Scaling a Global Legal Function for a High-Growth Insurance & Fintech Business

This case study highlights how MLA partnered with a high-growth insurance and fintech business to scale its global in-house legal function in support of expansion, innovation, and IPO readiness.

• Supported a privately held insurance brokerage operating at the intersection of insurance, technology, and financial services
• Delivered a phased, long-term hiring strategy aligned with global growth and evolving risk profiles
• Completed 10+ legal hires across the US and Europe spanning multiple practice areas
• Built a multi-disciplinary legal team with strong retention and internal progression
• Continue to serve as a trusted advisor as the business prepares for its next stage of growth

The Challenge

A fast‑growing, privately owned insurance brokerage operating at the intersection of insurance, technology, and financial services was experiencing sustained, rapid growth driven by organic expansion and fintech‑enabled innovation. While revenue growth was significant, the legal function remained intentionally lean, creating increasing pressure as the business scaled internationally and prepared for a potential IPO.

Key challenges included:

• Scaling a legal function to support a growing global footprint while maintaining agility.
• Managing increasing regulatory and compliance complexity across multiple jurisdictions.
• Supporting innovation at the intersection of insurance, technology, and financial services.
• Preparing for a potential IPO, requiring more sophisticated governance, risk management, and legal infrastructure.
• Balancing specialist expertise with commercial pragmatism in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.

The Solution

MLA partnered closely with the General Counsel, International General Counsel and senior leadership to deliver a long-term, phased hiring strategy that evolved alongside the business. Key elements of our approach included:

Long-Term Partnership Model:

Working with the client over many years to anticipate legal and regulatory needs as the business grew, rather than reacting to isolated hiring requirements.

Global Coverage:

Supporting over 10 hires across the US (global headquarters) and Europe (international headquarters), ensuring consistency while respecting regional nuance.

Specialist and Hybrid Talent:

Identifying candidates with:

• Deep insurance sector experience
• Fintech and technology exposure
• Specialist subject-matter expertise across commercial, corporate, litigation, regulatory, compliance, and risk
• The ability to operate effectively in a high-growth, evolving environment

Team Design & Evolution:

Advising on role design, seniority, and sequencing as the legal function matured and the company’s strategic priorities shifted over time.

Retention and Growth Focus:

• Prioritizing candidates with the potential to grow with the business, many of whom have remained, progressed internally, and gone on to hire within their own teams.     

Results

MLA’s support enabled the client to build a resilient, future-ready legal function capable of supporting continued growth and IPO readiness.

Key outcomes include:

• 10+ successful legal hires across the US and Europe.
• A scaled, multi-disciplinary legal team aligned with the business’s evolving risk profile.
• Strong retention and internal progression, with many hires growing into expanded or leadership roles.
• A legal function equipped to support global expansion, innovation, and regulatory scrutiny.
• A trusted advisory relationship that continues as the business evolves.

Why It Worked:

• Deep understanding of the insurance and fintech landscape.
• A consultative, team-shaping approach, not just transactional recruitment.
• Long-term partnership built on trust, institutional knowledge, and continuity.
• Ability to identify talent suited to both today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth.

Quotes from Our Team:

“This partnership is a great example of what can be achieved when legal hiring is approached as a long-term strategic exercise rather than a series of isolated searches. We helped the client build a legal function that could grow with the business, adapt to innovation, and prepare for the next phase of its journey.”

“What made this engagement particularly rewarding was the opportunity to help shape a legal team over time. Many of the individuals we placed have stayed, grown, and gone on to build teams of their own — which is ultimately the measure of a successful legal hire.”

Looking Ahead:

As the client continues to expand globally and prepare for a potential public listing, MLA remains a trusted partner, supporting the evolution of its legal function to meet increasing regulatory, governance, and risk demands. This case study demonstrates MLA’s ability to support complex, high-growth businesses operating at the intersection of insurance and technology.