Lawdragon Recognizes Six Macrae Recruiters as “Global 100 Leaders” Amid Banner Year for Firm
PRESS RELEASE — August 24, 2021
Macrae, a premier transatlantic legal search firm that places partners and groups at the world’s leading law firms, is pleased to share the news that Lawdragon has recognized six recruiters as 2021 Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting. The partners featured in the publisher’s annual guide to the “cream of the crop” advisors to law firms include Lauren Drake, Joe Macrae, Jane Sullivan Roberts, Andy Russell, and Melinda Wallman. Russell appears on the list for the first time, while his colleagues are repeat honorees.
The Lawdragon accolades come amid another banner year for Macrae. The firm has achieved many of the largest lateral partner deals in its history and handled a record number of new office openings for Am Law 50 and UK 20 firms. Revenue for the first half of 2021 is more than double that of the same period last year, with the firm on track to continue the trend through the rest of the year - making 2021 the second year in a row the firm has grown at this clip.
“It’s an honor for Macrae to have such a significant presence on the Lawdragon 100, and even more so that these talented recruiters represent each of our geographic markets,” said CEO Carter Brown. “Our goal when we began executing our strategic expansion plan in 2017 was to create a very different elite recruiting firm – one in which shared knowledge, teamwork and transparency take center stage. We aimed to bring together top partner-level recruiters in Northern California, New York, D.C., and London, and leverage the collective intelligence of the group to benefit our clients and candidates across markets. Lawdragon’s recognition that more than half of our recruiters are among the world’s best is testament to the success of our strategy. We look forward to adding more exceptional talent to the Macrae team in the months ahead.”
Lauren Drake (Washington, D.C./New York): Drake was named to the Lawdragon 100 for the second consecutive year; she was recently profiled by the publication here. She specializes in representing and placing partners, groups and senior government lawyers into top law firms. She joined Macrae in 2019 from Major, Lindsey & Africa, prior to which she enjoyed a 16-year tenure at McKinsey & Company. Drake is the founder and leader of the Female Law Firm Leaders Roundtable in D.C. and the Women Practice Group Leaders Roundtable in New York, and is the D.C. Co-Chair of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF). She holds a J.D. from William & Mary Law School.
Natasha Innocenti (Northern California): Innocenti was named to the Lawdragon 100 for the third consecutive year; she was recently profiled by the publication here. She has nearly 25 years of experience placing law firm partners, groups and senior government attorneys into leading law firms and helping firms open California offices. Innocenti joined Macrae in 2017 from Innocenti Partners, which she founded following a 13-year tenure at Major, Lindsey & Africa. She serves as a Board Member of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, a leading legal charity serving the community focused on children, health and housing. She earned her master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of London.
Joe Macrae (Northern California/New York/London): Macrae, the firm’s Founder and Chairman, was named to the Lawdragon 100 for the third consecutive year; he was recently profiled by the publication here. He founded Macrae, then known as Mlegal, in 2001. He splits his time between the West Coast, East Coast and the U.K., serving as a career advisor to partners and teams and working closely with Am Law 50 and UK 20 firms to develop and implement strategic expansion plans. Macrae transitioned from law to legal recruitment in 1988 and co-founded ZMB, now Hays Legal, several years later. He holds a law degree from Manchester University.
Jane Sullivan Roberts (Washington, D.C.): Roberts was named to the Lawdragon 100 for the fifth consecutive year. She advises high-profile law firm partners and groups on lateral moves as well as senior government attorneys transitioning to the private sector. She opened Macrae’s D.C. office in 2019 following a decade at Major, Lindsey & Africa. Roberts transitioned to recruiting after a 20-year career at Pillsbury, where she was a partner in the Global Technology Group and held the position of Executive Partner for Talent Development. Roberts was a Founding Member and former Co-Chair of the WILEF’s D.C. chapter. She earned her J.D. at Georgetown Law.
Andy Russell (London): Russell has more than 25 years of experience placing law firm partners and teams into the leading law firms in London and Europe. He also specializes in new office openings. He joined Macrae in 2017 to open the firm’s London Office, having previously served as Managing Director of Fox Rodney Search, which acquired his own firm Abrahams Russell in 2003. Prior to co-founding that firm, Russell worked alongside Joe Macrae at ZMB, now Hays Legal. He holds a law degree from Sheffield University. He was a litigator at Freshfields before transitioning to legal recruitment.
Melinda Wallman (London): Wallman was named to the Lawdragon 100 for the second consecutive year; she was recently profiled by the publication here. She focuses on the recruitment of partners into leading U.S. and UK law firms in the UK and Europe. She joined Macrae in 2018 from Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she founded the firm’s Hong Kong and London offices and led its EMEA Partner Practice Group. Wallman serves as Deputy Global Chair, International for WILEF, is on the advisory board of Black Women in Asset Management, and in 2018 founded Reignite Academy, a unique collaboration between London firms that provides opportunities for women lawyers to return to practice after a career hiatus. Melinda practiced with Gilbert + Tobin, Sydney before going into search. She holds a law degree from the UNSW Sydney.
