A Succession Opportunity in a Niche Practice Area
The brief
With the upcoming retirement of a named Partner, Cyan Partners was instructed on an exclusive basis to find their successor for a national firm. The opportunity was in a niche practice area and required an in depth understanding of the market and expertise required.
The challenge
The incumbent Partner had set a high bar in terms of technical quality, client handling and external profile. In addition, the successful candidate needed leadership skills in order to take on the running of an existing team, gaining buy in from both senior and junior lawyers.
To support this, the client required a certain level of ‘following’ to demonstrate business development skills.
The results
Following lengthy discussions with the firm we undertook detailed research and provided an extensive long list which included lawyers in all the client’s office locations. We also worked closely with the client to draft a comprehensive description of the role.
We met and interviewed a wide range of candidates from our market mapping exercise and provided detailed profiles on each appropriate individual. We guided each candidate through a competitive process, providing clear and constructive feedback to both sides.
We then supported the selected candidates through a detailed business planning process and prepared them for panel interviews.
As a result, we secured the best candidate for the role and negotiated an offer which suited both sides. To ensure a smooth transition to their new firm we guided the candidate through their resignation and remained close to them during their notice period.
