In all my years leading Executive Search, the past few have certainly been the most transformative for leadership roles in the sector. U.S. law firms are reimagining their organisational structures to support regional expansion, placing Chief Operations Officers (COO) and C-suite hires in London and EMEA to drive local strategy.
We’re seeing an emerging trend for commercially-minded execs to come in and work alongside the regional Office Managing Partner (OMP), often in a scaled-up Director of Admin (DOA) role, but with a wider remit, a stronger hand in strategic planning and greater proximity to the firm’s global leadership. Often, the London/EMEA COO functions as the top operational leader in the region.
So, what’s behind this trend and how is it creating fresh opportunities for exec talent?
Strategic innovators to support growth
As U.S. firms accelerate regional expansion, they are prioritising commercially astute, agile leaders with the expertise, know-how and credibility to sustain high performance through global growth and;
This ability to navigate and maximise commercial growth is redefining leadership, and has prompted the uplift in regional COO and C-suite placements at U.S. firms in London. Larger clients are also bringing in C-suite talent to oversee functions like HR, Marketing, Finance and AI, and last year witnessed a 167% year-on-year increase in movement at this level*.
This shift has acted as a powerful catalyst for change in the legal executive market, creating exceptional opportunities at COO and C-suite level, and we’ve loved connecting many of our standout candidates with transformative new roles, drawing on our deep, trusted network of top-tier talent across London and EMEA.
High profile and hands-on leaders
The image of a senior partner tucked away in an office is fast disappearing, and today’s C-suite are expected to be visible, engaged and comfortable in representing their firm externally and often on a global stage.
The same expectations apply internally, with CEO, COO and C-suite teams often much more present, accessible and immersed in the day-to-day. While this has been accelerated by the post-pandemic focus on rebuilding culture, it’s also symptomatic of the commercial acumen modern firms are prioritising across their leadership teams, which has become a key consideration in the recruitment of top execs.
As recruiters, we’ve seen how this more visible, hands-on leadership has fundamentally changed the brief. Global firms are no longer simply looking for operational competence; they want executives with presence, credibility and the confidence to operate at a senior level while remaining embedded in the day-to-day.
The rising value of soft skills
Alongside this shift, the personal qualities and skills firms want from their chiefs has evolved significantly, and this is a conversation I’m having with hiring panels at U.S. firms as they rethink the capabilities that matter the most to their growth plans.
While experience and a results mindset remain important to the COO/exec role, firms also need leaders with emotional intelligence, adaptability, awareness – traits synonymous with upholding positive internal cultures and demonstrating true leadership.
As law firms prioritise these softer, transferable, People-first skills, there’s been an uplift in lateral hires at chief level, with doors opening for talent from outside the sector.
Redefining your leadership models to empower regional expansion
With leadership teams responsible for 80% of a business’s long-term success*, we know the value of bringing in the right people to drive regional growth and many leading firms are already adapting their hiring strategies to engage business-savvy COOs who can establish and steer their London/EMEA offices.
Channelling niche intel, unparalleled knowledge of the London/EMEA market, and deep understanding of U.S. law firm structures, policies and challenges, we’re working with clients to;
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design new leadership structures and C-suite positions that align with their global and regional ambitions
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identity the specialist skills they need to bring in to support regional expansion and practice group growth
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connect a high-calibre network of global exec talent, who can come in and confidently drive their strategy in London/EMEA
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advise on salary benchmarks and incentive plans that will attract world-class candidates
If you’re a U.S. firm looking for talented C-suite execs to support your next phase of growth and expansion in the London & EMEA space, email me.
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Authored by Andrea Prendergast, Ryder Reid Legal Co-owner and Director of Executive Search. Andrea has been instrumental in the opening and building of U.S. headquartered firms across London and EMEA, providing C-suite/Director level talent for C-suite departments for more than 20 years.
Andrea started her recruitment career in 1998 in her hometown of Liverpool, before joining Ryder Reid in 2008 and buying the business in 2018 with Business Director Callum
References
*Ryder Reid 2026 talent data - contact our research team for more details
*McKinsey report on the impact of leadership