We recently caught up with James Hunt, Partner and Head of Transactions Tax at RSM, to reflect on his journey to Partnership and the experiences, challenges and decisions that shaped his career along the way.
Becoming a Partner is often described as the pinnacle of a professional career. In reality, it is less a finish line and more the start of a new journey.
When I look back to my first months as a Partner, now over four years ago, what stands out most is not the title or the status, but the shift in responsibility, mindset and identity that comes with it. For me, that transition was amplified by the fact that I moved firms at the same time. I wasn’t just stepping into partnership; I was doing so in a new environment, with new people, expectations and dynamics to learn.
The moment responsibility becomes real
One moment that crystallised the change was the first time I signed off a report on behalf of the firm. It seems routine, but when it’s your name and signature on the page, it carries a different weight. Even with layers of review, you realise that you are carrying a lot of responsibility and representing the firm.
That responsibility is both daunting and affirming. It’s the point at which you truly feel the shift from senior professional to Partner.
With that comes a mix of emotions. There is pride, of course, but also pressure and often a degree of imposter syndrome. You look around and see people who have been Partners for years and wonder whether you really belong.
Over time, you learn to remind yourself that you didn’t arrive there by accident. You earned the trust. People recognised your contribution.
Choosing what kind of Partner you want to be
One of the greatest freedoms partnership gives you is the ability to decide what kind of Partner you want to be.
Early on, I reflected a lot on the Partners I had worked with throughout my career. Not just those I admired, but also those who displayed actions I didn’t want to replicate. It became clear that partnership is defined more by behaviour than by technical capability.
How you show up for your team. How you engage with clients. How you collaborate with fellow Partners. In short, how you treat other people.
I knew I didn’t want to be a distant, unreachable partner. Equally, I was conscious that being too close to the detail would limit my ability and time to build new relationships and grow the business.
Finding that balance – being visible and supportive without micromanaging – is one of the ongoing challenges of the role.
Work-life balance was also central to my thinking. I had young children and had seen colleagues reach partnership only to sacrifice important commitments, including quality time with family but also “me” time, including keeping fit and healthy. I wanted to build something sustainable through being fully committed, ambitious and driven, but not at the expense of life outside work.
Partnership inevitably brings commercial pressure. You are measured on what you bring into the firm. But I have always believed that if you focus on doing the right things – acting with integrity, supporting others, behaving as a true partner – the results tend to follow.
A partnership is exactly that: a group of people working together. I was clear that I didn’t want to operate as a sole trader within a large firm. I wanted to contribute to something collective and share in its success.
Joining a new firm as a Partner
Joining a new firm as a Partner also brought visibility. I wasn’t well known within the firm so I was put in the spotlight early on both internally and externally, and with that came a responsibility to handle the attention carefully.
I spent a lot of time listening, learning and understanding the partnership dynamic before trying to influence it. Respect matters, particularly when you are an incoming Partner, joining others who have built something over many years.
Coming from a Big Four background carried its own perceptions. Experience brings credibility, but only if it is used with humility. I was conscious not to arrive with ego or assumptions.
Three Key Questions
Looking back, there are three questions that shaped my decision to move and have continued to guide my thinking since.
Am I in the right environment to thrive, not just survive?
At the time I was considering moving firms, I realised I wasn’t really thriving. I was learning, progressing and earning well, but operating on autopilot, with little energy left outside of work.
What would the right environment look like?
Not just the firm itself, but the culture, the expectations and the people around me. If you’re in the right environment and you have the right attitude, you can go very far.
What matters most?
Time with family. Fulfilment. Feeling valued and valuable. Financial security. Staying fit and healthy. Being honest about those priorities is sometimes uncomfortable, but essential.
Partnership is not for everyone – and that’s OK
Partnership is not right for everyone. Some professionals reflect and realise they do not want the responsibility or trade-offs that come with partnership. Money may not be a driver either. These are valid and thoughtful conclusions.
What matters is making the decision consciously, rather than drifting into it because it feels like the expected next step.
The priorities for me personally are to feel both valued and valuable. Valued through respect and fulfilment, and valuable through genuine contribution – developing people, supporting fellow Partners and helping clients succeed.
At its core, partnership is simple: support your clients and support each other – and that applies to all roles, not just Partners! Get that balance right and most other things follow.
Self-awareness was a real differentiator
The biggest skill that has served me along the way is self-awareness. Understanding how you are perceived and that as a Partner, you are expected to be a role model for best practice and an advert for the firm. Recognising that behaviour and consistency matter as much as technical excellence.
You only truly understand partnership once you are in it. It is learned through experience, reflection and sometimes discomfort. But for those who approach it with clarity and intent, it can be one of the most rewarding chapters of a professional career.
