I became a corporate lawyer by fluke

Louis Pereira, Nicheless founder, wrote recently that we shouldn't over-congratulate ourselves on our choices because they are shaped by the people we happen to spend time with. I agree, but the influence of chance on our choices goes well beyond the company we keep.

I was idling in London after graduating from law school in Oxford, prepared to come back to India and prostrate myself before a senior counsel to become a litigator, like most other miserable freshers of my tribe.

My mother was visiting - "why don't you do a few months with a lawyer here first?"

Tempted to ignore this naive motherly suggestion, I remembered a rowing brochure from university. The law firm Ashurst Morris Crisp had advertised in it, with pictures of Jonny Searle MBE, in a suit, with the caption "Trainee Solicitor" and, in a boat, with the caption "Olympic rower" (coxed pairs, gold medal, Barcelona 1992). Underneath, it claimed a Delhi office. Interesting.

With nothing to lose, I obtained their number from directory enquiry and called the switchboard.

"Can I speak to someone with something to do with India please?"

My call rang through to a secretary who, fobbing me off, gave me the fax number of someone in Delhi. That's that, I thought. An hour of lounging about in my pyjamas later, the phone rang at my pal Vikram's place, where I was squatting.

"This is Philip H of Ashursts, I believe you rang me".

Twilight zone moment.

In 1995 caller ID was almost unknown, so I had no idea how he had my number. I gathered my wits, we spoke, he was interested, I was called for interviews, got the job. 27 years later, I've never argued a case but instead had a fulfilling career as a corporate lawyer.

Yup, chance matters, big time.