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Legal
May 2019: Legal Movers and Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in May 2019: Womble Bond Dickinson have appointed Nicola Giddens as a Partner in the London Real Estate team. Giddens joins from DWF, bringing a wealth of experience across a broad range of Real Estate and Real Estate Finance work. Addleshaw Goddard has recruited Peter Crichton as a Leveraged Finance Par...
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in May 2019: Womble Bond Dickinson have appointed Nicol...
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Legal
What Options are Available to You as a Newly Qualified Lawyer?
Posted by Tamara Salem
The decisions you make in the lead up to completing your training contract to qualify as a lawyer and the steps you take in the run-up to qualification will determine your future career path. So, what options are available to you as a newly qualified lawyer? Many newly qualified lawyers (NQs) will decide to stay with and progress within their current firm, but the internal process may take a lo...
The decisions you make in the lead up to completing your training contract to qualify as a lawyer and the steps you take in the run-up to qualifica...
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Legal
How Can Marketing and Communications Support the UK Charity Sector?
Posted by Nicholas Ogden
2018 was a transformative year for charities with the sector facing many challenges, and this year a 'quiet marketing revolution' has been happening in the charity and wider Not-For-Profit sector. Organisations are looking to not just help those in need but empower them as well – how can marketing and communications help? 2019 has seen brand purpose come under the spotlight and scrutinised like...
2018 was a transformative year for charities with the sector facing many challenges, and this year a 'quiet marketing revolution' has been happenin...
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Legal
12 Tips to Become a Successful Recruiter
Posted by Loren Von Sternberg
As a recruiter, it's your job to get the best talent through the door and provide your company or client with the right candidates who will make an impact. While each recruiter has different specific strengths, there are numerous commonalities among effective recruiters. Becoming a great recruiter takes skill, intuition and lots of practice, and our recruitment experts here at Pro have put toge...
As a recruiter, it's your job to get the best talent through the door and provide your company or client with the right candidates who will make an...
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Legal
April 2019: Legal Movers and Shakers
Posted by Chris Excell
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in April 2019: Project Finance Lawyer Nacim Bounouara has joined DLA as a Partner in its finance and projects practice in London. Bounouara was previously at Ashurst and specialises in the development and financing of power projects and oil & gas projects across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Macfar...
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in April 2019: Project Finance Lawyer Nacim Bounouara h...
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Legal
Never Underestimate The Influence Of Company Culture on Staff Attraction
Posted by Callum MacRae
Due to the competitive nature of the market, high-quality candidates are often presented with four or five offers of employment for their next position. As a result, clients are constantly asking my advice on how to attract and retain the best talent out there! Whilst excellent rates of pay and opportunities for progression are two of the most obvious ways to attract the right team members, the...
Due to the competitive nature of the market, high-quality candidates are often presented with four or five offers of employment for their next posi...
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Legal
How to Choose a Legal Recruiter
Posted by Nick Allen
You would think that choosing a legal recruiter should be simple - there are many to choose from and most of them will reach out to you so you don’t even have to make initial contact with them. However, far from being a passive choice made simply by the fact an agent happens to be the first recruiter to cold call you about a role, this decision should be a carefully considered one as the differ...
You would think that choosing a legal recruiter should be simple - there are many to choose from and most of them will reach out to you so you don’...
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Legal
A Glamorous Night at the Legal Business Awards 2019
Posted by Nick Allen
It was a pleasure to host Vanessa Harvey (Milbank), Russ Hill (Squire Patton Boggs), Andrew Pannel (MJ Hudson), Emma-Louise Curley (MJ Hudson) and Justin Edgar (DWF) on our table at the coveted 22nd Annual Legal Business Awards this year, which took place on the 28th March, in the Grosvenor House Hotel. It was a fantastic evening, hosted by comedian Meeral Syal, celebrating the achievements of ...
It was a pleasure to host Vanessa Harvey (Milbank), Russ Hill (Squire Patton Boggs), Andrew Pannel (MJ Hudson), Emma-Louise Curley (MJ Hudson) and ...
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Legal
March 2019: Legal Movers and Shakers
Posted by Nick Allen
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in March: Womble Bond Dickinson has made a headline appointment into their White Collar Crime Team, having welcomed Audrey Koh from Sidley Austin. Koh previously worked at the Serious Fraud Office. Fox Williams has recently added Rhys Griffiths to the partnership who has joined from Fieldfisher to head u...
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in March: Womble Bond Dickinson has made a headline app...
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Legal
7 Steps To Getting A Promotion In Your Legal Career
Posted by Nick Allen
Do you think it’s time for your promotion? The thing to note about career progression is that you’ll need more than simply the correct experience. Knowing what else you need to address with your employer, as well as how to bring the issue up, can be the key to getting your desired outcome from the conversation. Here are 7 handy steps you can take to get the promotion you’re after to propel your...
Do you think it’s time for your promotion? The thing to note about career progression is that you’ll need more than simply the correct experience. ...
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Legal
How To Negotiate a Pay Rise Webinar - Recording
Posted by Pat Keogh
We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether you’re working in finance, tax, legal, HR or marketing and exploring salaries in your current role, this webinar will give you some essential advice to plan and execute a strategy to help you get you the pay rise you deserve. This webinar will explo...
We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether...
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Legal
Are Immigration Lawyers About to Reap the Benefits of Brexit?
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Immigration Law has not always been the busiest of areas in terms of recruitment within the London market, with many firms seemingly content to have some form of small offering in the area to assist Corporate and HNW Private Clients. That may all be about to change in 2019. An increased interest in Immigration Lawyers is something that has been mooted since the Brexit referendum in 2016, howeve...
