A career with momentum, not a job with a ceiling.
We are Buchanan. A global legal search firm for private practice lawyers. We help lawyers and attorneys open the door to the careers they want, and we build the same kind of futures for the people who work here.
From your first day you are trusted with real responsibility, backed by best-in-class training and rewarded for the results you drive. Whether you are starting out as a graduate or scaling a desk across continents, this is a place built for people who want to keep climbing.
Proud to be officially recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026, marking our third consecutive year on the list. An achievement made possible by the people who know us best: our team.
Life at Buchanan
What’s it really like to work at Buchanan?
In their words
The team tell it better than we ever could
What sets Buchanan apart is that everyone has the opportunity to make an impact. Good ideas are listened to, hard work is recognised, and success feels shared across the business. It is a place where high standards matter, but so do the people behind them.
Buchanan has an exceptional culture and support system. The team is highly collaborative, with colleagues across different teams always approachable and willing to share their expertise. There is a genuine sense of teamwork across the business, which makes it an enjoyable and supportive place to work.
Buchanan gives you the opportunity to take ownership from day one. From building your own relationships with clients to having your opinions trusted and your input genuinely valued, you’re empowered to make an impact from the very start. They don’t just talk about supporting their people; they demonstrate it every day.
Career progression
Real journeys, made here
There is no fixed timeline and no glass ceiling. These are real progression stories from people who started where you are now.
- Associate – Aug 2024
- Executive Associate – Jun 2025
- Principal Associate – Mar 2026
When did you join Buchanan?
27th August 2024.
How has your career progressed?
- Associate – Aug 2024
- Executive Associate – Jun 2025
- Head of London Legal Recruitment – Jan 2026
- Principal Associate – Mar 2026
What have been your key responsibilities and achievements?
I’ve progressed through the ranks from Associate to Principal Associate and now Division Lead, building a strong understanding of the recruitment industry along the way. During that time, I’ve placed numerous candidates across a wide range of practice areas and firms, from elite US and Magic Circle practices through to leading regional teams.
Now, as Division Lead, my focus has shifted towards helping others grow and develop in the same way I did. I support the team in becoming confident, successful recruiters, while ensuring our processes run smoothly and, most importantly, that our candidates achieve the outcomes they’re looking for while having a positive and enjoyable experience throughout the process.
My biggest achievement has been seeing the London team develop into a strong, well-functioning business and watching my colleagues grow into confident and capable recruiters. Being able to play a part in both the success of the business and the development of the people within it is something I’m incredibly proud of.
What training or support has contributed to your development?
I think we’re incredibly lucky at Buchanan to have such a strong group of senior leaders who are genuinely invested in the growth and development of associates, regardless of whether they sit within their own team.
James Lavan has been a fantastic mentor to me throughout my time here (don’t tell him I said that), and I’ve also been fortunate to have people like Thomas Hanlon, Ciro Di Stefano and Alex Helpworth offer their advice, support and guidance at different points along the recruitment rollercoaster.
Our external trainer, Dawn Hampton, who is an absolute tour de force in the industry, has also played a huge part in my personal development. Her support has helped me not only build and refine my recruitment skills but also develop the confidence and self-belief to put them into practice and continue progressing in my career.
What does your current role involve?
My day-to-day is similar to most people across the business, focusing on finding the right candidates for the roles we’re working on and delivering the best possible outcomes for both candidates and clients.
Heading up the division, my role has extended slightly. I’m involved in nurturing and developing client relationships, shaping the direction of the team and identifying the areas we want to grow and dedicate more time and resources towards. Alongside that, I oversee the team’s day-to-day performance, support their development and provide general awe-inspiring mentorship, joy and laughter.
What do you enjoy most about working at Buchanan?
I love the people that I work with. Recruitment can sometimes have a reputation for being quite a cutthroat industry, but that really hasn’t been my experience here. People are genuinely invested in each other’s success as well as their own, and there’s a really collaborative environment where people support, encourage and learn from one another.
