Senior Lawyers and Partner Designates
There has been much written in the legal press over the last few years about the increasing difficulty of progressing from assistant to partner, particularly in the larger firms. The stage at which assistants might be considered for partnership has been pushed back by many firms and we’ve seen the introduction of an extra rung on the career ladder, described in its various terms: legal director, managing associate, associate director and of counsel. The demands of partnership are indeed not for everyone but the fact remains that for most senior lawyers, partnership still remains the ultimate goal.
Whilst external factors such as a buoyant or depressed economy, supply and demand in a particular practice area and a bit of being in the right place at the right time will inevitably all play a part in anyone’s career path, a mid to senior level lawyer still needs to position themselves as best they can in order to secure a promotion. That’s where we come in.
We see our role as threefold at the senior associate and partner designate level:
1. Outlining all of your options
This may well mean advising you that the best option for the time being is to remain at your current firm. If that’s the case, then we are happy to give you the help you need to build your case for promotion. If you are unsure about your prospects within your own department and would like to find out whether there’s a more suitable role out there for you, we will help you. On the other hand, it may be as simple as feeling that you need a change, a new challenge. Whatever your objectives, we will work through your options.
2. Optimising your chances of securing immediate or future partnership
In order to make the transition from associate to partner, thorough preparation is key. We will assist you in formulating a business plan and advise you on how best to discuss existing and potential client followings. We will hone your presentation skills if required and prepare you for interviews with a partnership, management or board committee.
3. Finding you the right platform to build your practice
The job market for senior associates is slightly different. Many of the active vacancies given to recruiters are aimed at attracting junior and mid level lawyers or existing partners with client followings. For senior lawyers, there will of course be the active positions but there will also be opportunistic ones. It is therefore an area where a talented and experienced recruitment consultant can make all the difference to the process by being able to identify both strategic and opportunistic roles. Our market intelligence enables us to target the firms that will consider hiring a senior lawyer into a partner or partner designate role if there is a justifiable business case or a strategic need. We will be proactive in seeking out the best opportunities in the market and will use both our substantial experience and instinct to judge where the best cultural fit lies.
And of course, we will assist you with any or all of the following matters:
CV drafting
Business plans
Interview preparation, technique and presentation skills
Remuneration packages
Resignation
Counter offers
Notice periods
General career planning.