Immigration Law has not always been the busiest of areas in terms of recruitment within the London market, with many firms seemingly content to hav...
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Legal
February 2019: Legal Movers and Shakers
Posted by Tamara Salem
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in February: Tristan Ward, Partner at Macfarlanes has left to join BDB Pitmans, which merged last year. Tristan was the head of Macfarlanes’ private client property group and is a rare loss for Macfarlanes. Christopher Kandel has joined Morrison & Foerster to strengthen their growing London office. Kande...
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in February: Tristan Ward, Partner at Macfarlanes has l...
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Legal
Introducing Pro-Legal's Interim Team
Posted by
Pro-Legal is pleased to announce a dedicated interim team, to dovetail with the existing permanent legal team. With our clients and candidates regularly asking for interim solutions and offerings, we have created a team with talented, experienced Legal consultants to serve your needs. The team will be focusing on a range of projects providing, experienced legal professionals as solutions for sh...
Pro-Legal is pleased to announce a dedicated interim team, to dovetail with the existing permanent legal team. With our clients and candidates regu...
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Legal
60 Seconds with Carla Roberts - Head of Legal Services and WTT Legal Ltd.
Posted by Nick Allen
Carla is the Director of Legal Services at WTT Legal Ltd. Carla is a dual qualified lawyer (US/UK) and has extensive experience in employment law, IR35 advice, commercial contracts, data protection and insurance law issues. Prior to joining WTT, Carla was Senior Legal Counsel at Alexander Mann Solutions Ltd., Head of Legal at Gattaca PLC and Compliance Manager at Capita Group PLC. What made you...
Carla is the Director of Legal Services at WTT Legal Ltd. Carla is a dual qualified lawyer (US/UK) and has extensive experience in employment law, ...
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Legal
January 2019: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in January: Irwin Mitchell has appointed Simon Owen as its new national head of Banking & Finance. Owen joins from Trowers & Hamlins where he was Head of Real Estate Finance. Angela Savin has ended 14 years at Norton Rose Fulbright, joining KPMG as a Partner in the Tax Disputes and Investigations practic...
Stay up-to-date with the movers and shakers in the legal sector. Here are the key movements in January: Irwin Mitchell has appointed Simon Owen as ...
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Legal
The secret to Interview Success
Posted by Alison Humphries
Interviews can be intimidating and no matter how much experience you have, unless you fully prepare you’ll run the risk of underselling yourself and missing out on that dream position. It may be cliché but the old adage “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” has never been truer in relation to interviews. We have produced a Secret to Interview Success booklet to assist our candidate...
Interviews can be intimidating and no matter how much experience you have, unless you fully prepare you’ll run the risk of underselling yourself an...
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Legal
Create a culture where everyone has equal opportunities
Posted by Dominic Watt
There has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace over the years. This year it has been very refreshing to learn how firms are promoting a positive integration between work and life, to create an environment that influences career development and that empowers everyone. Furthermore, promoting an environment regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, d...
There has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace over the years. This year it has been very refre...
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Legal
5 Signs That One of your Team is Considering a Move
Posted by Tamara Salem
Every manager dreads that conversation with a valued team member, often pre-empted by the email that reads ‘can I have a word?’ We have done a lot of research at Pro-Legal to help our clients retain their best people and being able to spot the tell-tale signs of dissatisfaction so that you can proactively manage the situation. I am not going to be so facile as to list: short notice leave reques...
Every manager dreads that conversation with a valued team member, often pre-empted by the email that reads ‘can I have a word?’ We have done a lot ...
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Legal
The Pro-Group Christmas Quiz 2018
Posted by Loren Von Sternberg
On Tuesday 4th December, Pro-Recruitment held its infamous annual Christmas Quiz, and what a night it was. With the best and brightest from across the worlds of HR, Tax, Finance and Legal, 26 teams went head to head for the much-coveted title of Pro-Recruitment Christmas Quiz Champions 2018. The competitive streak in some of the teams was evident from the outset and with company rivalries and r...
On Tuesday 4th December, Pro-Recruitment held its infamous annual Christmas Quiz, and what a night it was. With the best and brightest from across ...
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Legal
10 Things You Didn't Know About: Michael Ruck, Partner at UK law firm TLT
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Michael Ruck is a partner in TLT's financial services team in London. Michael previously spent four and a half years at another City law firm in the corporate crime, investigations and enforcement team and before that spent almost six years working in the FCA's Enforcement and Market Oversight Division. Michael is a highly experienced investigations lawyer. What made you want to become a lawyer...
Michael Ruck is a partner in TLT's financial services team in London. Michael previously spent four and a half years at another City law firm in th...
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Legal
October 2018: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Chris Excell
Thomas O’Connor, Finance Partner and former head of Transactional Finance at Morgan Lewis has moved to Akin Gump as part of a four Partner hire for the firm. This hire includes two heads of practice and is set to strengthen Akin Gump’s transatlantic offering across restructuring and global finance. All four Partners joining Akin Gump reunites them with their former Bingham McCutchen colleagues....
Thomas O’Connor, Finance Partner and former head of Transactional Finance at Morgan Lewis has moved to Akin Gump as part of a four Partner hire for...
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Legal
Is Your Long Commute Really Worth It?
Posted by Jennifer Nelson
Are you a Finance, Tax, Legal or HR professional commuting over two hours every day? According to the TUC, the service sector has seen the biggest increase in travel time over the last decade, with 130% more workers travelling for two or more hours a day than in 2004. Serious disruption at Paddington, a week of strikes on South Western Railway coupled with major signal failures has spelt misery...
