The Lex 100: Archives

What is your background?

I studied Theology at the University of Bristol. After I graduated I moved to Hong Kong for a year, where I worked for an executive search company and as a paralegal at Mayer Brown JSM. I then returned to the UK where I undertook the GDL. After completing the GDL, I worked for a sports management company before going on to study the LPC.  I was subsequently offered a training contract at a high-street firm in North London but eventually decided this wasn’t for me as I wouldn’t be able to practise in the areas of law I was interested in. I then began to explore alternative options to practising as a solicitor.

A number of my friends were headhunters and told me that recruitment agencies were always on the lookout for new talent. I applied speculatively to different agencies and after receiving three offers, I chose to join a boutique agency. One of my reasons for choosing Eximius was that the company had recently been through a management buyout and each team was run by a partner. This reassured me that the partners were very invested in the business.

How has your legal training prepared you for your current role, if at all?

There’s no getting away from the fact that a big part of working in recruitment is sales. But the job is also quite technical and this is where having an understanding of law firms and practice areas comes in very useful.  My role also involves a lot of negotiation – whether that’s negotiating terms with new clients, negotiating compensation packages for candidates or negotiating contracts.

Another big part of my job is business development so it helps to know different people within the industry, be they former classmates from law school or family members. It helps to know a lot of lawyers!

What are your main responsibilities?

My main responsibility is to find the best possible candidates for my client and to enable a smooth recruitment process. Representing the candidates as best as possible and helping them make the best career decisions is also a key part of what I do.

Tell us how a typical ‘search’ works.

A client will get in touch saying they are looking for a lawyer to fill a particular vacancy. I’ll then have a briefing over the phone or in person with the line manager and the HR partner. Often there are recruiters from other agencies on the call. The client will explain the role, how it has come about, what the work entails and what sort of candidates they are looking for in terms of experience, background and level. At the end of the briefing, I’ll have an opportunity to ask the client questions.

I then start looking for potential candidates. I do this by reaching out to candidates I know already, searching on Linkedin and using the company database. I also do some cold-calling! Once I have found some suitable candidates, I put together a shortlist and send it to the client along with a brief description of the applicants and their CVs.

The client comes back requesting interviews with certain candidates. I am responsible for arranging the interviews as well as preparing the candidates for them. Depending on the institution in question, there is usually a HR test which is then followed by between two to five rounds of interviews where candidates meet various members of the team. It can be a long process!

If a candidate is successful, I’ll then work to negotiate the best deal possible for them, depending on their individual circumstances and experience.

What do you enjoy about your job?

It’s a very sales-driven environment which suits me because I’m competitive – there really is no place to hide! Having said that, you do get out what you put in. I’ve received great training and I feel that I’ve been entrusted with a lot of responsibility earlier than I may have done working at a big law firm. It is very motivating to know that there is potential to move up the ranks quickly in this industry.

I really enjoy helping high-profile lawyers both in the UK and internationally to move roles, as well as working with recognisable institutions in Europe and the US. The pay is also great; although my base salary may be lower than that of some trainee solicitors, there is a good commission scheme in place which means that the earning potential is high.

And what do you not enjoy so much?

As I previously mentioned, it’s a sales-driven environment and so the job can be very high-pressure. This can be both a good and bad thing.

There are times when you’re not treated with respect by candidates and clients, which is difficult. There is also a lot of speaking to people on the phone about things you don’t initially know much about, which can be daunting, but you get used to it very quickly!

Do you have any advice for individuals considering going into legal recruitment?

Think carefully about the type of company you want to work for. The size of the company and size of the team in which you will be working are important factors to consider, as is the quality of the work you will be doing and the type of clients and candidates you will be working with.

I would definitely recommend legal recruitment as a career path for individuals with a legal background because of the crossover between what you learn at law school and the skills required for the role.

 

The full transcript can be found here:  http://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/roundtables/2017-bar-rt.html

Your law fair experience:

“I was pleasantly surprised!”

• You gritted your teeth, dived into the trenches and approached a firm you hadn’t read about in advance and were impressed by the people you spoke to.
• Action: do some homework and find out if an application would be worthwhile.

