Lawdragon: How Macrae Broke the Mold to Become a Transatlantic Recruiting Powerhouse

WHAT MAKES MACRAE TICK ISN’T THE RECRUITERS’ INDIVIDUAL EXPERTISE ALONE.

It’s the way they work together. “Recruitment is often very individualistic. And we’re just not like that. I've never seen a recruitment firm like this.”

The following excerpt is the start of an in-depth profile of Macrae that originally appeared in Lawdragon Magazine online on January 29, 2023; the full article can also be downloaded here as a PDF.

A law partner’s practice is all in the details. To best serve their clients, they need to stay abreast of ever-shifting laws and regulations and understand the nuances of each industry in which they operate. High-powered partners have the immense responsibility of knowing every intricacy of their corner of the legal market.

Legal recruiters, however, operate with quite a different perspective. The good ones zoom out to the big picture – observing how firms change, which partners are moving where, what practices are in demand and the types of firm cultures that are currently attracting top talent. When a partner seeks to move firms, or a law firm is searching for a perfect-fit lateral partner, a big-picture industry expert is an invaluable resource.

A truly excellent recruiter is able to utilize that big picture view with a detail-oriented focus at the same time, serving candidates and clients on the simultaneous level of a trusted personal counselor and an industry advisor.

That dual focus is the mission of Macrae: a transatlantic legal search firm devoted to serving the leading law firms and placing the top partners. The firm caters specifically to elite lateral partner recruiting in what are arguably the world’s top legal markets: New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and London, working in tandem with Am Law 50 and Magic Circle firms.

By design, Macrae is simultaneously wide-reaching and highly focused: Each recruiter acts as a counselor to a client or candidate, concentrating on the individual at a personal level, with an unparalleled expertise in their geographical market – buoyed by the support network of Macrae’s recruiters nationwide and across the pond.

That network is the foundation of the firm’s success. Macrae recruiters are experienced, empathetic advocates who share a mindset that nothing truly excellent can be done alone. Macrae’s strategy focuses on collective intelligence – using the power of individual expertise combined with collaborative spirit to create an unparalleled experience for their clients. That culture of partnership is what Joe Macrae, founder of the firm, knew would build something truly special.