Are you a Finance, Tax, Legal or HR professional commuting over two hours every day? According to the TUC, the service sector has seen the biggest ...
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Legal
WEBINAR - How to negotiate a pay rise
Posted by Pat Keogh
We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether you’re a Solicitor or Accountant, a Tax Manager looking to get to Tax Partner, or just a Generalist HR professional exploring salaries in your current role, this webinar will give you some essential advice to plan and execute a strategy to help you ...
We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether...
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Legal
5 Scary Candidate Profiles that give us the Fright!
Posted by Rebecca English
It’s Halloween and the spookiest time of the year. However, some of these candidate profiles continue to haunt recruitment processes throughout the year leaving prospective employers howling at the moon. Below are a few examples of the phantom offenders that can keep us up at night. The Crypt The Cryptic candidate who holds back on valuable information. Whether it be parts of their salary packa...
It’s Halloween and the spookiest time of the year. However, some of these candidate profiles continue to haunt recruitment processes throughout the...
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Legal
September 2018: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Chris Excell
Phillip Watkins, Corporate Partner at Katten Muchin has joined Brown Rudnick. He will focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, sophisticated private equity transactions, takeovers, strategic investments, joint ventures, restructurings, re-financings, buyouts and exit strategies. Noel Hughes joins the Leveraged Finance practice at Vinson & Elkins previously with Sidley Austin. He will foc...
Phillip Watkins, Corporate Partner at Katten Muchin has joined Brown Rudnick. He will focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, sophisticated...
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Legal
10 Things you didn't know about: Andrew Pannell, Senior Associate at MJ Hudson
Posted by
Andrew joined MJ Hudson as a lawyer within the venture capital practice in 2017. He has extensive experience advising venture capital, private equity and corporate clients on venture and growth capital transactions. What made you want to become a lawyer? Honestly … growing up reading the likes of John Grisham and watching various low-grade legal dramas such as Perry Mason and Kavanagh QC - seei...
Andrew joined MJ Hudson as a lawyer within the venture capital practice in 2017. He has extensive experience advising venture capital, private equi...
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Legal
A Look into 2018 Candidate Recruitment Trends So Far…
Posted by Rebecca English
It’s been the story of 2018, we are in a candidate short market. But what does this mean? The September IHS Markit/REC Report on Jobs data highlights once again that: Strong expansion in permanent placements, but temp billings growth softens Starting salaries increase at the second-fastest rate in over three years Staff vacancies continue to rise at a historically marked pace Steep increases in...
It’s been the story of 2018, we are in a candidate short market. But what does this mean? The September IHS Markit/REC Report on Jobs data highligh...
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Legal
8 Key parts to hiring, retaining and developing the best team around you
Posted by Alison Humphries
Recruitment Process We all know that hiring that amazing team can be a daunting task but we’ve compiled a list of 8 key parts to hiring, retaining and developing the best team. In our experience, a key part of creating your perfect team is getting the decision right at this stage. A few very important things to consider are; 1. What Is Your Process>> 2. Take References>> 3. Hire People That Rai...
Recruitment Process We all know that hiring that amazing team can be a daunting task but we’ve compiled a list of 8 key parts to hiring, retaining ...
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Legal
10 Body Language Tips To Help You Succeed In Interview
Posted by Becca Ly
Everyone knows good interview preparation is key to succeeding in that first step to finding that new job. We all prepare for those tough interview questions to increase our chances of getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process. But how many of you focus on the importance of nonverbal communication? Research shows that when we communicate feelings and attitudes, only a small p...
Everyone knows good interview preparation is key to succeeding in that first step to finding that new job. We all prepare for those tough interview...
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Legal
60 Seconds With: Emmie Jones, Partner at White & Case LLP
Posted by Chris Excell
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make General Counsel / Partner? I would tell myself to have more confidence in my own style and way of doing things. I was convinced that the fact I wasn’t a traditional pinstriped, table-thumping private equity lawyer was a weakness, whereas I now recognise it as a strength. What do White & Case do well? We manage to combine being a tr...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make General Counsel / Partner? I would tell myself to have more confidence in my own st...
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Legal
August 2018: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Chris Excell
Jennifer Brennan & Yen Sum- Joined Latham & Watkins from Sidley Austin: Latham & Watkins has announced that Yen Sum and Jennifer Brennan have joined the London office as partners in the finance department. Their practices focus on advising creditors, hedge funds, asset managers, and debtors on a variety of complex restructurings and special situations, and they regularly represent credit funds ...
Jennifer Brennan & Yen Sum- Joined Latham & Watkins from Sidley Austin: Latham & Watkins has announced that Yen Sum and Jennifer Brennan have joine...
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Legal
Growth in a flat climate
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
How do law firms plan to achieve meaningful growth targets in an era of what some commentators have described as “near-flat demand” for legal services? As the longest Bull Market since the Second World War continues unabated, the appetite for growth in the London legal market continues to remain at record levels. Firms remain open to interesting propositions on an opportunistic basis that may a...
How do law firms plan to achieve meaningful growth targets in an era of what some commentators have described as “near-flat demand” for legal servi...
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Legal
4 Tools to Amp up Your Job Search
Posted by Becca Ly
Finding a new job can be tough. There are so many aspects to the whole job search process, writing a killer CV, preparing for your interview and even dressing appropriately, that it can often at times be overwhelming. But did you know that there is a wealth of tools out there on the web to help you nail that job search process and land your dream job? Here’s a breakdown of our top 4 tools to am...
