In-House Counsel Recruiting - US Banking Corporation

The Client

Publicly traded U.S. banking corporation

The Challenge

A member of the client’s Labor and Employment team was scheduled to take a four-month leave. The client’s legal team was lean, so it could not disperse the outgoing attorney’s work internally as they were already working at full capacity. Secondment of an associate attorney from a law firm was not an option due to cost. As such, the client sought an experienced attorney to fill the role on an interim basis. Based on rarity of the skill set and its time constraints, the client was aware that it could not source on its own.

The Solution

As Major, Lindsey & Africa’s In-House Counsel Recruiting group placed the outgoing attorney, the client contacted us to ask about interim capabilities. Our Interim Legal Talent team met with the client, asked pointed questions to further assess and benchmark the need, advised about market conditions, and created a sourcing plan for the client. Within a month of this meeting, the Interim Legal Talent team sourced candidates, presented candidates, and guided the candidates and client through the interview process. The client made its selection and onboarded the interim attorney in time for the medical leave coverage.

The Results

By using an interim labor and employment attorney to cover the medical leave, the client’s legal team continued functioning with the same levels of effectiveness and efficiency. This arrangement also prevented burdening the existing team with additional work, thereby avoiding frustration and an impact on the team’s work product. The interim hire also eliminated the need to rely more heavily on outside counsel, resulting in a major cost savings.

The interim hire was such a success that the client ended up converting her to a permanent employee. Major, Lindsey & Africa’s Interim Legal Talent team has made approximately five successful placements for this client over the past five years. Whether they are facing a leave scenario or are simply shorthanded, it is likely this relationship will continue well into the foreseeable future.