What do we look for when we’re recruiting?

Anthony: “We might be recruiting and looking for people who might better technically than we are as part of the growth ambitions. But from having grown with the business, we really do recognise the other qualities that are going to add value to our business, such as are they a good networker? That's not taken as read amongst lawyers, who can be very traditional, a bit linear, not really thinking in an entrepreneurial way. Whereas we are very keen to develop that, and I think recognise those aptitudes a bit better as a result.”

Emma: “When we joined 20 years ago, there wasn’t the thought that the new trainees were the future of the business. Whereas we look at trainees now and we’re identifying who has got that commercial side. We’re looking at business development, bringing in client relationships, acquisition, that entrepreneurial spirit where you spot an opportunity – and then leading people.

“You can have great lawyers that bill well, but they'll bill that year on year with an increase in their hourly rate. We really look at the people that are able to achieve growth, that spot an opportunity, invest in their team members to bring them on to really achieve that overall growth, rather than their just personal billing numbers.”

Vikki: “We recruit on that holistic approach, not just based on technical ability. I always say that we can teach people how to do the law; I can teach somebody how to do a lease extension. I can't teach them how to be a leader of people or how to be respectful to others. We’re recruiting based on cultural fit and those people that we want in the business.

“When they’re here, we’re not just looking at people's billing figures. People are given the opportunity to invest in different types of their areas of their career, and I think that truly helps people to progress.”

Anthony: “Anybody who comes with an idea is given the opportunity to run with it; we will invest time and resource into seeing whether it can work. That's part of trying to develop people into being the next leaders. We hope that the fact that we're leading the business at our ages is encouraging and inspiring to others. Plus, the fact that we have developed a unique leadership approach, with three, comparatively young Managing Partners, is a powerful statement about what the ambitions of the business are. Thackray Williams hasn’t conformed to the expectation that the next oldest in line would be appointed Managing Partner to caretake the business for a few years, rather than driving it forward.

“While we support people and encourage them – and invest in them with both time and resource for new ideas – people do have to take responsibility for their own career progression. They can't expect things to be handed to them on a plate, which can happen. For my part, if someone wants to develop, not only as a lawyer but as a leader and business owner, they need to be creative. Think of new ideas, try them, make sure that they’re endeavouring to improve on and do things differently, rather than just do things as they've always been done. If they can do that, then it puts them in a really strong position going forward.”

Emma: “I really want to see people who lift up everyone around them. I want to see how the people around you are performing and how you support them. That says a lot about you as a person and that's the sort of people we want to sit around the table with.”

Interesting in joining Thackray Williams?

To find out more about career opportunities with Thackray Williams please visit our careers website.