Partnering with a World-Renowned Luxury Brand to Build a High-Performing Legal Function

MLA partnered with one of the world’s most iconic luxury brands, renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovation. The client was undergoing a period of strategic transformation, including the relocation of its global headquarters, which created a unique opportunity to strengthen its legal function on a global scale.

The Challenge

During this period of organizational evolution, the client encountered several critical challenges. There was an urgent need to reinforce in-house legal capabilities, expand compliance capacity, and navigate increasingly complex regulatory frameworks. Protecting intellectual property and brand integrity in diverse markets was paramount, as was filling immediate capability gaps through interim and project-based legal support.

• Expanding legal and compliance capacity to support accelerated global growth.
• Navigating complex and evolving regulatory frameworks across EMEA, APAC, and North America.

The Solution

MLA responded with a bespoke, consultative approach, working closely with the client’s General Counsel, regional legal leaders, and HR. Together, they designed a strategic hiring plan that balanced long-term capability building with immediate operational needs. MLA leveraged its international network across 27 offices to identify top-tier talent, targeted candidates with deep sector expertise, and provided flexible interim solutions to ensure business continuity. Advisory support helped shape role profiles and align hires with the client’s culture and brand values, while collaborative delivery ensured a seamless recruitment process.

• Targeted candidates with expertise in corporate, compliance, public policy, IP, tax, and operations law.
• Provided “plug-and-play” interim talent for urgent project requirements.
• Maintained transparent, coordinated communication with legal and HR leadership.

The Results

The partnership quickly evolved into a trusted, long-term relationship, formalized under a global master services agreement (MSA). MLA delivered over 15 successful placements across multiple jurisdictions, spanning a range of legal specialties. The tailored, data-driven approach enhanced the quality of candidate shortlists and strengthened the client’s global legal capability, enabling more effective management of legal and regulatory risks.

MLA continues to support the client’s legal function through further expansion, transformation, and digitalisation. This case exemplifies MLA’s ability to combine global reach, sector expertise, and human insight to build resilient legal functions for worldleading organisations.