Information for Employers

Legal Recruitment Information for Employers

At Burgess Paluch we aim to create recruitment solutions to satisfy each employer.

We recruit for large, mid-tier and boutique firms as well as a range of corporate entities. We undertake recruitment largely on a contingency basis as well as performing search work. We are happy to take briefs from any jurisdiction, so long as we have experience in that location. We recruit both permanent and contract lawyers.

How We Find Our Lawyers

We obtain lawyers for our database through volume advertising, networking and profile and most significantly, by referral. As many as half the lawyers who seek us out do so on the recommendation of a colleague. A very significant but smaller number are also recommended to us by our clients. Our legal contacts are surprisingly broad.

Our Recruitment Process

After obtaining an initial CV we informally telephone-interview lawyers and, where possible, meet with them in person for a face-to-face meeting. At the meeting our aim is to get to know the candidate as best we can. While we usually discuss an actual role at that point, it is more important that we create an open and honest dialogue with the lawyer from the outset. It is by gaining this trust that we can commence to have a real dialogue with the lawyer and ultimately assist them in making an informed career choice. As career advisors we also recognise that in some circumstances the best career advice we can give a lawyer is to stay in their current role.

We take the time to address the lawyer’s experience in detail, probing where appropriate and addressing any areas of concern. We ensure that the CV we are provided with is detailed and make notes on the candidate’s presentation, career goals and personality. We are trained in detecting evasive and deceitful behaviour and, where issues arise, take the time to investigate them after the interview.

Once a lawyer has authorised us, we provide original CV’s to our employers together with a brief profile summarising the positive and negative aspects of a lawyer’s application and addressing any other issues that arise. We do not take references (unless provided in writing by the lawyer or requested by the employer) at this point. CV’s are only provided to employers on the express instructions of our lawyers – we do not float CV’s or send out anonymous CV’s without consent. We abide by the Privacy Act and moreover treat our lawyers’ applications as confidential and with appropriate respect.

The Interview Process

When a lawyer is selected for an interview we ensure they are informed, organized and keen to attend. If there are competing applications or other issues that we are made aware of we seek authority to inform our employers of these. We are also happy to request that other documents, such as business plans, references, examples of work and articles be provided by the lawyer. We do not usually undertake checks of professional registration, visa status or academics and do not demand that academics or documents provided to us be certified copies unless instructed to do so. While we do give lengthy consideration to a lawyer’s personality type, we do not undertake personality or medical checks unless requested.

The Decision

We are happy to assist in the due diligence process and will undertake oral references as appropriate and as instructed by the employer. References are provided in written form. We are happy to assist with salary negotiations and to recommend appropriate offers and incentives for the lawyer being hired.

What We Need to Know About You and the Role

To be able to assist you in finding the right lawyer it is crucial that we get to know you and your organisation. To assist us we will need to know basic details about your organisation, the role and its level of autonomy and the skills required. For organisations with formal HR practices, we are happy to work with position descriptions and assist in drafting them. We will also need to know the type of personality sought and the key personal attributes that the lawyer will need to have to succeed. We will need you to advise us on salary, packages and incentives and are happy to recommend appropriate remuneration.

Our rates are flexible and competitive and can be tailored to suit your particular needs. Please contact Paul Burgess if you wish to discuss them on 0414 687 629 or at [email protected]