About us
EST. 2018
Our story
In 2016, Ben White left the world of private practice at Clifford Chance to join the in-house legal team at a tech company. In making this transition, he discovered his extended network of legal colleagues, knowledge, and resources was considerably smaller.
Ben realised he probably wasn’t the only lawyer to have made the move in-house and feel this way. So, in 2018, he started a side hustle to provide in-house lawyers with content that mattered to them: Crafty Counsel.
Fast forward to today, Crafty Counsel is no longer just a side hustle creating video content. In 2020, we expanded to build a community space for in-house legal professionals after noticing a need.
As the UK’s fastest growing community, Crafty Counsel is redefining the experience for in-house legal professionals. From our calendar of events and virtual meet-ups so they can grow their networks. To training, content, and research which so they can nurture their career. And not forgetting our partnerships so they can cultivate their resources.
As Crafty Counsel continues to grow, one thing which stays the same is our founding vision to bring joy, insight, and connection to in-house legal.
What we do at Crafty Counsel
Everything we do is about redefining the in-house legal experience. From helping legal teams build stronger connections and push their careers forward, to making it easier to discover and engage with the right partners.
Events
Our calendar of events reimagine how in-house legal professionals come together. From Crafty Fest – Europe’s largest in-house legal event, to focused one-day conferences and intimate experiences like Retreats, breakfast, and even padel. Thoughtful, energising, and always crafted with the in-house perspective in mind.
Community
Our Community is a hub for over 6,500 in-house legal professionals to share ideas, learn together, and feel part of something bigger. As the most dynamic and fastest-growing legal Community, there are spaces to connect wherever you are – from the Community Hub app and virtual meetups, to local gatherings in your city and more.
Partnerships
We collaborate with a wide range of organisations in the legal space – law firms, legal tech providers, ALSPs, recruiters, and more – to help in-house teams discover the tools, services, and support that actually work for them. We create space for honest conversations, real relationship-building, and impactful thought leadership.
Meet the team
The people behind Crafty Counsel
Toby Hornett
Head of Community
After training and qualifying at Clifford Chance, Toby’s background is mainly as an in-house lawyer with Canon Europe. Then in 2017, he made an internal move into Learning & Development which included coaching. Prior to joining Crafty Counsel in March 2023, Toby supported part-time as a Community Ambassador. He also volunteers as a peer supporter for LawCare.
Nicola Jones
Community Ambassador
Nicola owns and runs a multiple award-winning learning and development consultancy. A former barrister, Nicola is a certified business psychologist, a Fellow of the LPI, and an experienced executive coach. She Co-Chairs Birmingham Law Society’s Legal Tech Committee.
Sarah Leighton
Head of Commercial
Sarah is an experienced business development specialist who joined the legal industry in 2006 and never left, apart from a brief stint as a diving instructor in Bali.
Hannah Sinclair
Head of Marketing
Hannah is a marketing specialist who has worked for Cannes Lions and in the Middle East with experience in crafting digital strategies and integrated campaigns which creatively tell stories and build communities.
Emma Trollope-Bellew
Head of Events
Having always been meticulous in nature, Emma began her career supporting events in 2015. Since then she has honed her skills and, in 2021, began to run events for professional communities. After nearly a decade in the events industry, Emma joined Crafty Counsel as Head of Event Operations in 2023.
Ben White
Founder & CEO
Ben worked as a lawyer at Clifford Chance and as an in-house counsel at a global tech company before founding Crafty Counsel, originally as a side hustle in 2017.
CRAFTY COUNSEL COMMUNITY
Join the Community for free
Crafty Counsel is the UK’s most dynamic and fast-growing Community. With members from across the globe, representing a diverse range of professional backgrounds, the Community is where in-house legal across the world can grow their network, nurture their career, and cultivate their resources.
They trust us
Partnering with brands from across the legal landscape on events, content, and more to provide in-house legal teams with unrivalled access to expertise and learning.