I also think one of the biggest things that sets Buchanan apart is the opportunity to progress. If someone had told me when I joined that, less than two years later, I’d be heading up a division, I probably wouldn’t have believed them – and yet here I am!
There’s a genuine belief here that progression should be based on what you contribute and the work you put in, rather than simply how long you’ve been in the business. If you work hard, perform and show that you’re ready for the next step, you’re given the opportunity to take it.
What advice would you give someone joining Buchanan today?
Throw yourself into it and don’t be afraid to get things wrong along the way! Like anything, becoming good at recruitment takes time, practice and plenty of trial and error. You’re not going to know everything from day one, and that’s completely fine.
The more you’re willing to get involved, learn from the people around you and put into the role, the more you’ll ultimately get out of it. Back yourself, embrace the learning curve and don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
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Associate, February 2025
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Executive Associate, November 2025
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Principal Associate, March 2026
When did you join Buchanan?
17th February 2025
What have been your key responsibilities and achievements?
I have progressed from Associate to Principal Associate and now manage and develop my own team. Throughout my time at Buchanan, I have been responsible for advising attorneys across the US on their careers, building long-term relationships and helping them identify the right next step in their professional journey. Alongside my own recruitment work, I have taken on increasing responsibility for developing graduates and junior team members, helping them build their market knowledge, confidence and recruitment skills.
One of my proudest achievements has been breaking multiple Buchanan progression records. I achieved the quickest promotion to Executive Associate, followed by the quickest promotion to Principal Associate, giving me the fastest overall progression from Associate to Principal Associate in the firm’s history. My Principal Associate promotion was particularly memorable, as it came on my actual birthday after helping an attorney relocate closer to their family.
More recently, I became the most junior employee at Buchanan to build and manage my own team. For me, this represents an important progression from focusing purely on my own performance to being responsible for the development and success of others.
What training or support has contributed to your development?
The training and support I have received at Buchanan has been unparalleled. From practical, hands-on experience and live feedback to both formal and informal training, I have consistently been given the tools and guidance to develop as a recruiter. I have also been fortunate to work alongside high-achieving individuals, and being part of an ambitious, high-performing sales floor has given me the opportunity to learn from some of the best around me.
Buchanan has always placed a great deal of trust in me and supported me in shaping my career in the direction I want to take it. That trust has given me the opportunity to develop my leadership skills and build and manage a team relatively early in my career. The combination of training, support and genuine responsibility has allowed me to continually progress, take on new challenges and build my own career path.
What does your current role involve?
I help attorneys find the right long-term home for their careers. My role involves building relationships with attorneys across the US, understanding their motivations and long-term goals, and advising them on the opportunities and career moves that best align with those ambitions.
Alongside my recruitment work, I also manage a team within the business, where I am responsible for supporting, developing and mentoring members of my team to help them progress in their own careers.
What do you enjoy most about working at Buchanan?
For me, it’s the combination of the journey and the culture. Buchanan gives people the opportunity to come in, work hard and progress quickly, and performance is recognised and rewarded.
Culture can sometimes feel like a cliché, but it has been one of the most refreshing parts of working at Buchanan. There is a real willingness across the business to support one another. Whether it’s the CEO or someone who has just joined as an Associate, people will make the time to speak, offer advice and help when you need it regardless of how busy things get.
It’s the combination of those two things that stands out to me: you’re given the opportunity to progress and take on responsibility quickly, while doing so in an environment where you’re supported along the way.
What advice would you give someone joining Buchanan today?
Keep a level head. Recruitment is a rollercoaster, and there will always be highs and lows. Appreciate the highs and learn from them, but don’t get too carried away. Ride out the lows, learn from them too, but don’t beat yourself up when things don’t go your way.