Finding a new job can be tough. There are so many aspects to the whole job search process, writing a killer CV, preparing for your interview and ev...
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Legal
July 2018: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Chris Excell
Emmie Jones- Joined White & Case from Macfarlanes White & Case has expanded its global mergers and acquisitions practice and global private equity industry group with the appointment of partner Emmie Jones in London. Jones was a partner at Macfarlanes where she trained and has more than 13 years’ experience advising private equity sponsors, corporations and management teams on acquisitions, dis...
Emmie Jones- Joined White & Case from Macfarlanes White & Case has expanded its global mergers and acquisitions practice and global private equity ...
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Legal
60 Seconds With: William Robins, Partner at Keystone Law
Posted by Nick Allen
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? I’d say take a hard look at what a partner really does. Partners these days do less and less law. They are managers and politicians. If you decide this is why you went to law school, then start building the political alliances you’ll need to join the partnership and steel yourself for the marked transition. If you’d rather...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? I’d say take a hard look at what a partner really does. Partners these day...
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Legal
How firms with “fee-splitting” structures have made inroads into the London market
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
The Legal Industry is often maligned for its perceived reluctance to embrace change. Take the career path of a lawyer for instance, once a simple (if sometimes long) process from training to qualification, associate to senior associate, and finally, senior associate to partner, this well-trodden path was widely accepted as the lot of a private practice solicitor. The Legal Industry’s attempts t...
The Legal Industry is often maligned for its perceived reluctance to embrace change. Take the career path of a lawyer for instance, once a simple (...
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Legal
Is your recruiter asking you these questions?
Posted by Becca Ly
Trying to find the right recruiter can be a daunting task. Inevitably you’ll have been called by at least one or two recruiters and as soon as you pick up the phone your mind fills with doubts and your defences go up until you can work out who this person is and whether they’re trustworthy or not. The key to whether a recruiter is any good or not lies within the questions they ask when they’re ...
Trying to find the right recruiter can be a daunting task. Inevitably you’ll have been called by at least one or two recruiters and as soon as you ...
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Legal
June 2018: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Freshfields has announced the addition of a patent litigation team in London. The team, which consists of Partner Dr Christopher Stothers, Counsel Laura Whiting, and associates Paul Abbott and Ammina Rao, join from Arnold & Porter and will work closely alongside the firm’s established patent litigation teams in Germany and the Netherlands. DLA Piper has announced that Martin Nelson-Jones will b...
Freshfields has announced the addition of a patent litigation team in London. The team, which consists of Partner Dr Christopher Stothers, Counsel ...
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Legal
60 Seconds with: Victor Cramer, Partner at Stewarts
Posted by Nick Allen
Victor Cramer is Partner at Stewarts, specialising in the Tax Litigation and Investigations Department. Prior to joining Stewarts, Victor spent 11 years in the tax litigation group of a Big Four accountancy firm, primarily focusing on VAT and indirect taxation. He has led cases at all levels, including the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and has successfully acted as an advocate ...
Victor Cramer is Partner at Stewarts, specialising in the Tax Litigation and Investigations Department. Prior to joining Stewarts, Victor spent 11 ...
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Legal
The Megabucks Return: What 2018 salary increases at US Firms mean for the London market
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
With September fast approaching, trainees qualifying in the 2018 Autumn intake are raising their collective eyebrows at the remarkable amounts of money now being offered by US Firms in London. With several firms announcing their increases so far, the upward trend is clear for all to see. Cravath set the tone with a 2018 NQ rate of £143,000 equivalent, followed swiftly by a host of compatriot fi...
With September fast approaching, trainees qualifying in the 2018 Autumn intake are raising their collective eyebrows at the remarkable amounts of m...
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Legal
5 Foolproof ways to manage multiple interview processes
Posted by Kevin Racher
Job searches often follow the London Bus Principle; you wait for ages for one and then three turn up at once! Whilst this seems like a lovely problem to have, it is rare that you will have three perfectly-timed job offers at once and managing this process can be rather daunting. Below are a few tips on how to manage multiple interview processes to ensure you secure the right role at the right t...
Job searches often follow the London Bus Principle; you wait for ages for one and then three turn up at once! Whilst this seems like a lovely probl...
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Legal
Kim Vs Trump: 5 Steps to Resolving Office Place Conflict
Posted by Siobhan McLoughlin
Today marks a significant moment in history, the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The world watches on through its fingers in a kind of confused curiosity as these two leaders meet to try and broker some sort of ‘peace’. There has been much posturing, insult slinging and egotistical tweeting in the build-up to this summit leading many to question its authenticity. However, is there ...
Today marks a significant moment in history, the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The world watches on through its fingers in a kind of...
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Legal
6 Undeniable Signs you should start looking for a new job
Posted by Becca Ly
Feel like you're stuck at a dead end? Here are six undeniable signs you should start your search for a new job. 1. You are bored There’s nothing worse than feeling bored at work. Time drags, you’re constantly clock watching and find yourself doing literally anything to get through the day. On the whole, people need mental stimulation, a challenge, a goal to work towards. Boredom is such an issu...
Feel like you're stuck at a dead end? Here are six undeniable signs you should start your search for a new job. 1. You are bored There’s nothing wo...
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Legal
60 seconds: Mark Taylor, Partner at Dorsey & Whitney
Posted by Chris Excell
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? The last couple of years before making partner are some of the toughest. You need to show not just that you can work hard and smart but also that you can attract business and build revenues for the firm. My advice is not to forget about the team you are working with. Do not be afraid to delegate work (downwards, sideways a...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? The last couple of years before making partner are some of the toughest. Y...
