Interview on Legal Recruitment with Yvonne Kelly, Keane McDonald

Yvonne Kelly • April 27, 2018

'The shortage of top-calibre legal talent is a growing problem'


Article originally featured at: https://bizplus.ie/interview-yvonne-kelly-keane-mcdonald/


YVONNE KELLY (PICTURED) IS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DUBLIN-BASED KEANE MCDONALD, AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH AND SELECTION FIRM FOCUSING ON LEGAL APPOINTMENTS. SHE RUNS THE RULE OVER THE LEGAL RECRUITMENT SECTOR FOR BIZPLUS.


How was demand in legal recruitment over the last year and what trends have you noticed?

2017 welcomed a significant increase in legal recruitment, mainly due to the healthy economic growth, but also partly due to some prominent international law firms establishing a presence here.


Demand for specialist experience in the fields of commercial property, construction, employment and IP law continued to grow steadily, while the number of requests for experienced investment funds lawyers and financial services regulatory lawyers surged quite dramatically.

Although the demand for in-house legal staff continued to grow steadily, the need for private practice solicitors was remarkably higher in comparison.


Has the upcoming GDPR legislation influenced recruitment trends in the legal sector?

The upcoming GDPR legislation has not yet shown significant change in recruitment trends. However, as recruitment firms rely so heavily on data, the new legislation will clearly hit the sector quite hard.



In order to ensure compliance, most recruitment companies are putting very stringent policies in place, in time for the GDPR launch in May. For example, having a centralised system that handles all candidate and client data will be imperative under GDPR.


What about the availability of legal talent – what trends are you seeing there?

The shortage of top-calibre legal talent is clearly a growing problem as the economy continues to grow. The candidate pool in Ireland is not nearly sufficient for the surge in demand for these professionals. There is increasingly a shift in how and where we find legal talent. The need for legal professionals to return from overseas is enormous.


Have there been any significant movements in legal sector salary ranges?

Salaries in the legal sector continued to show a steady increase in 2017, in particular for recently qualified solicitors up to mid-level associates in the law firms. While the top-tier law firms are managing, for the most part, to keep basic salaries within their set salary bands, many are offering significant bonuses in order to retain and attract strong talent.


Is Brexit having the anticipated impact on legal recruitment thus far?

At the time of the Brexit result, we certainly experienced an upsurge in Irish lawyers looking to return, and indeed many UK lawyers exploring Ireland as a jurisdiction. However, with time and with the uncertainty of who will be most affected, there seems to be less urgency attached to moving.


What about the gender balance in the legal sector. Has this changed much in recent years?

For a number of years now, the gender balance for law graduates has been heavily weighted towards females, at a ratio of roughly 70/30. This trend is continuing without notable change.


What are the in-demand skills-sets expected from new legal graduates?

Some law firms may have their own specific competencies when hiring law graduates. For example, the top law firms require a minimum grade of 2.1 honours in an applicant’s primary degree.


However, some key skills are generally considered essential by all commercial law firms, such as solid analytical and evaluative skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, a global and commercial mind set, and, above all, passion and resilience. A legal graduate will need to be a team player and to succeed in the demanding world of law must be motivated, determined and driven.

Senior Associate – Family Law, Gold Coast

By Yvonne Kelly • August 6, 2025
Are you a driven Family Lawyer ready to take your career to the next level? Our client is looking for a talented Senior Associate (3–5 years PAE) that values excellence, empathy, and teamwork. The ideal candidate You have 3–5 years PAE in Family Law from a reputable firm You have demonstrated experience managing a full family law caseload You have high emotional intelligence, empathy and professionalism in sensitive matters You are organised, self-driven, and a strong team player In this role you will be working together with a well versed team across all aspects of family law matters, including: Complex parenting disputes (relocation, recovery, family violence) High-net-worth property settlements (trusts, businesses, assets) Binding Financial Agreements and Consent Orders Divorce and spousal maintenance Child support agreements Contact us, if you are looking for a law firm with a warm, inclusive culture and a strong commitment to mentoring, ethics, and excellence. For more information, please contact Yvonne Kelly in strict confidence 📞: +61 405216810 ✉️: ykelly@keanemcdonald.com Ab s olute discretion is assured. 

