobbie, Mark Lebbon, James Bull and John Gray in Corporate & Commercial, and recalls when James Pavlidis followed her to MECCA a year after she started.
‘Those connections don’t disappear when you leave the firm,’ she says. ‘They stay with you.’
This article was published in May 2026.