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PRESS RELEASE Legal Salary Survey

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:12:21 +1300

MEDIA RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Survey shows in-house counsel have best average salary

Lawyers employed as in-house counsel in the private sector have the highest average remuneration in the first 10 years of practice.

This is one of the findings of the New Zealand Law Society/Momentum Legal Salary Survey 2011. The survey was carried out in September and October and over 1,100 lawyers participated – about 10 percent of all New Zealand lawyers.

While most lawyers work for law firms or as barristers, 20 percent are employed in the public or private sectors as in-house counsel. The Law Society/Momentum survey found that the average starting salary for a private sector in-house counsel was $55,000, compared with $48,000 for large law firms, $45,000 for in-house counsel working in the public sector and $39,100 for all other law firms.

Private sector in-house counsel with five years’ experience reported an average salary of $102,700. This was well ahead of lawyers of comparable experience working in large law firms ($82,400), other law firms ($67,200) and public sector in-house lawyers ($71,000).

The survey information shows that a wide range of salaries are paid to lawyers who have been in practice for the same length of time. Variations are caused by factors such as area of practice, previous experience in other industries and location.

Information on regional salary variations showed that lawyers with five years’ experience working for law firms in Auckland received an average salary of $71,300, those in Christchurch received $59,200 and Wellington lawyers received an average of $73,300. Lawyers with the same amount of experience who worked for North Island law firms outside Auckland or Wellington had an average salary of $58,200, while lawyers in other South Island law firms averaged $59,700 per annum.

As well as receiving the best annual salaries, private sector in-house lawyers also appeared to receive more employment benefits. While 31.3% of private sector lawyers received health insurance only 9.3% of lawyers working for law firms did, and a relatively low 5.5% of in-house lawyers working in the public sector. Mobile phones were provided to 77.6% of private sector in-house lawyers, 29.6% of lawyers working for law firms and 29.4% of public sector in-house lawyers.

The survey provides information on salaries paid to lawyers and does not include details of earnings by law firm partners or directors or barristers. It was carried out by the Law Society and legal recruitment firm Momentum. The results were analysed by an independent analyst in consultation with Momentum.

Law Society statistics show that just under 36% of New Zealand lawyers are employed by a law firm. A further 20% are employed as in-house counsel and the remainder work as principals (31%) or barristers (13%). To practice as a principal, a lawyer must have completed at least three years in full-time legal practice and have passed a specialised training course.

Contact: For further information, contact Geoff Adlam (Communications Manager, New Zealand Law Society, phone 04 463 2980) or Carla Wellington, Senior Consultant, Momentum, phone (029) 930 6099).

Leading From the Front

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:07:41 +1200

Old-fashioned values of fairness and courtesy are important

Managers are obsessed with one question: how do I become a good leader? Hundreds of articles have been written on the subject. The truth is, being a good leader is much closer to home than you think. But what characteristics really matter?

To find out, don't ask a leader - ask those they are leading.

The 2011 edition of our Great New Zealand Employment Survey gave a surprising answer. It turns out that workers are not really looking for a visionary; the overwhelming majority of employees surveyed saw the ideal leader as someone who treated them consistently, fairly and with respect. A leader, they said, should be someone who demonstrates openness and honesty, and supports and encourages their team members to do their best.

In short, good leadership requires authenticity.

You don't have to be a fantastic orator - really, all you have to do is act with good old-fashioned human courtesy.

There is a significant gap, however, between what employees are looking for in leadership and what they are actually experiencing. Just over half of the respondents to the survey felt they were being treated consistently, fairly and with respect; and only half said their manager demonstrated openness and honesty.

Slightly more, 66 per cent, said their leaders supported and encouraged their team members. What can we do to bridge this gap?

If you recognise people for their work, but don't treat them fairly and consistently, that recognition will go to waste. Fairness is a basic human drive based on desiring the most from any situation. When employees perceive something as unfair they begin to feel de-motivated.

Sometimes in business even if you're not treating people unfairly, you have to think carefully about how what you do is received; perception is reality.

For example, you have an employee who leaves work early because of a family commitment. She works late the day before to make up the hours, but her colleagues don't see that. When someone else wants to leave early themselves and gets pulled up for it, they perceive that as being treated unfairly.

In this case when leaders are seen to be giving one employee special treatment over others, they need to explain the reason to the rest of the team.

