Executive Search Process

Demand for top legal talent has never been greater and competition for lawyers with the specific skill sets, personality traits and experience who can add serious value to an organisation is increasing. Our tried and tested executive search process leads to appointments that last and add value.

We are passionate about our proactive search process. It enables clients to find highly desirable top tier candidates and leaves them confident that they have the best person for the role, rather than the best in the market currently looking to make a move. Our retained searches also provide our client’s with exclusivity over the candidates we identify and approach.

Executive searches are commonplace at the senior end of the market, however our unique approach to sourcing candidates and the fact that we also use a similar process for associate hires, means that we can offer a superior service to other recruiters. We tailor our process depending on our client’s requirements and the standard key elements are outlined below.

  • Initial Search Brief - The key parameters of the search are agreed and we make an in-depth assessment of our client’s requirements including the position itself and candidate specification. We also discuss and get to the heart of the organisations culture, goals and strategy.
  • Search Strategy and Action Plan - We discuss a targeted research strategy and define the target law firms, companies or other institutions to search from. We design a brief identifying why the organisation and role would appeal to the target audience. Finally we develop an action plan & timetable for the search.
  • Research and Longlist - We produce a focused longlist of suitable candidates for our clients’ approval. We identify the best candidates through our extensive network of contacts and our experienced research team. Our database tracks the careers of lawyers throughout the Asia Pacific region and the UK. We are able to review the size and structure of most teams in international law firms quickly and comprehensively, providing us with a substantial advantage over our rivals. Whilst we hold a lot of information on file we always conduct fresh research for each assignment.
  • Detailed Candidate Shortlist - After approaching and formally interviewing all target candidates we present our client with a report detailing the profiles of suitable candidates. This is typically in CV format along with information regarding clients, potential following, reputation and suitability for the role. We seek informal views on each candidate prior to the shortlist stage. We also provide feedback from candidates who do not wish to be considered, along with market intelligence such as client and role perception, salary expectations, and competitor intelligence updates.
  • Candidate Selection & Placement Management - We facilitate the hiring process by providing support throughout the client interview stage and advising on offer and terms to attract the candidate (or team) of choice. We advise on resignation and counter offers if and when required. Reference checks and due diligence are carried out through the entire process but become more formal at the latter stages. Once the offer of employment is accepted we continue to liaise with both parties throughout the subsequent notice period and upon commencement to ensure the hire is successful and the integration is smooth.