Senior Public Lawyer Placement

BACKGROUND

After more than 25 years of experience as a Senior Public Lawyer London, my candidate had developed a strong reputation for advising government bodies, regulatory authorities, and private clients on high-profile judicial reviews, public inquiries, and complex regulatory matters. While they had achieved significant milestones in my career, my candidate was eager to take on a senior role within a law firm where she could lead a team, shape the strategic direction of the public law practice, and expand my impact in the field.

This candidate was referred to us by a good friend, another senior public lawyer who we had also helped make a similar move the year before.

CHALLENGE

• Alignment of Vision: Transitioning to a Partner role at a law firm required ensuring that the candidates values and long-term goals aligned with the firm’s ethos and strategic focus in public law.
• Culture change: This candidate had never worked in a law firm before and had only had a limited understanding of partnership models and how this transition could be made. 
• Navigating a Competitive Market: Public law is a specialized practice area with limited senior-level opportunities, making it essential to position this candidate as ideal.
• Client Transition and Confidentiality: Managing the potential transition of client relationships while maintaining confidentiality was critical to the process. This included brining work and several members of staff with them. 

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

• Understanding Career Goals: Conducted a comprehensive consultation to understand experience, achievements, and vision for the next stage of the candidate’s career. We met several times to ensure my understanding of their capabilities and goals.
• Developing a Business Case: With Pure Law’s guidance, we developed a detailed business plan, outlining how the candidate’s experience in high-profile public law cases, network of government and regulatory contacts, and strategic vision could enhance the firm’s practice in the long-term. This was realistic, tangible and relevant to public law firms with a focus in this area.  The plan highlighted specific opportunities for growth, including expanding the firm’s public sector client base and building expertise in emerging areas like environmental governance and human rights law.
• Discreet Engagement: Pure Law managed the process confidentially, liaising directly with the firm’s senior management to facilitate initial discussions and providing insights into their partnership structure, culture, and strategic goals.Our guidance on presenting the case and preparing for discussions ensured the candidate was positioned as a strong and credible candidate.
• Negotiation & Transition: Pure Law provided invaluable support during negotiations, ensuring that the terms of the partnership, financial package, and support for client integration were mutually beneficial. They also advised on strategies for transitioning the client relationships seamlessly while maintaining their trust and confidence.

THE OUTCOME

• Successful Placement: The candidate was offered a Partner role in the Public Law practice, with a leadership mandate to grow the team and strengthen the firm’s presence in the market. The firm demonstrated a solid commitment to supporting my transition, including investment in resources to expand the practice and integrate the clients effectively.
• Immediate Impact: Since joining, the candidate has led several high-profile judicial review cases and advised on a major public inquiry, cementing the firm’s reputation in the public law sphere. Contributed to business development initiatives, bringing in new clients from government bodies and NGOs, and expanding the team’s expertise in constitutional and regulatory law.

KEY TAKE AWAYS

PERSONAL REFLECTION