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Legal
May 2018 : Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Cooley has strengthened its Global Tax Team with the appointment of David Wilson, formerly a partner in Paul Hastings London office. David brings with him a stellar reputation for Corporate Tax work, particularly in relation to complex cross-border transactions. His appointment adds to the already highly-regarded London Tax practice at Cooley. Linklaters M&A partner Roger Barron, one of the Fir...
Cooley has strengthened its Global Tax Team with the appointment of David Wilson, formerly a partner in Paul Hastings London office. David brings w...
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Legal
To be (a partner) or not to be (a partner) that is the question
Posted by Chris Excell
For the vast majority of lawyers, becoming a partner is the pinnacle of their career. There are various motivators for this, be it financial motivation or for prestige. In this article, I want to explore why people look to achieve partnership, alternatives to partnership and everything in between. Becoming a partner, quite rightly, brings its own challenges. I have found that quite often, Lawye...
For the vast majority of lawyers, becoming a partner is the pinnacle of their career. There are various motivators for this, be it financial motiva...
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Legal
London Legal Walk 2018
Posted by Nick Allen
Pro-Legal joined over 13,000 people (and a few canine pals) taking part in the 2018 10k London Legal Walk this week. The event aims to raise funds to support free legal advice charities in London and the South East, and with the sun shining, what better way to spend a Monday afternoon out of the office? The walk was punctuated by a photo competition of various themes, which included the funnies...
Pro-Legal joined over 13,000 people (and a few canine pals) taking part in the 2018 10k London Legal Walk this week. The event aims to raise funds ...
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Legal
April 2018 : Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Nick Allen
Pinsent Masons have brought Florian Traub on board to establish the firm’s European brand portfolio management team. Traub, who joins from Squire Patton Boggs, is a dual qualified English solicitor and German Rechtsanwalt specialising in brand protection strategies and portfolio management. Global US firm Goodwin made headlines this month by appointing four partners from Dechert, including corp...
Pinsent Masons have brought Florian Traub on board to establish the firm’s European brand portfolio management team. Traub, who joins from Squire P...
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Legal
Phone Interviews - 10 Foolproof Tips
Posted by Harry Robins
Phone interviews are a great tool for saving time and are very different to being able to read body language in a face to face meeting but, with phone interviews around for the foreseeable future, it’s still wise to prepare for the preventable. While some of these points seem obvious, it’s still surprising as to how often a client or candidate’s feedback has mentioned an unfortunate misstep. 1....
Phone interviews are a great tool for saving time and are very different to being able to read body language in a face to face meeting but, with ph...
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Legal
60 Seconds with: Matthew Cormack, Partner at Wardhadaway
Posted by Chris Excell
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? There is no substitute for hard work and being keen. Make the most of all opportunities during your career. What does Ward Haddaway do well? I think we are very good at putting the client first and service levels. Whether the client is a multinational group or a startup, they get the same care and attention and level of cu...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? There is no substitute for hard work and being keen. Make the most of all ...
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Legal
7 Tips for Trainees Approaching Qualification
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Writing this article in May, September seems like a distant dot on the horizon. In reality, only sixteen weeks remain for the Autumn trainee intake of 2016 before qualification. With all of the pressures facing trainees, the temptation to push the idea of where to start your post-qualified career to the back of your mind is understandable, however experience suggests that the “NQ season” has a ...
Writing this article in May, September seems like a distant dot on the horizon. In reality, only sixteen weeks remain for the Autumn trainee intake...
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Legal
Legal Business Awards 2018
Posted by Nick Allen
What a fantastic night had at the Legal Business Awards 2018! It was a pleasure to host Simon Tysoe (Latham & Watkins), Steven Tregear (Russells), Simon Esplen (Russells), Hugh Gardner (Marriott Harrison), James Ashe-Taylor (Constantine Cannon) and Daniel Lloyd (TLT) on our table and share what was a great evening, learning about the achievements of the legal profession’s finest as the awards p...
What a fantastic night had at the Legal Business Awards 2018! It was a pleasure to host Simon Tysoe (Latham & Watkins), Steven Tregear (Russells), ...
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Legal
Why are lawyers increasingly joining the Big 4?
Posted by Tamara Salem
The last few years have seen many changes in the legal landscape, with law firms having to be more competitive than ever. Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC have invested heavily in their legal services arms in recent years – particularly in Europe – and now collectively employ about 8,500 lawyers globally. With the gap closing between Magic Circle and City law firms, the ‘Big 4’ accountancy firms and ...
The last few years have seen many changes in the legal landscape, with law firms having to be more competitive than ever. Deloitte, EY, KPMG and Pw...
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Legal
March 2018 : Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Mike Weir, Private Equity partner at Jones Day, has moved to White & Case. He will assist the Firm’s growth in key investor segments including alternative capital providers, family offices, and real estate Neill Blundell, Corporate Crime partner at Eversheds has joined Macfarlanes. Neil’s practice focuses on corporate criminal investigations and compliance advice, particularly in relation to re...
Mike Weir, Private Equity partner at Jones Day, has moved to White & Case. He will assist the Firm’s growth in key investor segments including alte...
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Legal
Fake news: the truth about US firms
Posted by Nick Allen
Speaking to candidates daily, one of the statements I regularly hear from them is: ‘I wouldn’t want to work at a US law firm, I value my work/life balance.’ It is interesting to note that the perception around the market is that you are guaranteed to be doing 20-hour days the moment you set foot in a US firm, and, whilst I understand this perception in many cases, it is fair to say is that it i...
