For three and a half days a week, Lianne Sneddon works as an Expertise Counsel in Ashurst’s London Dispute Resolution team.
On the other days, she often dons a cap and waistcoat to transform into "Storytelling Mouse". In that role as a tour guide, she shares her passion for London’s history while raising funds for charity.
What inspired you to train as a City of London Tour Guide, and how did you go about becoming accredited?
Whenever we’ve been on holiday, I’ve taken my children on a guided tour because I think it’s the best way to see a new place. On a tour of the Vatican, I was inspired by our guide, who completely engaged the kids, and realised that was something I’d love to do.
The process for becoming accredited is quite involved. When I applied, there were only 28 places available for green badge accreditation for the City of London. After a year-long course and four gruelling exams, I was awarded my certificate and badge by the Lady Mayoress of the City of London in July 2024.
Last year, I started my accreditation course for Westminster. That process also involves four exams, including conducting a tour of the interior of the National Portrait Gallery and being able to learn and present 16 stops (without notes) for a two-hour exterior tour.
Can you tell us about the various walks you offer, such as the ‘Women of Spitalfields’ tour, and what makes them special?
I co-founded London City Mouse Tours, and we now offer 21 private and corporate tours around the City of London.
However, Spitalfields is outside the City, and developing these local walks was a massive voyage of discovery. While many of the streets are just minutes from where I work, I’d never really grasped their historic significance before I started researching the area.
One of my favourite tours is the ‘Women of Spitalfields’, which uncovers the stories of the pioneering women who lived in this vibrant part of East London and who refused to be limited by their gender or circumstances. The ‘Dark Side of Spitalfields’ tour is also fun – I get to tell the story of how Jeanette Winterson (author of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit) used to scold the grumpy old spirit in her haunted house, informing him that he could make all the noise he wanted as long as he was quiet from sunset to sunrise.
How do you balance your role at Ashurst with your commitments as a tour guide?
I’m hugely grateful for the support of my colleagues and the firm as they’ve helped me combine my passion for guiding with my work. Twice a month, I run lunchtime walking tours in our history-rich part of the City – and several teams have booked my tours as social events. I've been delighted by how many of my colleagues are now regular walkers.
Thanks to the Product Liability team, I also had the opportunity to create and guide bespoke tours for the opening night of an international conference that Ashurst co-hosted. Myself and three other guides ran three different tours over the course of the evening with more than 90 happy walkers – some of whom went on more than one tour. It was an amazing experience.
What has been the most memorable moment or piece of feedback you've received from a tour so far?
I love telling stories, which is why I’ve been dubbed "Storytelling Mouse" by the London City Mouse team. The feedback I’ve been most chuffed about was from a walker who was very knowledgeable and had been on a lot of walks. He told me it was the first time he had experienced a narrative arc on a tour and that he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Which charities do your walks support, and why are these causes important to you?
I spent my first year as a guide practising my new skills on my patient colleagues, friends and family. In mid-2025, I turned my hobby into a fundraising initiative, raising over £3,000 for various charities by the end of the year.
On all my tours, I ask for a donation to a charity of the walker’s choice or mine. At the moment, I’m donating most funds to Toynbee Hall. It’s a charity that works alongside people facing poverty, injustice and inequality to build a fairer East London. Ashurst also supports Toynbee Hall’s important work through fundraising and providing pro bono services at its Free Legal Advice Centre. Further down the road, I’d also like to raise funds for Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer research.
What are your ambitions for your tours in 2026 and beyond?
I hope to get my Westminster accreditation in 2026 and I've also set new fundraising targets – so if you’re in London and fancy having a bit of fun, learning something new, and supporting charity, let me know, or visit the London City Mouse Tours website.
My other goal for 2026 is linked to The City of London Solicitors' Company, which is the Livery Company for City solicitors. As a member, I have had my Freedom of the City application approved, and the ceremony takes place on 11 May. I hope to celebrate that honour in the time-honoured traditional way, by walking a sheep across Southwark Bridge into the City!
Would you encourage other Ashurst colleagues or alumni to pursue similar passion projects, and what advice would you give them?
Absolutely! Make the time and go for it.
