Recent assignments

UK Top 10 firm  
The newly appointed finance director of this international, highly profitable firm was convinced, after conducting an initial scoping project, that there would be huge benefit derived from examining procurement processes. He came to First Counsel Consulting and we supplied one of our strongest procurement interims, with phenomenal results. Please click on the testimonial below to see the extent of the cost reductions – a ROI of 15:1!  Assignment extended from six months to ten.
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Global accountancy firm
The London office of this well-known name in financial advisory services came to us looking for an interim head of strategic markets while they took their time in finding the right permanent candidate.

Anglo-US firm
With the pressure on to collate a large volume of marketing information within a very short time-scale, our client contacted us to see if we could provide an experienced law firm marketer for an interim period of just three months. We could and the manager started 10 days later. He then beat the deadline by two weeks, saving the client time and money.
 
The same client returned to First Counsel Consulting later in the year for an interim head of business development, following the departure of the incumbent, and again they got the resource they needed when they needed it. 
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Major City law firm
When our client was let down by a consultant half way through an important project, we rapidly supplied an interim senior finance manager on a part-time basis for four months to complete the assignment.

Global firm
When a huge legal name wanted an experienced project manager to steer it through the process of LLP conversion, the firm turned to us for help. Despite this being relatively new territory, and there being a dearth of expertise in this area, we were able to field a number of candidates, each of whom could have fulfilled the brief. Duration of assignment: eight months.

Leading Midlands law firm
Our client decided to take its time in searching for exactly the right permanent director of business development and instructed us to provide them with an experienced interim director of BD to maintain momentum during a period of transition.
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UK Top 15 firm  
A major national firm, our client identified a need to employ an interim procurement manager to help streamline its cost base, achieve operational efficiencies and introduce procurement best practice. Most law firms do not employ permanent procurement managers, so it was quite a challenge to identify a procurement professional with appropriate experience. We found him and by the time the initial six-month assignment had been extended, our interim manager had identified substantial seven-figure savings.
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Leading niche law firm
A highly successful medium-sized law firm in the South East needed first class HR advice and turned to First Counsel Consulting for help. We were able to introduce them to one of our senior advisers and after a short period of consultancy the firm approached us to see if he could help on an interim basis (three days a week). Having completed a number of strategically important projects for the firm, our interim manager helped them recruit a permanent head of HR. This was an example of our integrated service - consulting, interim project management, recruitment. Project duration: six months extended to nine.

National firm
A major law firm client needed a highly experienced interim head of communications to work alongside and advise the senior partner. With a focus on developing and implementing an effective internal communications strategy and ensuring that all firm communications were integrated, they were looking for a rare talent. Despite the fact that there was, and continues to be, a shortage of top-level communications professionals available for interim assignments, we found them two such candidates and within two weeks of being instructed the successful candidate had started.

Magic Circle firm
When the world’s largest law firm entered its busiest budgeting period, it needed an additional senior resource to help prioritise, coordinate and complete the huge volume of work to be undertaken by its finance team. They turned to First Counsel Consulting and we found them an experienced financial controller for the task. An initial three-month assignment was extended to nine.

National firm   
Following a strategy review of business development and marketing and the recent departure of the director of bd, this top 15 national firm needed a senior interim professional. This role would be highly challenging in constantly changing circumstances. Of the four candidates we sent, they appointed one interim director of bd and another for an ongoing consultancy project. The interim contract was extended from six to nine months.

Leading US law firm  
The sudden departure of the head of HR left this US law firm in London  in need of an interim HR professional whilst they  looked for a permanent replacement. First Counsel Consulting was happy to provide one of its most successful interim HR Directors.  The client was so pleased that they extended the assignment to six months.
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Small London firm  
The CEO was managing his own departure from this well established firm with considerable heritage.  He came to First Counsel Consulting for an interim finance director, giving the practice time to review their requirements for his permanent replacement. Assignment was extended to a 12-month fixed term contract.

Top 20 law firm
When the IT Director of a major international firm identified the need to transform the service provided across the firm, he came to us. The requirement was not simply for a generalist IT manager; it was for a highly experienced senior IT service delivery manager, someone who combined technical competence with people management and internal client service skills. It is rare to find a candidate who has these strengths, as well as being available immediately for a nine-month assignment.  We knew that amongst our coterie of experienced professionals there would be someone who fitted the bill. And we were right! OK, our client had to wait a month for the candidate’s current assignment to complete, but they got their man.

Successful London law firm  
Let down by a new director of HR  weeks before joining, thus creating a major setback in a supposedly completed recruitment process, this firm came to us for emergency help. We provided an experienced HR director at very short notice for a six-month contract.

Top 20 firm   
The sudden departure of a senior bid manager left this firm on the back foot, and such is the importance of bids to this competitive firm that they decided to bring in an experienced interim bid management specialist whilst they recruited a permanent replacement. We were able to provide this expertise in double quick time.