BEMM042: Critically analyse Pinsent Masons’ talent strategy and Discuss potential difficulties in implementing Pinsent Masons’ recruitment strategy: Resourcing and Talent Management Assignment, UOE, Ireland

Questions:

1. Critically analyse Pinsent Masons’ talent strategy.
2. Discuss potential difficulties in implementing Pinsent Masons’ recruitment strategy.
3. Critically discuss the reported issues with male recruits and propose solutions to how this problem could be solved.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Pinsent Masons is a Top 15 UK law firm and Top 100 international law firm. Today’s firm was created in 2012 from the merger between international law firm Pinsent Masons and UK Top 50 law firm McGrigors, with the combined firm operating worldwide under the brand of Pinsent Masons (PM).

The firm has a global network of offices with multiple locations in the UK and Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, Dubai, Qatar, and Johannesburg. At the time of the merger, McGrigors’ managing partner, Richard Masters, described the new firm as providing a ‘solid platform for growth’ which would ‘allow them to become market leaders in strategically key sectors’ (Pinsent Masons press release, 2012).

Today, the firm defines itself as more than a law firm with the aim of working alongside its clients as business partners to help solve their sector-specific problems. Trainee solicitors are therefore encouraged to get to know their clients’ businesses to become both legal and business advisors.

‘Our lawyers are also commercially-minded individuals who understand their clients’ business needs and who use legal expertise as a tool to develop business solutions and deliver real client service’. (Graduate Brochure).

New trainees will go through six-monthly rotations in four practice areas of which there are at least 11; for example, banking and finance, corporate, dispute resolution and litigation, insurance and reinsurance, employment, pensions, and construction and engineering

DIVERSITY CONTEXT

As with other professions, the law has been in the spotlight over its lack of diversity and the existence of barriers to entry for some under-represented groups. The profession’s traditional patriarchal dominance at senior levels, its lack of ethnic diversity, and the high proportions of individuals from more advantaged social backgrounds are particular issues (Sutton Trust, 2009; SMCPC, 2014).

This profile of the legal profession is just as distinct in other national contexts, such as the United States, as it is in the UK (2018 Law360 Diversity Snapshot).

Employers (ISE).1 Apprenticeship, which implies recruitment straight from school rather than university, has become a more prominent issue for many businesses following the government’s introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017.2 As a result, one of the ISE’s goals is to support and enable its members to navigate the apprenticeship landscape, which is complex and evolving. The ISE’s current chair happens to be PM’s Head of Early Talent, Deborah McCormack. As Deborah notes:

Diversity And Inclusion As Recruitment Strategy

Defining talent Recruiting for diversity and inclusion is an organizational priority. A significant driver for the firm has been the increasing importance of its global client portfolio. A more global and diverse client base has required the firm to offer a range of skills. One example of this demand is that clients routinely request information about the diversity of teams who will act on their matters.

Diversity as best practice

External business pressures and the decision to position themselves as market leaders means that recruiting for diversity has become a best practice norm for PM. The Head of Early Talent, who spends a significant amount of energy ensuring the firm takes diversity seriously, described their approach as trying to ‘level the playing field’ for candidates from all types of backgrounds.

CHALLENGES

Despite being champions of diversity, having a dedicated team, and the strong brand linked to widening access to professional services jobs, there are still challenges in ensuring equal access for all qualified talent.

1. There is a limited number of positions to offer deserving candidates. There are 68 trainee solicitor positions per year in the UK and c. 3000 applicants for these positions. Candidates pursuing vacation placements or training contracts, therefore, are competing for relatively few opportunities. Attracting the appropriate skills profile during early talent recruitment also remains an issue. Some partners still identify gaps in certain skills at the assessment center stage; for example, flexibility and resilience.

2. While staff recognizes the importance of the firm’s apprenticeship programs, in many cases there is a significant amount of pastoral support – and hence staff resources – required for these candidates compared to the support required by graduates. Although PM has a dedicated Apprenticeship Officer in place to support apprentices, the level of resources required will increase as the number of apprentices in the business increases.

3. PM recognizes that they cannot impose a ‘one size fits all approach to diversity across their international offices. The HR team’s strong message is that it is essential to ensure that the profile of those offered jobs reflects the cultural norms of the local labor market and the profile of applicants received by the firm. BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) representation, for example, is a more salient issue in some parts of the UK than others.

Equal opportunity data may not be held in some locations, such as Johannesburg; and a ‘connected candidate’ The recruitment model based on an individual’s networks may still be more attractive in some international locations, such as Dubai. Moreover, definitions of ‘desirable attributes’ can vary. ‘Modesty’ for example, is a more valued candidate quality in Asia or Dubai than it is in Europe.

4. There has been a shift in gender balance towards women in law, who now represent the majority of applications and trainees (see the 2017 diversity data mentioned above). This trend reflects the proportions choosing to study and continue with a career in law.

Nevertheless, the firm has noticed that male applicants seem to be more attracted to higher-paying City of London firms, especially the Magic Circle4 or US firms, which emphasize progression. PM’s more development-focused, agile, and work-life balance brand seems to be a more attractive option for women. Subtle shifts in recruitment messaging though have recently made a difference in the number of applications from male candidates.