New_global_village

The dearth of corporate and banking specialists in the City has led to an influx of New World lawyers into the top firms in what...The dearth of corporate and banking specialists in the City has led to an influx of New World lawyers into the top firms in what is being seen as a globalisation of legal careers.Clifford Chance has more than 100 lawyers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa working in its London office and has just taken on 15 Canadians after running a recruitment campaign in Toronto in January.Magic circle firms regularly run recruitment campaigns in Australia, hoovering up the top candidates with Australians coming here outnumbering UK lawyers going down under by at least ten to one, estimates Joanne Street, a consultant with legal recruitment consultancy Hays ZMB.But, according to Anna Jenner, a senior consultant in the Sydney office of Mahlab, the biggest legal recruiters in Australia, the Citys cherry-picking of talented lawyers is not seen as a legal brain drain by Australian law firms.It is seen as a reflection of the globalisation of legal careers.

Employers now encourage their lawyers to work overseas to gain high exposure to cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and international work, often with excellent training and mentoring with the top-tier UK firms.

This way they also hope to maintain contact with them so that when they return they are more likely to do so to their old firm, she says.

Explains Ms Jenner: In terms of game plans, there are excellent career prospects for Australian and New Zealand lawyers in the UK and many have now reached partnership level in the top-tier and second-tier firms.

This is a huge drawcard as often it has been difficult for quality lawyers who are on track to partnership at their firm here to make the decision to move.

Matt Andrews, who works in professional indemnity and reinsurance, was offered the chance to come to London six years ago for a ten-month secondment to Kennedys from Abbott Tout in Sydney.

I wasnt that keen at first because things were going well at home but I knew I would kick myself later if I didnt take the opportunity.

To me, the biggest killer for an Australian is the winter we are simply not used to five months of cold and darkness.But he found himself seduced by the quality of work and life here, becoming a partner last year I didnt expect to enjoy England or English people as much as I do.Dave Roberts, who specialises in corporate finance, was recruited by Lovells about two years ago from the Sydney office of Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

To be honest, the 1999 Rugby World Cup and the cricket World Cup were a huge incentive.

But there was also the associated travel and, professionally, it was seen as a very healthy thing to have on your CV.

My original plan was to stay for two years and then go back, having accelerated my chances for partnership.

But at the moment I am being considered for partner here, which I would love to take, but it requires a commitment for the foreseeable future.

There is no doubt if you want to do great and interesting work this is the place to stay but you cant just move all your family here too.He says Australian firms work hard at keeping contact with their lawyers.

I am responsible for keeping Corrs Alma Mater together there are about 20 to 30 of us here and I have a budget for functions to keep the home fires burning.Sabina Bickelmann came to London to take up her first job as a legal assistant with US firm Bryan Caves corporate team after finishing her law degree in New Zealand.

We dont have to do formal training contracts so I thought I would come here to get exposure to good clients and be close to Europe.In the past, Commonwealth lawyers who did not have ancestry rights or EU passports which allowed them to work in the UK often came to London on working holidaymaker visas which allowed them to stay for two years, although they were not supposed to take on career enhancing work.Julia Onslow-Cole, a partner and head of global immigration at CMS Cameron McKenna, says that, since last October, the requirements for a work permit had been dumbed down to a really low level so it is much easier to employ them properly.

All you have to do now is satisfy the authorities that there is no resident labour which can do the job which law firms are easily able to do because of the great shortage of corporate lawyers.

It takes about two weeks to get, lasts for five years, with the option of applying for permanent residence after four.Nicole Garrett, senior consultant in the London office of Australian legal recruiters Learned Friends, says it costs firms about 4,000 in relocation costs and fees for those wanting to study and take the Law Societys qualified lawyers transfer test to be admitted to the solicitors roll.

Salaries are a big draw as they are almost pounds for dollars, she says.

Clients are very keen on New World lawyers for their work ethic.

The market is so much smaller in Australia that if you want to prove yourself you have to work much harder to bill as much.

The feedback we get is that the firms like their personality, their ability to fit in and their willingness to take responsibility for things like training, which maybe firms dont see in UK graduates.Alistair Dawson, head of personnel at Clifford Chance, also sees many spin-offs from employing Commonwealth lawyers.

Australians and Canadians often take law as their second degree so they are more commercial than English graduates who have only done law, while New Zealand lawyers come with more advocacy skills.While City firms stress there is no glass ceiling for foreign lawyers aiming for partner, Simon Janion, director of legal recruiters EJ Legal, says those who plan to stay for a few years and then go home are especially attractive.

It means firms get high-calibre assistants who put in lots of billable hours but arent continually knocking on the door asking when are they going to be made partner.However, the fairly narrow demand for corporate and finance specialists has meant it is not always easy for those with different experience to find work.

Erica Scott-Young worked for ten years as a government lawyer in the Brisbane Public Trust Office, the equivalent of the Official Solicitors office, before coming to London in 1999.

I couldnt even get an interview.

I finally went down market and worked as a paralegal for a one-man band until Bryan Cave saved me.London is a mecca for lawyers who want to be able to say when they get home hey, when I worked in London....

But I have to give all credit to the Americans who were prepared to look beyond government lawyer in my case and take a chance.

I get very annoyed at the fixed views of English firms.

Aussies are very adaptable and theyll work three times harder than an English solicitor.While the overseas trip is very much part of antipodean culture, many South Africans are coming to London because of concern over their future at home.Anne Traynor, an accountant, and lawyer Debra White, whose husbands are both South African partners in City law firms, set up their Traynor White agency recruiting exclusively from South Africa four years ago.

Business is phenomenal, says Ms Traynor.

In some ways it is very sad as all the youth of the nation seems to want to leave.

We turn down 19 out of 20 who apply to us because we dont think they are of the right calibre.For Anthony van Hoffen, now working in commercial property as an assistant at Slaughter and May, the draw to London was the quality of the work.

He moved here three years ago with his solicitor wife Nicolette Henfrew, who is working in corporate law for Linklaters & Alliance.They have no plans to return yet, but he says one problem with staying too long is becoming almost over-qualified, which could make it financially difficult to go back into the South African market unless you are prepared to take a step back.But it is not all one-way traffic.

Rod Ellis, a former Manchestersolicitor and now senior consultant with legal recruiters TMP Morgan & Banks in Sydney, said he had found a lot of interest during his visit to London from UK lawyers wanting to enjoy the Australian lifestyle and the experience of working in a smaller market.

It is difficult because you take a hit financially.

But there are some tax breaks which can help if you are on a temporary resident visa.But Mr Ellis says there is a bigger picture: Overall, it is a war for talent which is benefiting everyone.Grania Langdon-Down is a freelance journalist