Special focus: Legal recruitment
Santos Vítor stresses that,
in dire need of search firms
while PLMJ prefers internal
who have big databases and
growth, new laterals have to be
have the tools to introduce
open minded and pro-active,
fewer candidates with the right
but the law firm – and more
skills set,” he comments. Unlike
specifically the team that will
some candidates who may
accommodate the newcomer
be applying to firms directly,
– also has to work on the
recruiters claim they often have
integration process.
an understanding of the specific
nature of the
legal market
in question,
We believe our
as well as
knowledge
professionals are the best
of the firms,
ambassadors for promoting
and practice
our culture.
areas, that
are currently
Adela García de Tuñón
expanding.
Hogan Lovells
Consequently,
recruiters say
they are often
able to better
Peña Oriol says that recruiters
match candidates with suitable
also sometimes have to convince
destinations.
lawyers tha t a lateral move
Whether the sourcing of
will be beneficial: “Law firms
candidates is done internally
want the best lawyers and they
or externally, lawyers and
are highly valued within their
recruiters say there are common
current firms. The recruiter´s
qualities that most firms are
work is not only to propose a
seeing. Kress expects firms will
new project to the lawyer, we
want to grow by enhancing
also have to make him or her
current client relationships and
understand why the change
creating new ones with lateral
is going to be good for their
hires.
career.” Filipe Romão, a partner
at Uría Menéndez in Lisbon,
Too many CVs
Sometimes they don´t fit
adds that one of the biggest
Alejandro Kress, associate
Sancho Peña Oriol, a Madridchallenges is being able to
director and Iberia head
based recruiter at Acheron
motivate young talent and offer
at Shilton Sharpe Quarry,
Partners, expands on the point,
a career opportunity that allows
highlights “big data” as an
believing that firms usually
for a satisfactory work-life
want a client
balance.
portfolio. “Of
course, this is a
plus and not a
Partnership no longer the
At partner level, [the
must,” he adds.
main goal
strategy] is to fulfil the
“The personal
Mendes Pinto believes these
fit is the most
sensitivities make lateral
positions that our clients
important
hiring a strategic issue because
deem as necessary as their
consideration.
firms have concluded that
businesses’ expand.
The hiring law
basing growth purely on the
firm wants to
development of their lawyers’
Miguel Bermúdez
keep the hired
careers would not be sufficient.
de Castro
lawyer as long
“First, young lawyers don’t want
Jones Day
as possible.
to stay in the same firm forever,
The lawyer
second, partnership is no longer
usually comes
the principal goal to achieve,”
with a different philosophy
she says. “Although there are
additional factor, specifically too
and sometimes has a hard time
still many exceptions, the truth is
much information, too many CVs
getting used to the new job,
that many lawyers, even males,
and too many emails. “We need
sometimes they don´t fit and
rather prefer to have a work-life
to cope with time management,
have to leave the firm.”
balance instead of spending the
hence HR professionals are also
is to fulfil the positions that
our clients deem as necessary
as their businesses expand,” he
says. “In particular, if we find a
lawyer with a new set of skills or
specialty that we don’t currently
offer, and that we see a real need
for, we are keen to hire. We do
not take on many graduates
as we work closely with select
universities to ensure we get the
best students to come and work
for us as trainees during their
studies. Many of our partners
hold academic positions and can
identify good juniors.”
Thornton observes that
the main complaint from
HR departments at smaller
to medium-sized law firms,
however, is that they felt obliged
to hire candidates referred
by partners, despite them not
necessarily being an ideal fit in
terms of their experience. “As the
market grows again, this model
becomes unsustainable and in
order to ensure that they get the
best possible people in a busier
market, external recruitment
agencies are once again
becoming the preferred means of
accessing a larger, international
pool of prospective hires,” she
adds.
“
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January / February 2015 • IBERIAN LAWYER • 53
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