Tag: #permanentrecruitment

You have been in specialist legal recruitment for 25 years. What made you want to launch a division specifically for legal professional support roles? There were two reasons. Firstly, our clients were asking for support beyond recruitment for traditional professional roles. Secondly, I found the right person to head this division up…Eva Wilson. I had worked with Eva in the past and knew she was an outstanding recruiter with the right holistic approach for this project. Clients and candidates warm to her genuine and caring nature and appreciate her attention to detail. She loves visiting clients face to face and asking the right questions to guarantee best results.  Since launch, Eva has grown the Elias Recruitment Professional Support Division to three full time recruiters working with clients all over Australia.    What kind of roles do you recruit for? Basically, all the roles that make a typical legal practice tick.  That includes legal secretaries, paralegals, conveyancers, clerks, HR, IT and accounting support specific to the legal profession. Our first clients were law firms that we had existing relationships with but we are now also recruiting for Barrister’s Chambers, suppliers to the legal sector, Government agencies and private entities with specific legal requirements. What are your plans for this Division? That’s easy. We want to be the leading specialist recruitment agency for legal professional support roles across Australia and New Zealand. Elias is already the leading agency for legal professional roles but we are on a mission to extend this reach further. Some people might think that is easy but it’s not.  Professional Support is a lot different to Professional; the roles and the candidates move a lot faster, the packages are less standard and lead times are shorter. The other challenge is that there is more competition. There are countless recruitment agencies claiming to be able to help with generic support roles in the legal profession which no doubt creates a lot of confusion for good candidates on the market. The difference with Elias is that we have the experience and the networks to move quickly for both clients and candidates alike.  How do you handle the stresses involved in growing a business? In the last 12 months alone, we have relocated our Sydney office into bigger premises, taken on new team members overseas, opened a new Professional Support Division and launched a specialist legal talent pool product. At the same time, we’ve managed to secure spots with highly sought after tenders and taken out Best Boutique Recruitment Agency in the Seek SARA Award for 2023 and the RCSA Awards.  On the one hand, seeing a team and business grow brings enormous pride but stress is unavoidable. I manage that by allowing lots of family time and time to watch the footy (Go Bulldogs!)  Needless to say, I am incredibly proud of our team and our work. Jason Elias, CEO Elias Recruitment

The role of legal secretary has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years becoming more complex, more technical and more critical to the overall performance of a high functioning legal team. In case you didn’t know, there is a huge shortage of experienced legal secretaries right now. Leading firms are offering a range of benefits to lure great candidates across and it’s a good time to be picky. It’s also a great time to really think about what makes the role of a legal secretary so great. Firstly, you are the “go to” person for your department – always tapped in to where everyone is at any point in time – what work is coming in, where it is at and how people are performing. This is particularly important in hybrid working environments.  Other responsibilities include monitoring billings, drafting and editing documents, co-ordinating meetings, event planning and using a range of technologies for everything from e-filing to billing and document management.   So what’s the money?  Today, the Elias Recruitment Professional Support Division is working with clients ready to pay between $75,000- $85,000 plus super.  For that package, you will have some previous experience, have a basic understanding of legal terminology, strong IT skills and a genuine interest in the technologies that are reshaping the legal profession. No heels required. Jason Elias, CEO Elias Recruitment