Speaking to candidates daily, one of the statements I regularly hear from them is: ‘I wouldn’t want to work at a US law firm, I value my work/life ...
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Legal
60 Seconds With: James Burton, Partner at Allen & Overy
Posted by Chris Excell
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? I would tell myself to lay the foundations early – have a good understanding of the law applying to the area you work in and take an interest in client development and practice management. Try and do this right from the get-go. What does A&O do well? We distinguish ourselves in a genuinely collaborative and seamless cross-...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? I would tell myself to lay the foundations early – have a good understandi...
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Legal
9 Rules For Dressing For an Interview
Posted by Alison Humphries
Before you have even shaken the interviewer’s hand or been shown to the room where the interview will take place, you have already made your first impression based on how you have dressed. At Pro, with the years’ of experience that we have, we've put together some guidelines based on what our clients say and what works with other candidates. Every company will have a dress code and how you dres...
Before you have even shaken the interviewer’s hand or been shown to the room where the interview will take place, you have already made your first ...
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Legal
How to Handle Interview Questions Like a Pro
Posted by Marianne Wills
While the following list isn’t exhaustive, it will serve as a good starting point when it comes to the kinds of questions you will more than likely be asked in an interview. Where possible, we will always advise you as to what questions may arise before your interview. 1. What do you know about us? While this may seem like a simple question, the number of people we speak to on a regular basis w...
While the following list isn’t exhaustive, it will serve as a good starting point when it comes to the kinds of questions you will more than likely...
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Legal
February 2018 : Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
Bruce Macmillan, the founder of RPC’s in-house venture the Centre for Legal Leadership, has joined Irwin Mitchell as the Firm’s first ever General Counsel. Bronwen Jones, head of Macfarlanes Fund Finance offering, has left the Firm in what is a rare partner-level exit to join Reed Smith. Neil Evans has joined Mayer Brown from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, kickstarting Mayer Brown’s expansion stra...
Bruce Macmillan, the founder of RPC’s in-house venture the Centre for Legal Leadership, has joined Irwin Mitchell as the Firm’s first ever General ...
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Legal
Rise of the Investor
Posted by Jonathan Smyth
London’s Law Firms reap benefits of Private Equity boom Forbes online recently touted 2017/18 as “the Golden Age of Private Equity”, with high rates of return versus listed entities and flexibility regarding investments being remarkably attractive propositions for existing and prospective investors. 2017 was a record year for PE investment, with the $621 billion raised eclipsing the previous re...
London’s Law Firms reap benefits of Private Equity boom Forbes online recently touted 2017/18 as “the Golden Age of Private Equity”, with high rate...
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Legal
60 Seconds With: Mattias Lindberg, Partner at Affärsadvokaterna
Posted by Chris Excell
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Be committed and dedicated to the things and people you like. What does Affarsadvokaterna do well? We take a proactive role and give clear practical advice to our customers. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? Lengthy general descriptions. How would your team describe you? I hope that they would include words like “fri...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Be committed and dedicated to the things and people you like. What does Af...
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Legal
January 2018 : Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Nick Allen
Victor Cramer moved from KPMG to Stewarts Law in January 2018 as a Partner in their Tax Litigation department. Victor spent 11 years at KPMG prior to the move and is a specialist in VAT and indirect taxation, as well as the alternate dispute resolution methods used by HMRC. Kelly Whiter has moved from PwC, where she was the Head of Private Client Immigration – Legal, to Fladgate LLP to become t...
Victor Cramer moved from KPMG to Stewarts Law in January 2018 as a Partner in their Tax Litigation department. Victor spent 11 years at KPMG prior ...
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Legal
Reasons Why Lawyers Move In-house and When to do so
Posted by Nick Allen
It is a path well-travelled: train at a firm, spend some years learning the trade then take that experience in-house. But what exactly is it about a career in-house that is such a draw for lawyers? Furthermore, when is the right time to take the leap? I have suggested answers to these questions below, based on our extensive conversations with lawyers about their reasons for looking in-house as ...
It is a path well-travelled: train at a firm, spend some years learning the trade then take that experience in-house. But what exactly is it about ...
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Legal
The Rise of the Tax Team
Posted by
One of the biggest misconceptions within the legal market is that tax lawyers are a support function to their real estate or corporate colleagues and that they do not get involved in external business development or have their own stock of clients. Whilst traditionally this may have been the case in certain firms, things are changing in a big way. Plenty of firms in the legal market are investi...
One of the biggest misconceptions within the legal market is that tax lawyers are a support function to their real estate or corporate colleagues a...
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Legal
60 Seconds With: Harry Bengough, Partner at Harrison Clark Rickerbys
Posted by Nick Allen
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make General Counsel / Partner? Build your network. Don’t worry if you aren’t winning work from an early stage in your career, just make sure you get to know your clients, make personal connections and keep in touch with them – you never know where they might pop up in the future. What do HCR do well? Identify opportunities and go after...
What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make General Counsel / Partner? Build your network. Don’t worry if you aren’t winning wo...
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Legal
Legal Recruitment – The need for transparency in its process
Posted by Nick Allen
For years now, a primary frustration of job seekers, hiring firms and recruiters alike has been the limitations regarding transparency throughout individual hiring processes. In the legal market, this can reach from an initial application right through to discussions of forthcoming offers but can cause real harm to the health of the recruitment process if transparent communications are not uphe...
For years now, a primary frustration of job seekers, hiring firms and recruiters alike has been the limitations regarding transparency throughout i...