“They wrote down my name”

• If you felt the interaction went well, do what you can to ensure your application flags the conversation at the law fair.
• Action: include your experience in your application form but avoid dreaded name-dropping for the sake of it!

“I got a business card!”

• Action: if you haven’t already done so, follow this up as soon as possible!
  • You will have been given a card for a reason and that isn’t for a thicker looking wallet – they’re waiting for you to get in touch.
  • Politely ask if they’d be willing to meet for a coffee. Where this is impractical, arrange a phone call to discuss areas you didn’t cover at the fair.

“I spoke to lots of firms but did I make an impression? I only had time for a quick conversation so is it worth including in an application form?”

• Remember: law fairs are not networking events so short conversations are fine – firms will have appreciated your efficiency!
• Action: if you feel the conversation supplements your reasons for applying include it in your application.

“I spent most of my time talking to a couple of firms and didn’t have time to see any others”

• It’s great that you had a long chat with a firm but avoid putting all your eggs in one or two baskets!
• Action: do some more homework on the firms you didn’t speak to.

“I asked specific and got generic”

• Note: law fairs are tough for law firms too – they do almost all of the talking for 3-4 hours – so forgive them for the occasional generic answer!
• Action: think about whether you could have asked your question differently or whether you need to be more specific in future.
  • If the information was available online, you’re not giving firms the opportunity to give insightful answers.

“I had a bad experience”

• A firm that had initially interested you dropped the ball by being rude/hostile.
• Option 1: persevere – a handful of representatives are not the complete picture!
• Option 2: re-assess, are they really the sort of people you want to be working with?
  • Only you can decide between 1 and 2!

“I felt overwhelmed and hated every second”

• Fear not – life in law is not #lawfairwarfare writ large!
  • Law firms are highly attractive employers and naturally attract swathes of applicants so the heat of battle can get very intense!
• Action: Prepare fully for the next one –see tips on maximising your time at the law fair 

If you didn’t go to the law fair – DON’T PANIC! Firm-specific events often provide more information so focus on those you’ve attended and take every opportunity to go to any remaining events.

Practical next steps:

• Download the application forms of each firm you intend to apply to and get a feel for the demands of each one.

• Find out which firms have early deadlines and which make rolling offers i.e. before the deadline for applications – prioritise accordingly!

• Incorporate what you learned at the law fair in application forms – if you followed my advice in the Success at the Law Fair Checklist you’ll have copious notes and detail to draw upon!

• Include conversations from the fair you felt were meaningful in application forms – no matter what level of seniority i.e. a chat with a trainee could be worth including.
  • Include their name and what you took from the conversation – these should link strongly to why you want to work for that firm.

• Capitalise on the hints and tips you picked up at the fair e.g. if a firm has an active social media presence – monitor posts and learn as much as you can; if an employer has taken an interest in a particular aspect of your experience, ensure you include this!

• Heed advice: if a firm has academic requirements that you haven’t quite met, ensure an application is worth submitting. Often firms will still consider your application – ensure that you provide any relevant context for your grades where possible e.g. in a cover letter.
  • Complete every other section of the application to the highest standard.

• If you’re in your final year, check that you are eligible to apply for the summer vacation scheme. Some firms have winter schemes to cater for final year students – check whether it is still possible to apply for these.
  • If not, assess other options as increasingly vacation scheme places are awarded to final year students as well as graduates – contrary to popular belief, gaining a place in your penultimate year is not an absolute necessity!

• Do some further reading: deepen your knowledge and understanding of what you learned at the fair.

• “Sick stash” as a reason for applying should probably be left out of application forms.

Once you’ve submitted your application

•  **Read acknowledgment e-mails carefully – many firms require you to take a verbal reasoning test before considering your application within a deadline and instructions will be included – do not miss these!

• Continue to monitor developments in the industry and any news stories about the firms you have applied to.

Remember

A positive meeting at the law fair could be the beginning of an exciting career – this has been the case for many successful solicitors!

No matter how good an impression you made at the law fair, applications are a tough process – ensure you pull out all the stops to maximise your chances of getting a vacation scheme/TC!

For further insights and advice on writing effective applications, connect with Harri Davies on LinkedIn or follow him @HarriLlDavies on Twitter.