Irwin Mitchell seeks top corporate team
LAW firm Irwin Mitchell is looking to attract a top corporate team to challenge the region’s top firms.
Commercial litigation partner John Lord, who is leading the national firm’s recruitment drive, told TheBusinessDesk.com that a full corporate offering would be the “final piece of the jigsaw”.
The former Halliwells partner, who left the firrm to join Irwin Mirtchell in July 2009, and acts for some of Europe’s top companies such as InBev and EON, is keen to get the message out to the North West market that Irwin Mitchell is more than a leading clinical negligence and personal injury firm.
“We are actively looking for a corporate team, not just an individual, but a team including tax and banking expertise. Obviously we’d love a team to move en masse, but there is an opportunity for someone to come and build that team.
“This is is a big investment for us over the next few months, but we are very serious about it.”
Mr Lord said last year’s hire of a 22-strong corporate team from City firm SJ Berwin should be seen as a “statement of intent” by Irwin Mitchell.
“Corporate is such an important addition to a firm – it feeds many other parts of the business. I think we can offer a great home for an ambitious team to back themselves and really build something.
“Being brually honest we’re not going to be challenging DLA Piper and Addleshaws on Day One, but we’d like to think we can compete with the mid market firms like DWF and Shoosmiths. The key is to bring in the right people and we are very hungry and ambitious.”
Legal recruiters have been made aware of IM’s requirements. One told TheBusinessDesk.com: “I suspect it’s going to be quite a hard sell for John, because Irwin Mitchell doesn’t have a brand for corporate work, but if you look at Leeds and Sheffield they have made a reasonable stab at building a corporate business there.
“It’ll be difficult for them to make a big splash like Pinsent Masons have done in Manchester. What is in its favour though is that because of the Personal Injury business the firm is very stable and profitable – which could be attractive.”