There will always be ups and downs, many of which are outside of your control. If you can stay level-headed, remain consistent and keep moving forward regardless of what happens, you’ll continue to break through barriers.
- Associate — July 2014
- Senior Associate — June 2015
- Associate Director — July 2016
- Director — Feb 2021
- Executive Director — October 2022
When did you join Buchanan?
14 July 2014
How has your career progressed?
- Associate, July 2014
- Senior Associate, June 2015
- Associate Director, July 2016
- Director, February 2021
- Executive Director, October 2022
What have been your key responsibilities and achievements?
I have progressed from Associate to Executive Director and now lead Buchanan’s London office. During that time, I have helped grow and develop our sales and support divisions while supporting numerous graduates as they have progressed into senior consultants and leadership roles.
One of my greatest achievements has been helping to build a genuine meritocracy where people are recognised and promoted based on their ability, performance and contribution to the business.
What training or support has contributed to your development?
Much of my development has come through practical experience, taking on greater responsibility as the business has grown and learning from the people around me. The trust and support I have received throughout my career at Buchanan have allowed me to develop my leadership style and continue progressing within the business.
What does your current role involve?
I lead Buchanan’s London office. My role is to manage our different sales and support divisions and ensure they contribute to the wider strategic aims of the business.
What do you enjoy most about working at Buchanan?
For me, it is seeing the journey people go on. Many recruitment businesses talk about meritocracy, but at Buchanan we genuinely live and breathe it.
The vast majority of our leaders have progressed through our graduate training programme. We promote people based on their ability and success, rather than their age or length of service.
It is incredibly rewarding to watch someone develop from their first day with the business and see what they can achieve just a few years later.
What advice would you give someone joining Buchanan today?
Commit. When you are starting your career, you need to be clear about what you want. If you have chosen the right path, a career in recruitment can help you achieve those goals, but you need to commit to it and be prepared to make your career a priority.
- Associate, March 2022
- Executive Associate, December 2022
- Principal Associate, July 2023
- Associate Vice President, April 2024
- Vice President, August 2024
When did you join Buchanan?
7 March 2022
How has your career progressed?
- Associate, March 2022
- Executive Associate, December 2022
- Principal Associate, July 2023
- Associate Vice President, April 2024
- Vice President, August 2024
What have been your key responsibilities and achievements?
I’ve progressed from Associate to Vice President and now lead a significant part of Buchanan’s US division from our London office. Over the last four and a half years, I’ve helped shape the processes and structures that have supported the growth of the business, while helping numerous graduates build successful careers in recruitment.
One of my greatest achievements has been seeing members of my team break, and continue to hold, multiple company records for revenue and promotion timelines. Watching people I’ve supported develop, progress and achieve at that level has been incredibly rewarding.
What training or support has contributed to your development?
Much of my development has come through what I’d describe as “controlled sink or swim”. Time and again at Buchanan, I’ve put my hand up for more responsibility and taken on more. Each time, I’ve been trusted to do so, with the guidance, support and supervision of leaders and colleagues across the business.
The diverse strengths within our leadership team have also played a huge part in shaping both my skill set and the leadership style I have today.
What does your current role involve?
I lead a sizeable team in our London office. My role spans performance management, as well as the development, mentoring and coaching of our consultants. A large part of my focus is setting a clear vision for the group and developing the next generation of leaders who can help drive the continued growth of the division. Separately, it’s also my responsibility to continue to play a part in improving our processes and structures, and innovating the way our consultants operate.
What do you enjoy most about working at Buchanan?
All of the leaders in the business have come through our graduate scheme, which has helped create a genuinely close-knit culture. There’s a real appreciation for each other’s efforts and a willingness to celebrate each other’s successes.
Just as importantly, there’s the opportunity to grow. In simple terms, my career has largely been shaped by asking a few inquisitive questions that led to new projects, greater responsibilities and, ultimately, brought me to where I am today.
What advice would you give someone joining Buchanan today?
