At Realm, we believe our purpose is more than moving lawyers from one firm to another.
Sometimes, the most valuable outcome is helping someone gain clarity, confidence and the reassurance that they deserve more from their career.
This case study shares how one lawyer, feeling increasingly disillusioned in her role after years of working towards progression, partnered with Associate Consultant, Mel Samson, to explore her options, and ultimately secure the recognition and future she’d been striving for.
When this lawyer first approached Realm, she knew something needed to change.
“I approached Realm after becoming disillusioned in my current role.”
For two years, she had been working towards a promotion that continually felt just out of reach. Despite positive feedback and encouragement internally, the process had left her feeling frustrated and undervalued.
At the same time, she wasn’t prepared to jump into just any role for the sake of leaving.
She wanted to make the right decision.
A different kind of recruitment experience
From the beginning, Mel took a consultative approach.
Rather than pushing opportunities, she focused on understanding the bigger picture – including the lawyer’s priorities, values and what was missing from her current role.
“Mel took the time to listen to me, my values and priorities, and what I wanted from a new role.”
That meant there were periods where they simply stayed in touch while waiting for the right opportunity to emerge.
“When things weren’t right, or roles weren’t aligning, she didn’t push unsuitable jobs onto me.”
“There was even a period of a couple of months where we didn’t have any contact because the roles just weren’t right at that time.”
When opportunities did arise, they reflected what mattered most to her – including progression, flexibility and exposure to high-quality work.
Support that adapted to her needs
Throughout the process, Mel understood that career moves can feel overwhelming, particularly for lawyers who are naturally cautious about change.
So instead of applying pressure, she adapted her communication style and pace to make the process feel manageable and supportive.
“Mel was always able to answer all my questions and made me feel that there really wasn’t a stupid question.”
“She put me at ease and was supportive of me throughout every step in the process.”
At times, Mel also encouraged her to push beyond her comfort zone in pursuit of what she truly wanted.
“She pushed me to go out of my comfort zone to achieve what I wanted.”
And when the pace of the process started to feel overwhelming, Mel listened.
“When I did feel that the pace was becoming a little too fast and I felt under pressure in the process, I communicated that to Mel, who listened to my feedback and took on board what I was saying, which was a massive green flag for me.”
Getting the recognition she deserved
Through exploring the market and progressing opportunities externally, this family solicitor was ultimately able to secure the progression and recognition she had been working towards for years.
While she ultimately remained with her existing firm, the process itself gave her clarity, confidence and leverage, helping her advocate for herself and achieve the outcome she deserved.
And just as importantly, it changed her perception of what working with a recruiter could be.
“If, like me, you’ve previously felt that recruiters aren’t for you, I would strongly recommend contacting Realm, and Mel in particular.”
“The support she provided was fantastic… she was always available to answer my questions, provide advice or just give me a confidence boost.”
Thinking about your next move?
You don’t have to be certain you want to leave your current firm to explore your options.
Sometimes, simply having the right conversation can help you better understand your value, your priorities and what you really want from your career.
If you’re feeling stuck, overlooked or unsure what comes next, we’re here to help you navigate it, at your pace.
