Simon Biancardi of Canadian Legal Advantage, photo by Alistair Eagle Click here to see full sized version.

Demand is high and growing for Canadian lawyers in places like London, England, the Middle East, Far East and other offshore markets, according to legal recruitment experts. And the rewards offered by international firms can be great. But is the proverbial grass really greener on the other side, and what are the incentives for Canadian lawyers to move?

That depends on a number of factors, said Ted Remillard, managing director of Toronto’s Modus Legal Recruitment, which has been recruiting Canadian lawyers for international clients since 2000.

“There isn’t any one particular reason Canadians leave,” said Remillard. “But there is generally some nexus to a certain area or country — either a past or a present link. For example, many leave because they or their spouses have ancestral links to a country and they want to repatriate. Some leave for more money; some leave for bigger career opportunities. Many leave to get exposure to more complex deals. Canadians also leave for specific jurisdictions that have a density of work in the area of law they’ve specialized in. Or someone who is already doing big deals in Toronto may simply find it more attractive to do those same deals in Paris.”

There are certainly a multitude of opportunities for Canadian lawyers abroad according to Simon Biancardi of Vancouver-based Canadian Legal Advantage. With wide-ranging international law experience, Biancardi trained at a large English firm and was later seconded to its Kuwait and Hong Kong offices. Before moving to Canada, he worked in the legal department of a European hotel chain. 

“Traditionally London sourced lawyers locally. Now they can’t get enough people. There’s a huge demand there for lawyers,” explained Biancardi, who recently launched an international legal recruiting firm in Vancouver when he saw a niche in the market. 

“I was seeing that, for some, there was a level of dissatisfaction regarding work opportunities here. I also knew about London’s need for lawyers and that Canadians have the right kind of skills and background. Being part of the Commonwealth, Canadians don’t have to re-train although they can take exams to be admitted in the United Kingdom if they want to.”

Biancardi is currently working on several recruitment jobs for Bermuda and London. He tends to source candidates from big name firms like Stikeman Elliott LLP and McCarthy Tétrault LLP but doesn’t discount candidates with different backgrounds. “I look for candidates who are open-minded, career-focused and international in perspective. They should be ambitious enough to take their experience to a level they are not able to achieve here.”

To give an example of the size of responsibility he is referring to, Biancardi refers to an old work colleague in London: “His baseline for a deal is $100 million. These jobs are of a different scale and expectation.”

Both Biancardi and Remillard say that making a successful transition from Canada to another country is more likely when done through a professional legal recruiter. Remillard goes so far as to say the use of an intermediary is essential.

“We make the process a lot easier. I spend significant amounts of time in the countries I recruit to, and I can relate to the respective lifestyles in places like Singapore, Bahrain or New York. I can give advice on international standards and know about the immigration issues. I give advice on local customs, work expectations and simple but necessary advice about things such as quarantine laws for pets.

“Or a potential candidate who happens to be a foodie may ask, ‘I love to dine out weekly; can I do that in Bahrain on my salary?’ It’s really consulting work. People need to know what the relative benefits and costs are and what the net effect on their life will be.”

Being a frequent traveller, Remillard is up-to-date on recent changes. “In the past year or so, the cost of living in Dubai has increased by 20 to 30 per cent. There’s so much activity going on there.”
Biancardi described Dubai as, “like Hong Kong but it’s in the desert.” He added that Dubai is a great place to work and like other Middle Eastern countries, there are tax advantages that make salaries even more attractive.

But there are specific difficulties related to relocating. “It’s a mental adjustment,” said Biancardi. “It will take time to settle in. I advise candidates to give themselves about six months to come to grips and understand the new place. Firms will try to make the transition as straightforward and easy as possible. They want employees to stay a long time, and it’s in their best interests to keep them happy.”

Of course potential jumps in salary levels are a major attraction. Remillard’s firm advertises salaries that range from U.S. $100,000 - $600,000 depending on the experience level of the candidate and the firm, said Biancardi.

“A two-year qualified lawyer can expect to get about $140,000 in London. A four- to five-year qualified lawyer can expect $200,000. The more senior you get, the more opportunities and money you can make. In the Caribbean, you can make substantial amounts of money, up to $250,000, based on the work you’re generating.”

For Canadian lawyers seeking international opportunities, the hardest part is getting an interview with the firm said Biancardi. “I pre-interview all candidates and help them put together their C.V.s. How the person is presented, the packaging is important. Often it’s a matter of expanding certain areas or describing more work experiences in particular areas.”

Once candidates get past Biancardi’s review, initial interviews with the hiring firm can be done by telephone or videoconference. A second phone/videoconference interview is sometimes arranged with different partners at the hiring firm.  “It is possible that an offer will be made then,” said Biancardi.

“Or, potentially, the firm will fly the candidate into their country for a personal interview. I recently had two candidates flown to Bermuda. It was a sign of how serious the firm is that they will go to the expense of flying candidates in. Firms have to sell themselves too.”

International firms show a continuing interest in hiring Canadian lawyers. But it’s up to Canadians to determine if those career opportunities, with accompanying lifestyle changes, are attractive to them.