Fast growing regional law firm recruits a corporate partner from an international firm with help from Ortus Group after trying independently for 18 months.
The Mission & Challenge
A fast growing regional law firm reached out to Ortus Group to recruit a corporate partner to lead the development of their corporate practice in London. This is after their 18-month search attempt that failed to reap the results they wanted. As the London office had been growing year-on-year across all areas apart from corporate, the firm’s overall growth plans became negatively impacted without a leadership figure in that department.
After 18 months of independent search, the firm reached out to Ortus Group for help. The client sought a senior partner with 10 years of experience & PQE. They had to possess strong technical skills, a profitable client base and a solid reputation in the corporate world. Furthermore, the role required someone with strong managerial experience to offer leadership to the existing team for further growth.
Searching for the Ideal Candidate in a City of Experts
With corporate being the most competitive market to headhunt in, the ultimate challenge was to find the an ideal candidate that had the credentials and characteristics that would fit well in firm’s culture.
Despite being a strong and growing firm, it was not well known in London or the corporate market. This was further compounded by London being a city where there are hundreds of highly regarded law firms that seek high-end corporate partners for the same reason.
How Ortus Group Approached this Successfully
Ortus Group began by researching the market to identify targets via a skilled headhunt project to attract the best possible talent for the role. Through this, the Ortus team compiled a long and detailed list of suitable candidates from London.
Following this, the team identify the key benefits for considering the opportunity with the client that synergises with the ideal candidate.
To shortlist the ideal candidates, a trained Ortus Group deployed a specific, tried and true headhunting methodology that has reaped significant successes in the past. As a result, the team was able to identify two candidates that could be a good fit for the client.
It was imperative to manage the expectations for both parties as candidates needed to be informed about the firms credentials despite it not being well known in London. Ortus Group also coached the client on the interview process for senior hires and the counter offer process.
Ortus Group worked closely with candidates and the client through the entire process – from first meeting to offer negotiations.
The End Result
The client successfully recruited a senior corporate partner from an international law firm with a turnover of over £100 million.
This partner possessed the attributes that the firm had been searching for and fit in well with the firm’s culture. They were ready for change and completely bought into the firm’s aggressive growth plans and was ready to take on a new and exciting challenge. The firm is now investing in other senior hires to allow further growth of the London office.