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Jon Williams
In-house team
Nationwide
Confidentiality
In most cases, first approaches to firms can be carried out on a no-names basis to ascertain if they would be interested in a hypothetical person with your background. If they are interested, and you also, we would then need to disclose your name. Many firms will answer such an approach with “It depends who it is”, so without disclosure, the process will not go any further. Most of our first approaches will be at a very senior level (typically, to a managing partner), with individuals who are highly professional and are approached by partners on a regular basis. These people respect the fact that confidentiality must be observed at all stages.It is after three or four interviews at a number of different firms that confidentiality can become more complicated. The more people involved, the greater the chance of a leak.
In the vast majority of partner moves, confidentiality is kept and the news that you (or your team) are looking does not get back to your own firm or your clients. It is, however, always useful to have a clear answer should any of your partners hear anything and confront you.
It does happen but, in our experience, it is rare.
