Articles From the Team

The rise of the legal inbetweeners

A recent Legal Week article on the increased use of senior interim lawyers by in-house legal departments grabbed the attention of the in-house team at BCL Legal

Caroline Hill, senior reporter at Legal Week, wrote that there are signs that senior-level interim appointments may become more commonplace in the future, as major corporates are increasingly seeing the benefits of such temporary placements.

These unpredictable times are causing some adjustment in the way companies are recruiting at all levels, and at BCL Legal we are finding that temporary recruitment is increasing across the board.  For example, we are currently assisting clients with the provision of interim lawyers in a diverse range of sectors, including a leading healthcare organisation, a major utilities company and a large retailer.

What is clear is that everyone is happy... Our corporate clients have commented that temporary placements are particularly beneficial when the company has a need for a specialism for a relatively short period, for example on a run of M&A activity, large scale litigation, or a major compliance exercise.

Such appointments can provide the level of expertise needed for a set time period, and the opportunity to save money is clear, which is always welcome in these days of reduced budgets and general caution when it comes to recruitment.

We have also noticed increased interest for temporary roles from lawyers seeking jobs, and this is not from those with no other options (i.e. facing redundancy, or returning to a difficult job market after some time out).  It is far more often a lifestyle choice for job seekers wanting greater flexibility and a better work-life balance.

For experienced senior-level lawyers with the financial security to work on an interim basis, and the desire to work for a diverse range of businesses, the temporary market is a wise choice.

By Mark Levine
marklevine@bcllegal.com