Brightwater's Legal Division

Michael Minogue, Manager of Brightwater’s Legal division discusses Brightwater’s Legal division.

Brightwater's Legal Division What does Brightwater’s Legal division do?

Brightwater’s legal division recruits for all levels of legal roles across private practice and industry on a permanent, temporary and contract basis.
• Private Practice:
we recruit from entry level (legal executive) through to solicitor and partner.

• In-house:
We also recruit for in-house legal roles across financial services and industry from junior legal counsel to senior general counsel.

Introducing Michael Minogue

Michael is a qualified solicitor and joined Brightwater in 2014 where his qualification and expert knowledge of both the law and the challenges solicitors and their firms face make him an ideal recruitment partner. He manages Brightwater’s Legal division and his team recruits for all facets of the legal professional across private practice and industry. He personally specialises in recruiting from legal executives through to solicitors and partners / senior counsel.

What is the legal jobs market like in Ireland?

The biggest problem firms and companies are facing is the challenge of attracting key talent to be able to fill the plethora of legal roles. This is due to the growing amount of work within legal firms and within other companies, especially new entrants to the market.

What is the main growth area for the legal profession in Ireland?

The main growth area for the legal market right now is in the financial services regulation space. Law firms are increasing their offerings in this area and there is a growing number of firms seeking to take on people with knowledge and specialism of the regulations. There are also a number of new entrants into the market who are creating demand for legal professionals in this area. This growth is primarily driven by the large amount of regulations coming down from the Central Bank.

What are the soft skills needed for legal professionals?

Soft skills are the most transferable skills yet are ones that can’t really be taught in law school yet are the ones that will help differentiate top legal talent. They complement legal expertise and analytical skills.

• Ability to influence:
employers are constantly looking for people who can give advice in a clear concise manner but also deliver it in a way that brings people along with them and makes them feel good about the advice they’re given.

• Personal integrity:
Integrity, honesty and transparency goes a long way in a law career, building long-lasting relationships with their clients.

• Empathy and Sensitivity:
Good solicitors are able to see their clients’ situations and needs through their perspective but still use their own expertise and knowledge to resolve conflicts and disputes.

How important are academics in a law career?

A good academic background is vital in the legal jobs market. Employers look for top academic skills starting with the Leaving Cert, through to under-graduate level and then the professional qualifications with solid results all the way through.

What is the typical career path for a legal professional in Ireland?

Once your traineeship is done and you are qualified, there are ample opportunities. Most firms will keep their trainees on after qualifying but there are plenty of paths available.

Private Practice:
After qualifying, it’s common for a solicitor to specialise in one field, whether it be corporate law, conveyancing, family law, litigation. The career progression opportunities are vast within firms and a solicitor will rapidly progress up the career ladder through to associate level and then to partner.

In-house:
After qualifying, it’s possible to move away from private practice and into industry / financial services. There is a huge amount of opportunities for in-house solicitors and there are various different avenues open for them. You can progress from junior legal counsel to senior or general counsel or head of legal. There are plenty of career paths available for legal professionals in the in-house space.

If you need career advice, help in preparing your cv or just a chat about what options are available to you as a legal professional now and in the future, please don't hesitate to contact us on [email protected] or 01 662 1000.