‘New breed’ law firm rapidly expanding

This firm has made a major hire following its strong demand.

A firm calling itself a ‘new breed’ law firm known for their flexible working environment is going from strength to strength, with the appointment of a business manager to kick off 2016.

Proximity Legal predominantly provides onsite legal advice to the government sector in three service delivery modes: secondments, onsite projects and general advisory, contracting lawyers who want a different style of working, often on short term projects.

The firm has now brought on board former Australian Government Solicitor national group manager Simon Blake to facilitate further growth.

“One of the reasons I was asked to join the firm was to expand the range of clients we deal with,” Blake said.
“Also to bring on board a number of new people, people at different levels but also people with skills in areas where Proximity has already done work in but it hasn’t done a lot.” 

Blake will also look at expanding the range of areas for which the firm offers services into employment law and legislative development, among other areas in demand.

The firm currently has 12 core lawyers on secondments or contracts and another 12 on the books flexibly, who are typically at the stage in their career where they prefer to only work when a project of their interest comes up.

“Just about everyone has been offered permanent, full time positions and most of the people we’ve got at the moment have said no,” Blake said.

“We need them to be able to operate autonomously on the client’s premises so we’ve tended to for people who are on the more experienced end of the spectrum.

“Because we’ve been dealing with people that are usually very senior and have been around government for a long time, they are acknowledged as being very good.”