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Legal
60 Seconds with James Ross – Corporate Tax Partner, McDermott Will & Emery
Posted by Chris Excell
James Ross is Partner at McDermott, Will & Emery. He advises clients on a broad range of international and domestic corporate/commercial tax issues, including corporate restructuring, transfer pricing and thin capitalisation, double tax treaty issues, corporate and structured finance projects, mergers and acquisitions, and management buyouts. What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on ...
James Ross is Partner at McDermott, Will & Emery. He advises clients on a broad range of international and domestic corporate/commercial tax issues...
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Legal
December 2017: Legal Movers & Shakers
Posted by Nick Allen
In case you missed any of the following moves in the run-up to Christmas… In-House BT has appointed Sabine Chalmers as its new General Counsel. Ms Chalmers was formerly Chief Legal Officer at Anheuser-Busch InBev and will be confirmed into the role in January 2018. Peel Hunt announced the appointment of Hywel Llewellyn as General Counsel of its Corporate division. Mr Llewellyn joins Peel Hunt f...
In case you missed any of the following moves in the run-up to Christmas… In-House BT has appointed Sabine Chalmers as its new General Counsel. Ms ...
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Legal
Changing opinions of interim recruitment
Posted by Tamara Salem
Where legal departments were typically filled with permanent employees in the past, more and more legal professionals and organisations have seen the benefit of an interim solution. So what are these changing opinions on interim recruitment in the legal market? Where before there was a stigma regarding lawyers working for several companies over a period time, the experience and autonomy these s...
Where legal departments were typically filled with permanent employees in the past, more and more legal professionals and organisations have seen t...
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Legal
5 Mistakes people often make when searching for a job
Posted by Nick Allen
Starting the search for a new job can be daunting, confusing and stressful. There are many obstacles and pitfalls that can make the process harder work than it needs to be. Below are a number of suggestions that, if followed, can make your job hunt a much smoother experience than anticipated. 1. Registering with too many recruitment agencies When you have made the decision to start looking for ...
Starting the search for a new job can be daunting, confusing and stressful. There are many obstacles and pitfalls that can make the process harder ...
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Legal
The rise of the full-service TMT law firm
Posted by Chris Excell
It is interesting that just over a year ago, Allen & Overy recruited four senior partners into their IP group from Simmons & Simmons- Mark Heaney, Marc Döring, Marjan Noor and David Stone. When making the announcement of the hires, Nicola Dagg, head of London IP for A & O commented: “We are excited to have Mark and David join our team, this is step-change for us. Now is a time of increasing rec...
It is interesting that just over a year ago, Allen & Overy recruited four senior partners into their IP group from Simmons & Simmons- Mark Heaney, ...
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Legal
How to use FinTech to enhance your legal career
Posted by Nick Allen
What is FinTech? This was the first question I asked myself when being told about this innovative sector which is transforming the financial world. In simple terms, it is the use of technology to provide financial services in a more secure and efficient method. So what does this mean for lawyers? With FinTech still being thought to be in the early stages of its development, its establishment ha...
What is FinTech? This was the first question I asked myself when being told about this innovative sector which is transforming the financial world....
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Legal
GDPR - What is it and who will it affect?
Posted by Becca Ly
With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect on the 25th May 2018, it seems as though a lot of people are wondering what it actually is, and how it will affect our day to day lives. To start things off, let’s look at what the GDPR actually is. The General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) is a regulation created by the EU (European Parliament, the Council of the Euro...
With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect on the 25th May 2018, it seems as though a lot of people are wondering what i...
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Legal
3 Reasons Why You Might Fail at the Partnership Panel Interview Stage
Posted by Ben Hall
Many firms require their future partners to attend a partnership panel interview as part of the partnership admissions process. With good reason many partnership candidates dread this part of the process. In this article, Heather Townsend, author of ‘Poised for partnership’ and co-author of ‘How to make partner and still have a life’, explains why many great candidates fail at the partnership p...
Many firms require their future partners to attend a partnership panel interview as part of the partnership admissions process. With good reason ma...
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Legal
4 Things to Look For in a Recruitment Consultant
Posted by Loren Von Sternberg
With the recruitment market becoming more saturated, it can be hard to decide on which agency to speak to when you are ready to move from your current role. Of course, you should research the company and the organisations they work with, especially if there is a particular company you’d like to work in, but what makes a recruiter stand out? Here are 4 things you should look for in a recruitment...
With the recruitment market becoming more saturated, it can be hard to decide on which agency to speak to when you are ready to move from your curr...
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Legal
5 Tips to Negotiating Your Pay Rise in Practice
Posted by Pat Keogh
Prior to getting into the recruitment world I previously worked with KPMG and Fladgate Fielder, and I was fortunate enough to have some excellent Managers who gave me some good insights into how some Partnerships look at salary reviews. This, combined with over 20 years in recruitment and constantly helping candidates get the best salary, has meant that over my time I have advised on most areas...
Prior to getting into the recruitment world I previously worked with KPMG and Fladgate Fielder, and I was fortunate enough to have some excellent M...
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Legal
6 Top Tips For Making Partner
Posted by Tom Eagle
About 20 years ago, the benefits of making partner at a firm were clear. It meant a pay increase, first of all, and there was a distinction of responsibilities between partners and associates. A partner was one of few shareholders in the company or firm. But how can you get there? Here are some top tips to get you to Partner Level. 1. Making Partner starts from Day 1 If you are 100% sure you wa...
About 20 years ago, the benefits of making partner at a firm were clear. It meant a pay increase, first of all, and there was a distinction of resp...