Associate – Family Law, Gold Coast

By Yvonne Kelly • August 6, 2025
If you’re looking for a nurturing team environment where your growth is supported and your contributions are valued, this is the role for you. Our client is looking for a Family Law Associate with 1–3 years post-admission experience. The ideal candidate You have 1–3 years PAE in Family Law You are client-focused with excellent verbal and written communication You have high emotional intelligence and a calm, empathetic manner Able to manage deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment. You are organised, self-driven, and a strong team player You will gain hands-on experience across a broad range of family law matters, including: Parenting and custody disputes Property settlements and financial agreements Divorce and separation Domestic and family violence issues Contact us, if you are looking for a law firm with a supportive, tight-knit team that values kindness and collaboration.  For more information, please contact Yvonne Kelly in strict confidence 📞: +61 405216810 ✉️: ykelly@keanemcdonald.com Ab s olute discretion is assured.

Corporate Lawyer, Brisbane

By Yvonne Kelly • August 4, 2025
Our client, an award winning independent Australian Law firm has an exciting career opportunity for a Corporate Lawyer to join their Corporate team in Brisbane. This is a fantastic career development opportunity with a firm that is future-focused, commercial and creative. The Role: You will have the opportunity to work on a broad range of high quality matters, including; unregulated mergers and acquisitions, acquisitions of mining and resources assets, drafting and reviewing commercial agreements, due diligence, joint ventures, drafting and reviewing commercial agreements You will act for clients from various industries including; mining and resources, renewable energy, food and agribusiness, health and professional services. The Person: 3-4 years PQE with experience in Corporate law and looking to progress to Senior Associate. You will have strong drafting skills coupled with a genuine interest in pursuing your career in the area. You are also passionate about delivering excellent client service. Benefits: This firm offers highly competitive remuneration, career development opportunities and access to outstanding employee benefits. Interested applicants should contact Yvonne Kelly in strict confidence on +61 405 216 810 or send your CV to ykelly@keanemcdonald.com . Absolute discretion is assured.

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This Top tier corporate and commercial Law firm is looking for an Associate / Senior Associate to join their Employment and Safety team. This role involves managing employment and safety risks.

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Commercial / Insolvency Litigation Lawyer / Associate, Sydney

By Yvonne Kelly • August 4, 2025
Our client is looking for a Commercial Litigation Lawyer or Associate to join their team.  The ideal candidate: You have 1 – 4 years PQE in commercial law and litigation. You are commercially astute and able to pragmatically anticipate legal outcomes and dynamics. You are meticulous and your attention to detail when preparing evidence, court documents and client advice is comprehensive and carefully considered. You will work across a broad range of commercial, shareholder and franchise contentious matters, and construction litigation and dispute resolution spanning major corporates and insolvency specialists to family-run enterprises. If you like working in a workplace where collaboration and support are core values, and authenticity thrives, we would like to hear from you. For more information, please contact Yvonne Kelly in strict confidence 📞: +61 405216810 ✉️: ykelly@keanemcdonald.com Ab s olute discretion is assured.

Corporate Lawyer, Sydney

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Senior Associate / Special Counsel, Commercial Litigation – Melbourne

By Yvonne Kelly • August 4, 2025
We are currently interviewing, on behalf of our client, for an experienced Senior Associate or Special Counsel candidate that has specialised in commercial litigation. Our client, a highly commended and regarded commercial law firm is looking for someone With 8+ years' in complex commercial litigation matters That is able to deliver legal advice with a commercial and client focused perspective Has strong communication and participant persuasive skills across all areas of the business Has a collaborative, positive and energetic approach to everything they do This role will see you play a key role on high-profile, complex commercial and regulatory disputes while working on blue chip clients. You will be gaining valuable experience dealing with the ACCC and the Australian Competition Tribunal and advise on all aspects of the Australian Consumer Law and access and pricing regulation. You will also have the opportunity to train and mentor junior lawyers. Interested applicants should contact Yvonne Kelly of Keane McDonald at +61 405 216 810 or email your CV in strict confidence to ykelly@keanemcdonald.com . Absolute discretion is assured. 

Senior Associate Transactional law, 6+ PQE - Melbourne

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