Have a plan. Goals and a clear vision for what you want from life are the engine room of what you go on to achieve in your career. Be ambitious and stay curious.
Our culture
Work hard, win together, never stand still
We are ambitious and collaborative in equal measure. The energy on the floor is real, and so is the camaraderie behind it.
Team socials & celebrations
Modern offices in London and Miami
Award nights
Training & development
Incentive trips
Sunday Times Best Places to Work
Would recommend Buchanan
as a place to work
Global regions & growing
Internal promotions in the last 12 months
Global opportunities
Your career, without borders
With teams across the US, UK & Europe and the Middle East, Buchanan offers opportunities to build a truly international career. Our people relocate, launch new desks and grow their careers across global markets.
- USA
- UK
- Middle East
- Europe
Growth plans
We are scaling — fast
We’re investing in new regions, expanding our specialist practice areas and backing the people who will lead them. Join us now and play a meaningful role in shaping Buchanan’s next chapter.
Learning, development & rewards
We invest in you from day one
Structured training, clear progression pathways and rewards that actually mean something. Here is what you can expect.
Best-in-class training
A structured academy for new starters plus ongoing masterclasses as you grow into leadership.
Clear progression pathways
Transparent promotion criteria from Consultant to Director. You always know exactly what the next step takes.
Incentives & rewards
Generous, uncapped bonuses, lunch clubs, weekend getaways and annual incentive trips for top performers.
Mentoring that sticks
Every new joiner is paired with a senior mentor who is invested in your success, not just your numbers.
Fast-track leadership
High performers are identified early and supported into team-lead and management roles ahead of the curve.
Wellbeing & balance
Workplace pension, hybrid working, enhanced leave and a culture that knows progress is a marathon, not a sprint.
Team insights
Straight from the floor
Joining Buchanan has given me the opportunity to build my own business while being surrounded by a supportive and collaborative team. The culture strikes the perfect balance between autonomy and support. You have the freedom to take ownership of your work, develop your own approach, and grow your desk, while always knowing your colleagues are there to share ideas, celebrate successes, and help each other succeed. One of the things I value most is that achievements are genuinely recognized and celebrated across the business, creating an environment where everyone wants to see each other do well. It’s an ambitious, entrepreneurial culture that makes coming to work every day genuinely enjoyable!
Buchanan welcomed me with open arms back in 2022, and I’ve genuinely never looked back.
As I approach my four-year anniversary on August 1, I can honestly say it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made. The opportunities I’ve had here have helped me build a great life for my two children and me, and for that I’ll always be incredibly grateful.
I’ve been fortunate to work alongside some of the best legal recruiters in the industry, who’ve challenged and supported me every step of the way. Buchanan has also given me the trust and freedom to build my own team, develop my own approach, and create a culture that’s become a second family.
I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together so far, and I’m excited for what’s still to come.
Buchanan represents one of the best first jobs I could have asked for. The community and environment that has been created is both collaborative and cutting edge in the recruitment field.
What I really like about Buchanan is that whilst competitive, mentorship is at the core of everything we do.
Buchanan has opened doors for me that I didn’t think a first job could. The rewards that come along with doing well are unmatched.
The development structure works smoothly with performance rewarded rather than time served – meritocracy at its finest.
Current opportunities
Internal roles open now
A snapshot of the roles we are hiring for across our regions. New positions are added regularly.
Entry Level Recruiter
Buchanan is a leading executive search and recruitment firm specializing in legal recruitment. We partner with some of the most prestigious law firms across the United States, helping them attract and hire top legal talent. Due to continued growth, we are looking for an ambitious and driven Entry Level Recruiter to join our Miami office.
Associate Recruitment Consultant
Buchanan is a leading recruitment and executive search firm, partnering with some of the world's most respected organisations across a range of specialist markets. Due to continued growth, we are looking for ambitious and motivated graduates to join our London office as Graduate Recruitment Consultants.