Sally Gardner’s Post

Before we undertake searches at Marsden, our private practice team spends a lot of time researching and analysing the talent pools in all of the major global legal centres. When we look top tier transactional lawyers who commenced their legal careers in 2019 or earlier, there are very few with just one firm on their CV. What does that tell us? 1. The people who haven't yet changed firm at this level have something pretty good going on with their current firm. They are not likely to move unless they have a reason to – such as progression being blocked, or a similar ‘push factor’.     2. Firms targeting first-time movers need to approach them in a targeted,  bespoke way, and with a very appealing and well thought through proposition.     3. Law firms and hiring partners need to be much more open to recruiting lawyers who have moved firms before. As global markets heat up and the demand for top-tier transactional lawyers increases, talent pools will shrink. Excluding lawyers from interview shortlists on the basis that they have moved firms could prove counter-productive.     4. It's more usual that younger lawyers don't subscribe to the ‘one firm for life’ mantra. In line with other industries, legal careers will be more fluid in the future. If you would like to talk to us about a search for your team, please contact one of our experts in your location: 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮: Jonathan Walmsley 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻: Alex Russell 𝗨𝗦𝗔: David Nicol 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Steve Salem 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁: Sonia Patel #lawfirms #hiring #legalcareers #legalrecruitment #marsden

We continue to see steady demand for 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻. With the sweet spot being 𝟯–𝟰 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗤𝗘, there are numerous opportunities available at top Magic Circle, Silver Circle, elite US, and international firms in both cities. Mid-level lawyers often find the most lateral opportunities available to them for several reasons: • Mid-levels will have gained sufficient legal knowledge, client exposure, and practical skills to work with minimal supervision, making them highly attractive to firms seeking immediate contributors. • Junior lawyers (0–2 years PQE) typically require more training, as they are still in the earlier stages of their careers. • Senior lawyers (6+ years PQE) often come with higher salaries, which can make them a more costly and riskier investment. • Many firms have a partnership track, and aim to recruit talent with enough time to progress through it. Joining too late may limit those opportunities. If you are currently in your mid-level and wish to have a confidential discussion around what opportunities are out there for you, then feel free to reach out: luke.marsden@marsdengroup.com #Marsden #Antitrust #Midlevel #LegalRecruitment #Europe #Brussels #London  

We continue to see steady demand for 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻. With the sweet spot being 𝟯–𝟰 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗤𝗘, there are numerous opportunities available at top Magic Circle, Silver Circle, elite US, and international firms in both cities. Mid-level lawyers often find the most lateral opportunities available to them for several reasons: • Mid-levels will have gained sufficient legal knowledge, client exposure, and practical skills to work with minimal supervision, making them highly attractive to firms seeking immediate contributors. • Junior lawyers (0–2 years PQE) typically require more training, as they are still in the earlier stages of their careers. • Senior lawyers (6+ years PQE) often come with higher salaries, which can make them a more costly and riskier investment. • Many firms have a partnership track, and aim to recruit talent with enough time to progress through it. Joining too late may limit those opportunities. If you are currently in your mid-level and wish to have a confidential discussion around what opportunities are out there for you, then feel free to reach out: sally.gardner@marsdengroup.com or contact one of my colleagues Luke Marsden or Steve Salem #Marsden #Antitrust #competition #Midlevel #LegalRecruitment #Europe #Brussels #London

WE NEED YOU! ‘Look up and Beyond’ seeks early career talent.. With the momentum for our project building and lots of work to be done, we are reaching out to friends, colleagues and allies who wish to help us reach our goals. We are looking to set up a “Early Stage Focus Group” to help us better reach and understand what early career talent needs to help it grow and remain in the Scottish legal industry, to make the profession truly representative of society, at all levels. These will be voluntary roles and as such the time commitment and responsibility will be kept to a minimum. We are looking for diverse insights, maximum enthusiasm and an inclusive ‘can do’ attitude - we promise, no time recording! We value the ‘often missing’ knowledge and skills that early talent in the legal industry can contribute and how it can help us ask the right question and find fitting solution for lasting change. You don’t have to be a solicitor, there is no PQE requirement and men are very much welcomed and needed. If this appeal to you and you wish to be a part of our project please reply to this post, reach out to me privately or email us at: hello@diversityplus.info Alternatively, reach out to anyone of our group members below. Closing date: Friday 8th March (not so coincidentally, that’s also #IWD) Please share with those who you think may be interested 🙏🏽 Angela Fyfe Naomi Pryde Jacqueline Moore Lesley Allan Ruth Croman Rachel Williams Catriona MacPhail Diversity+ #talent #earlytalent #womeninlaw #talentretention #diversityinlaw #diversityandinclusion

𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁? 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 In this tight job market, attracting top-notch in-house counsel can be challenging. With over 19 years of experience in placing GCs and their teams, I've learned that an organization's brand and culture can make all the difference. To stand out, here are some key strategies for showcasing your brand and culture: ➡️ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Show your commitment by engaging directly with the community. Sponsor events, participate in outreach programs, and support employee resource groups. These actions show you're walking the talk when it comes to values. ➡️ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀: Open doors for your in-house team to grow beyond the office. Offer chances to enhance their legal skills while making a community impact through pro bono work or volunteer initiatives. ➡️ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Don't underestimate the power of a personal touch. Have executive team members sign or extend offers with individualized messages—it signals a genuine commitment to building strong relationships. ➡️ 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀: Close the generation gap by investing in growth. Mentorship programs, cross-functional training, and networking events help younger lawyers see a future with your company. Spotlighting these aspects can make your organization pop for top legal talent who share your values. --- 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮? 𝘐’𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱-𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘊𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯-𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭. #LegalRecruitment #InHouseCounsel #GeneralCounsel #TalentStrategy #CompanyCulture

Are you at an early stage in your career in law? Look Up and Beyond is looking for a range of views on promoting talent retention. If you can help us to identify the issues of most importance to those entering a career in law, and are interested in working with us on addressing those, please do reach out? #earlycareers #earlytalent #womeninlaw #diversityinlaw #diversityandinclusion #talentretention

The legal recruiting profession can be a bit of an unknown area of recruiting! It generally pays well and firms are expanding their recruiting and related departments and we need more recruiters in this field. We hope you will join this session to learn more!

In today's competitive legal market, brand and reputation are more important than ever in attracting top talent. A strong brand showcases your firm's values, culture, and commitment to excellence. It's not just about being known; it's about being known for the right reasons and standing out from the crowd. A stellar reputation acts as a magnet for the best talent, drawing individuals who are not only skilled but also align with your firm's ethos and core values. Top legal professionals seek workplaces where they can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and be part of a respected and forward-thinking team. By building and maintaining a reputable brand, you signal to potential candidates that your firm is a place where they can grow, succeed, and make an impact. What are you doing to stand out? Invest in your brand and protect your reputation. They are your greatest assets in the race to secure the best and brightest in the legal industry. Highlight your firm's unique strengths, celebrate your successes, and consistently demonstrate your commitment to innovation and client service. These efforts not only attract top talent but also reinforce your position as a leader in the legal field. #legalcareers #lawjobs #legaljobs #brand #recruitment

Everyone is different and has individual goals. We talk about tier 1 firms, and elite firms, and New York salaries a lot but this isn’t for everyone and joining one of these teams doesn’t universally bring joy and happiness. We work with a range of people and a range of firms, some of which are very far from an elite firm recognised in a global directory. These firms offer something very different in culture, hours, expectations and environment. Every firm is different. Every law firm job is different. Every candidate we work with is different, and we tailor our service and advice to you based on what we hear you want. Yes we advise on markets and opportunities, but you are in control of your own professional journey. We are here to ride with you. Feel free to reach out to me at sally.gardner@marsdengroup.com or another member of our global team to see how we can assist you with your career choices. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻/𝗗𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻: Alex Russell, Tim Andrews or Michelle Mills , 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮: Jonathan Walmsley, Ben Smith, Lucy Cullinan, Daniel Hogan 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Luke Marsden, Steve Salem 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁: Sonia Patel 𝗨𝗦𝗔: David Nicol, Matt Moody, Bridget White, Sophia Arkley 𝗜𝗻-𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲: Kate Bramwell, Sarita Rai, Megan Williams #careerprogression #legalrecruitment #Marsden  

Are you missing out on your dream legal role because of preconceptions? As a legal recruiter, I see talented professionals pass on amazing opportunities without even exploring a conversation. Too often, candidates make decisions based on perceptions that have no real basis—like relying solely on Legal 500 rankings or assuming that a lower-tiered firm means a step backward in their career. Here’s the reality: a firm’s ranking doesn't always tell the full story. Some roles at these firms offer broader exposure, more responsibility, or a better career trajectory than those at higher-tiered firms. I've seen professionals thrive in environments they almost dismissed due to preconceived notions. Before saying "no" to an opportunity, take the time to understand the scope of the role, the team, and the potential for growth. You might be surprised by where a "yes" can lead! #LegalCareers #RecruitmentAdvice #CareerGrowth #LegalOpportunities