The people behind Essential Counsel.
You’re not hiring a logo. You’re hiring the people that drive the business. Here’s who we are.
Strategy
David Orchard
David Orchard is a leading Legal Strategy Operator with over three decades of experience handling high-stakes, complex matters for FTSE 100 companies, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals across multiple jurisdictions. He started his career at HSBC (then Midland Bank) before moving into private practice, and holds an LL.B. from the University of London (1984). David founded Essential Counsel to deliver senior-level legal expertise directly to businesses and individuals who need experienced counsel on substantial matters, without the overhead of traditional law firm structures.
Ethan Dowdall
Ethan Dowdall is our Senior Paralegal at Essential Counsel. Having joined us in 2025, he brings a scope of knowledge and expertise to the business by dealing with day-to-day live client matters, in the High Court of Justice, Court of Appeal and County Courts. His role focuses on assisting our Founder, David Orchard, supporting his work and ensuring seamless connections between clients and Essential Counsel.
Saamiya Ullah
Saamiya Ullah is our Paralegal at Essential Counsel, responsible for dealing with internal projects for our clients. She joined the company in early 2026, working alongside our Senior Paralegal Ethan Dowdall and Founder, David Orchard. Her previous background includes completing a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Masters of Laws (LLM) in London, UK, with successful completion of SQE1.
AI & Technology
Dhruba Das
Dhruba Das is the Senior AI Engineer at Essential Counsel. His academic background includes an Advanced Computing MSc at King’s College London, with research on AI, agents and multi-agent systems, algorithmic and mathematical optimisation, data visualisation and graph network theory. He works at the intersection of frontier AI and real legal practice, turning decades of hard-won legal judgement into systems that never sleep, never skim and never bluff. His standard is the firm’s standard: assume nothing, question everything, double check everything.
Marketing
Gabriela Metodieva
Gabriela Metodieva is the Marketing Associate at Essential Counsel, focusing on marketing strategy, operations and outreach. With a background in English Literature from the University of Westminster, together with previous experience in content creation, marketing and PR, she specialises in bringing forward Essential Counsel as a business to prospective clients and building relationships with external stakeholders and audiences.