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Legal
6 Steps to Finding The Right Job
Posted by Becca Ly
Getting that dream job is a challenge. It often is for everyone. Few things worthwhile ever merely fall into your lap... But, if you feel like you’re not getting anywhere and up against the proverbial brick wall, don’t despair. Just a few short alterations to your approach could pay dividends. Don’t believe us? Read on… Is your CV up to the job? Don’t get carried away with the idea that your CV...
Getting that dream job is a challenge. It often is for everyone. Few things worthwhile ever merely fall into your lap... But, if you feel like you’...
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Legal
5 Ways to Retain your Best Staff
Posted by Pat Keogh
What would be the impact on your business if you lost several of your best team members? No doubt it would be a very detrimental effect. It would be costly, timely and not only do you lose the revenue but you also lose client relationships and all of the effort and training that you have invested over the course of their time with you. Above all, the biggest impact this can have is the “knock o...
What would be the impact on your business if you lost several of your best team members? No doubt it would be a very detrimental effect. It would b...
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Legal
4 top tips on becoming a successful in-house lawyer
Posted by
What makes a successful in-house lawyer? There are four key elements... Here’s my whistle-stop 4 point summary as to what I think the most important factors are for succeeding as an effective, trusted and valued in-house legal advisor. 1. No fear dealing with the unknown, legally and commercially, on a daily basis. 2. Being able to talk the commercial language of the business specifically, and ...
What makes a successful in-house lawyer? There are four key elements... Here’s my whistle-stop 4 point summary as to what I think the most importan...
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Legal
What's the Difference Between A US Law Firm And A UK Law Firm?
Posted by Kevin Racher
London is one of the world’s leading legal hubs. Law firms are continually evolving and there is more money in the industry than ever before. US law firms have fully established themselves in the UK with prestigious lists of clients, both domestic and overseas. I’m going to explore the key differences between UK and US law firms in London to help lawyers and aspiring lawyers decide which road t...
London is one of the world’s leading legal hubs. Law firms are continually evolving and there is more money in the industry than ever before. US la...
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Legal
Latest Recruitment Trends – April 2017
Posted by Jennifer Nelson
The REC Chief Executive, Karen Green has recently summarised the current UK job market with “Finding people to do the jobs on offer is rapidly becoming employers’ biggest headache and many are reporting an increasing number of white collar jobs as hard to fill, including in the IT and financial sectors.” This follows the latest REC / HIS Markit report (March 2017) demonstrating that following F...
The REC Chief Executive, Karen Green has recently summarised the current UK job market with “Finding people to do the jobs on offer is rapidly beco...
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Legal
Pro at the London Legal Walk
Posted by Alison Humphries
On May 22nd 2017, the Pro-Legal Team will be walking with the Lord Chief Justice and thousands of lawyers to raise funds for the London Legal Support Trust which funds Law Centres and pro bono agencies in and around London. We know that these agencies do a fantastic job in preventing homelessness, resolving debt problems, gaining care for the elderly and disabled and fighting exploitation. We a...
On May 22nd 2017, the Pro-Legal Team will be walking with the Lord Chief Justice and thousands of lawyers to raise funds for the London Legal Suppo...
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Legal
How to successfully on-board your new legal hires…
Posted by
Having invested a lot of time, energy and resources into making a new legal hire, the last thing you’ll want is a high early attrition rate. Several studies have shown that this can be avoided by successfully implementing a structured onboarding system. How is this achieved? 1 Culturally invested If a new employee is, from the very outset, clearly guided as to the philosophy, climate and workin...
Having invested a lot of time, energy and resources into making a new legal hire, the last thing you’ll want is a high early attrition rate. Severa...
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Legal
The Benefits of an Effective and Robust In-House Legal Capacity
Posted by
Any company considering an in-house legal function will understandably be making some form of cost-benefit analysis; is it really worth it? Why? how could we be sure to get it right? which lawyers would be best suited to our needs? Here is my 6-step guide to these very concerns: 1. So, what are the benefits of launching or bulking up an in-house team? At Pro-Legal we are convinced that there ar...
Any company considering an in-house legal function will understandably be making some form of cost-benefit analysis; is it really worth it? Why? ho...
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Legal
5 Benefits of Interim Counsel
Posted by
Over the last few years the increased stability of the economy has reflected on increased hiring across the legal sector, especially when it comes to In-House Legal Counsel. Many clients recognise that to onboard the right person for a role on their team the process can take up to 6 months, sometimes longer and therefore see the necessity of an Interim Counsel to plug a gap whilst they look for...
Over the last few years the increased stability of the economy has reflected on increased hiring across the legal sector, especially when it comes ...
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Legal
3 Worries About Your Ability To Win New Clients
Posted by Ben Hall
A few months ago Heather Townsend, co-author of 'How to make partner and still have a life’, explained the 10 lessons that every prospective partner needs to learn to an audience of over 200 tax, finance and legal professionals. The 6th lesson was the need to have a consistent business development routine. As a follow on to this talk, in this article, Heather shares 3 signs that the consistent ...
A few months ago Heather Townsend, co-author of 'How to make partner and still have a life’, explained the 10 lessons that every prospective partne...
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Legal
6 top tips for winning the best talent in a candidate driven market
Posted by Pat Keogh
The competition for talent in the legal recruitment market has dramatically increased over the last 12 months. In Q1 of 2016 Pro-Legal have noticed a 30% year-on-year increase in in-house legal roles on the market. Here are my top tips for you to attract candidates in a candidate driven market: 1. Employer Branding – How do you stand out from the crowd? You need your brand to attract the right ...
The competition for talent in the legal recruitment market has dramatically increased over the last 12 months. In Q1 of 2016 Pro-Legal have noticed...
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