Stephen Drain, the director of the AUT Centre for Innovative Leadership, says leaders who role-model behaviours and norms provide the most powerful guide for team behaviours and building trust quickly.

"Expectations that become cultural norms through a trusting team are more sustainable than any rule or guideline imposed."

Stephen also says that leaders need to remember that the more senior their role, the closer they will be watched, but paradoxically they will receive less direct feedback.

Balancing the needs of the business and those of your team requires care and sensitivity to people's individuals needs. But once you get the balance right, you will find that there really are no secrets to being a great leader.

Jenni Miller is head of consulting, people and organisational development at Clarian Human Resources
By Jenni Miller

When the Headhunter Calls

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:07:06 +1200

OPINION: Being headhunted is everyone's dream, but how do you draw attention to yourself in such a crowded market?

Top jobs are rarely advertised. Instead, the responsibility for finding talent usually resides with an executive-search firm. Many of us have a fantasy of getting that phone call where we are told our skills are in hot demand by someone who wants to pay top dollar to get us on board.

But how do you get yourself noticed? The most obvious way is to get your name out there. I know someone who goes to forums and seminars all the time, just to be visible - especially targeting seminars where you find recruitment specialists.   He also makes sure his name and organisation are on the attendee list and has recently had several job offers.

Mark Tutton at CNN says the most obvious way is to be good at your job, make sure you have an attractive brand and respected name.   Another way is to get your name in print, maybe with articles for industry journals and trade publications.   He also suggests building your network, making friends in the right places and making contact with recruiters.   The important part, he says, is to do all this while you are still working, not when you are out looking for a job.

Headhunter Jonathan Krogdahl says that you need to get online and build a profile. LinkedIn is a good start. Through LinkedIn, you can also join relevant groups and discussion forums. That will certainly get your name out there for the headhunters to notice.   "Do your own research and find out who the leading headhunting firms are in your sector,'' Krogdahl writes.

"Play the long game. When you have found and got to know the right head-hunters, and there will only be a handful, use every excuse to build a relationship with them. Ask them who of their competitors they rate and start to build relationships with them as well. If you're in a job and aren't looking for a role, give your chosen headhunters some work searching for other posts if possible."

He also advises you are registered with the relevant recruitment agencies and jobs boards and keep your profile up-to-date.

"While headhunters don't tend to look there (they don't really need to), it can't hurt to keep yourself in the market for general recruiters - those who are looking for people to fill middle-management roles up to about £80,000 a year. Recruiters working on behalf of an agency tend to be quite reactive and search existing CV databases, so it's worth keeping yourself in the loop. Keep your profile up-to-date and nurture your relationships with headhunters. It's no use going to just one event, writing just one paper or meeting just one headhunter once. It's a constant game so keep yourself noticeable, relevant and in demand."

Ad Feedback Still, building an online profile has its limitations. I would add that you would also have to be careful if you use Facebook or Twitter. Headhunters screen candidates and look at their profile. If there's anything controversial or questionable, it will reduce your chances.

Job search specialists at Roche advise caution: "Indeed, while tweeting your presence at, and commenting on an industry conference can look impressive, using foul language or speaking ill of a colleague will not. In summary, while making use of social media can be a smart way of increasing your exposure to recruiters, be sure to maintain a tight grip on the content that you put your name to. No matter how you do it, stay visible."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion/5460167/When-the-headhunter-calls

July 2011

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:37:40 +1200

Momentum Consulting Group is excited to announce the addition of RPM Contracting to our successful house of brands. The Executive Contracting market is changing; we're seeing exciting growth, development and above all the requirement for experienced and commercially-minded consultants to source the best people for the job. RPM, as a specialised contracting brand, is our response to meet these new demands. It's about providing the right fit, right now.

We've built a specialist team of Consultants who each have an average of 10+ years in recruitment and a proven track record of success in the contracting market. We've added depth to the team with dedicated Resourcers to help tap into the best possible talent in the market. In short, we are subject matter experts in this field. We know contracting and we know recruitment, but most importantly we work hard to know our Clients and Contractors.

For our clients it means understanding your business so we can provide a rapid, responsive service, matching resource to your requirements. For our contractors, it means acting as a career partner, knowing where you want to go as a professional and helping you get there.

We're about progression and innovation, but most of all we're about working with you.