The
news (first reported
here) that Major Lindsay & Africa founder and former name partner Martha Fay Africa has abandoned legal search
to join the San Francisco boutique executive search firm Hodge Niederer Cariani, founded by ex partners of executive search giant Heidrick & Struggles speaks (volumes? nothing? exactly what?) about the state of the Lawcruiter business. When a market leader makes this kind of move, we all notice.
Ms. Africa was reported to have opted out of re-investing in the Major Lindsay & Africa, partnership in 2001 prior to the firm’s expansion from five to nineteen offices, and commented on her departure that “it was never… (her) career goal to be part of a large organization," and that she thought that she was “much more suited to a smaller boutique situation." This Lawcruiter certainly sympathizes and personally is betting on the boutique model over the multi-office models exemplified by Major Lindsay & Africa, BCG Search, American Legal Search, some of our UK based competitors and - OK, Heidrick & Struggles – which are increasingly prevalent and seemingly on the ascendancy in the recruitment consulting business generally, and the Lawcruiter business in particular.
The broader question is whether Ms. Africa felt that there was little more (for her) to do in the Lawcruiter business – given all that she had accomplished and given the increasing emphasis in her practice on in-house recruiting, and the “de-facto CEO searches” which will now be her principal area of focus.
Or maybe Ms. Africa's move means nothing at all – and is simply the natural next step in a successful career. In any event, her colleagues in the broader Lawcruiter community wish her well.