Hobbs Harding Search focuses solely on the private practice market within Australia, engaging with our affiliate search partners for lawyers looking at private practice roles internationally.
We are very selective as to the law firms that we work with - a mix of leading global, national, local (capital-city based) and specialist law firms.
Deliberately working with a limited number of reputable client firms is beneficial in a number of ways:
Higher levels of trust and confidence with our client firms
It allows for stronger long-term client relationships built on mutual trust. Retained and/or exclusive work demonstrates a commitment from both parties with the shared interest of securing the best legal talent in the market in relation to a particular opportunity. Client firms can have full confidence that we won’t be poaching their lawyers and the lawyers we do place are often ambassadors for our client firms (e.g. being brought in to discuss the firm’s culture at a latter stage in the interview process).
A more strategic relationship with our client firms
By really getting to know our client firms, we can take a more strategic approach and focus on building or further growing particular practice areas. To that end, we are often briefed to find ‘Foundation’ Partners, and have had good success when doing so, to head up new practice areas and provide a broader offering for our client firms.
Better advocacy for our client firms (vital in a highly competitive market)
In turn, more strategic client relationships naturally allow for a far deeper understanding of our client firms’ culture, leadership, management structure (including equity structure). We get to know the key Partners and their respective teams very well. Naturally, to do this, we need to be communicating with the most senior stake-holders within our client firms to get this depth of understanding. This allows for proper advocacy at the crucial time of of initially reaching out to lawyers - aiding our client firms to build credibility, trust and rapport when the time comes to meet with them.
A more deliberate, cleaner and effective search process
Last though not least, by working closely with a smaller group of client firms, naturally this leaves a much larger pool of potential lawyers at non-client firms (and in-house) to reach out to. This is an important consideration when trying to find the best legal talent for a particular role.
Other services provided to client firms include comprehensive market-mapping in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart (Partner, Consultant, Special Counsel and Senior Associate levels), market updates (including regarding key development / trends / remuneration) at the capital city, national and international levels, panel interview participation if required, firm mergers / the building or acquisition of new practice areas, and strategic research into such matters as the relative strengths of comparative firms.
To discuss how Hobbs Harding Search can assist your firm, please call (03) 9225 5033 / 0414 142 422 or email thomas@hobbshardingsearch.com. To follow Hobbs Harding Search on LinkedIn, please click here.