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About Us

First Counsel started in April 2003. We are a recruitment business focused on sourcing the best business services staff for law firms. By business services we mean roles covering a wide range of support functions in law firms. Functions that are at the heart of what makes a firm successful – that focus on the people that work within it, the technology that delivers these services, the development of the firm’s client base and effective financial management that ensures the business’s continued success.

We recruit across a broad range of disciplines - the most obvious ones being HR, marketing and business development, finance and IT. There are then the more specialist senior management roles such as Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers and Partnership Executive Officers.

We are an experienced team of six. We have all been recruiting in this world for many years. We share our knowledge to ensure we are best placed to advise candidates and organisations on their specific needs. Our approach is not “one size fits all” and we tailor our recommendations accordingly.

Our track record speaks volumes and we are pleased to have won a number of industry awards. Far more importantly we have a lot of testimonials from happy clients and candidates. Please see www.firstcounsel.com for more information on these and to learn more about what we do.

Debbie Collett

Debbie specialises in the recruitment of senior law firm management professionals covering HR, marketing, business development, Finance and IT as well as general management. Debbie has over fifteen years’ experience within recruitment, and has spent time managing the inhouse recruitment function at leading law firm, Herbert Smith, prior to joing First Counsel in 2005.

 

Gary Jones

Gary specialises in the recruitment of law firm management professionals covering marketing, business development, HR, Finance, Risk, IT as well as general management roles. Gary worked for M&S in HR store management before joining Linklaters in 1997. His five years at Linklaters was spent in HR management, recruitment, and he also was heavily involved with the HR aspects of the firm's merger activity. He joined First Counsel on Day One.

Tim Skipper

Tim specialises in the recruitment of law firm management professionals covering marketing, business development, HR, Finance and IT as well as general management roles. Tim began his recruitment career in the mid 90's with QD, when he specialised in marketing and business development, placing directors and managers with most of the leading law firms in London and the regions. He then ran TMP Worldwide's legal, sales and marketing businesses before leaving to found First Counsel in 2003.

Katherine Turvey

Katherine specialises in the recruitment of junior law firm professionals in business services functions including marketing, business development and HR.

Prior to joining First Counsel, Katherine established and ran an in-house recruitment team at business coaching consultancy Shirlaws. She also successfully grew and led the professional services team at marketing recruitment consultancy Stopgap.

Katherine started out her career in marketing roles in financial services and professional services. She spent several years in Marketing and Business Development management positions at Linklaters, including leading the Asia marketing team in Hong Kong.

Providing a consultative recruitment service is what Katherine is passionate about and she is regularly recommended by clients and candidates for her honesty, professionalism, sector knowledge and natural coaching style.

Rebecca Ellis

Rebecca specialises in the recruitment of law firm management professionals covering marketing, business development, HR, Finance and IT as well as general management roles.

Prior to joining First Counsel Rebecca worked for Carter Murray. She set up Carter Murray's professional services marketing recruitment team which she subsequently managed for over six years. Rebecca began her recruitment career as a consultant at Chambers & Partners where for four years she recruited into the legal sector.

Rebecca has a strong reputation due to her exceptional market knowledge gained during her career within this specialist sector. She prides herself on a consultative approach. Taking the time to develop an understanding of both clients and candidates and not using a one size fits all recruitment solution.

Leap to Legal

Business services professionals take centre stage in revamped Leap to Legal

First Counsel is delighted to announce the re-launch of its micro-site Leap to Legal (www.leaptolegal.com). The site provides essential guidance for business services professionals who are considering moving to the legal profession as the next step to advancing their careers.  It takes on extra significance as the legal profession continues to explore ways of attracting the best talent into the sector from other markets.

The site includes practical tips and sector specific insights to help professionals spanning all business services functions including marketing, business development, HR, finance, and so on.

Advice takes candidates through the whole process of securing the right job in legal - from preparing a CV and succeeding at interview, to understanding exactly what it will be like to work with lawyers and in the legal sector.

Leap to Legal also dispels some of the myths surrounding the profession – including now outdated assumptions that it is very traditional and slow to change. Instead, case studies from those who have already made the leap to legal demonstrate the myriad opportunities – and challenges – that await those willing to take on this intellectually stimulating and rapidly changing landscape.

First Counsel looks forward to using Leap to Legal to support all interested business services professionals in their career journey through law.

For more information, please visit the website  www.leaptolegal.com.  First Counsel is a leading recruiter of business services professionals into law firms, recruiting from at all levels of seniority in HR, general management, marketing, business development, finance and IT.

 

 

CSR

In 2007 we established a corporate social responsibility programme to cement our commitment and responsibility to support the needs of our local community. We have formed a relationship with the East London Business Alliance who give us access to our local community and help us to identify and respond to their needs appropriately.

We are committed to providing help that can have a long term impact, whether it be helping with literacy and business skills schemes or creating an environment that will provide a better quality of life by painting schools or building playgrounds. Over half our London office are spending a day painting a primary school in Tower Hamlets in July 2008.

Many people within our business want to use their skills and experience to help others and put something back into the local community and our programme allows them to do this.

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