Associate at Appleby, Cayman - Formerly Akin Gump, Pamela EdwardsEd was excellent at recommending and introducing me to firms that were the best cultural fit. He was highly supportive and kept me informed at every stage of the process.
There are many reasons why moving offshore might be right for you, besides the money.
The commute is shorter, the weather is better, the hours are better.
At work, you’ll be given the chance to make a real contribution by running your own matters, winning work and shaping the business. You won’t be just a number, so your prospects will be great too.
Families, couples and singles simply have a better quality of life offshore.
FAQs TalkAssociate at Maples, London - Formerly MJ Hudson, Sam BurfordEd is incredibly well-connected, and the firms he works with obviously trust him greatly.
Lawyers in the leading international offshore firms work hard. However the hours are much more predictable than onshore, the annual targets are not as high and above all, you won’t be doing anywhere near the number of weekends and late nighters as your onshore colleagues. Also there is no commute, so most lawyers from the City have an extra hour to play with every day.
Apart from Cayman, where you have to have three years’ PQE, there are no restrictions. Like in the City, offshore firms prefer to recruit lawyers with 2-5 years’ pqe.
As the teams are smaller offshore, you will have more responsibility for clients and their matters. Most of your work will also have an international focus, so your client base will be diverse and stimulating. Too many high quality lawyers work offshore for years for it to be one-dimensional.
All offshore legal work is based on the English system. The firms’ global reach means they are also better hedged against regional recessions. The offshore firms also remain among the most profitable in the world and continue to grow globally. These factors mean there is more room for advancement than you would typically find in the leading firms in London.
Lawyers can’t do much better financially. The combination of high base salaries and bonuses and income tax rates ranging from 0-20% means that Associates are among the best paid lawyers in the world. Although a closely guarded secret, top of equity remuneration exceeds even the leading US law firms.
Yes they will. This tends to include flights for you (and your family if appropriate), accommodation and car for 2-4 weeks once you arrive. Firms will also pay you a lump sum towards shipping your belongings. Some will also offer an interest free loan to cover further costs, such as deposits and car purchases.
In most cases the law firm will want to meet you in person and so will fly you over for two or three days as part of the interview process so you can see what the place is like in real life. They will usually pay for your partner to come too as they recognise it is often a joint decision.
Counsel at Harneys BVI – Formerly Slaughter and May, Josh MangeotEd helped me with a move to the BVI. I found him to be very personable, knowledgeable and always willing to help with every stage of the recruitment and moving process – from assistance with CVs through to practical advice about island life. Highly recommended.
Group Head of Litigation, Appleby, Andrew BoltonEdward is always pleasant to work with and brings to his role a deep knowledge of the offshore legal market, which he applies sensibly in identifying suitable candidates for my firm’s needs.
Strickland Search is instructed by all the leading international offshore law firms.
Many firms work with us exclusively, as we understand their businesses so well.
So, if you are a Funds, Corporate, Finance, Litigation, Regulatory or Trusts lawyer or partner, the chances are we will have a great opportunity to discuss with you.
Recent Moves TalkPartner, Harneys BVI, Peter TarnEd actually takes the time to understand our strategy and ambitions and thinks about how any potential hire might meet those.
Senior Associate from UK Magic Circle moves to Hong Kong on
$200,000per annum, 16% tax
Lawyer from UK firm moves to Jersey on
£90,000per annum, 20% tax
Barrister from London moves to the BVI on
$575,000per annum, 8% tax
Managing Partner at Walkers, Antonia HardyEd really understands the offshore legal market.
Associate at Ogier, Hong Kong - formerly DLA Piper, New Zealand, Charlotte BradshawEd was great to work with. He has a good knowledge of the offshore market and understands what firms are looking for. He was enthusiastic and eager to find me the right employer in the right location and his advice during the whole process was invaluable.
If you would like to discuss a career offshore please contact us. All conversations will be treated in strict confidence.
