28 Aug Why Marsden? Alex Russell
Alex Russell is a Director in Marsden’s London office and a senior member of our private practice team. He has extensive experience advising partners and senior associates and placing them into leading US and UK law firms in London and across Europe.
Alex didn’t begin his career intending to work in law – let alone legal recruitment. At university he studied psychology, originally planning to become an educational psychologist or teacher. A summer paralegal role, offered by a friend’s mother who was a partner at a London firm, gave him his first experience of the legal world, which he greatly enjoyed. After a short period working at another international law firm, he decided to retrain as a lawyer.
He completed the CPE (now PGDL) at Birmingham University and the LPC at Nottingham Law School before securing a training contract at a boutique property firm in the City. Most of his work was in litigation, and when he later chose a higher-paying local role over an opportunity at a London firm, he came to see it as a misstep – an insight he often shares with candidates weighing short-term gains against long-term career prospects.
By eight years’ PQE, Alex realised that the aspects of law he enjoyed most were business development and meeting people rather than the technical practice itself. Friends who had moved into legal recruitment encouraged him to explore it, and the chance to build a career around people, networks, and his law firm experience appealed.
In 2011, Alex joined a boutique tax specialist in London that was just beginning to grow its legal recruitment practice. Over the next few years, the team expanded from two to more than ten, and Alex honed his expertise in sourcing candidates, understanding client needs, and making placements in a highly competitive market.
After five years, he wanted broader international exposure and joined a large global recruitment business, placing lawyers into roles in the UK and overseas. When several colleagues moved on, Alex sought a new platform. Marsden was already on his radar for its strong reputation in international legal recruitment, and a former colleague spoke highly of its collaborative culture and global reach.
He joined Marsden in 2019. “The platform here is strong across the board—in-house, private practice, and partner recruitment—and that balance matters if you want to offer clients and candidates the best possible options,” Alex explains. He was also drawn to the firm’s experienced team, absence of rigid KPIs, and culture of collaboration rather than internal competition.
Since then, his practice has grown to encompass partner-level and European placements, with a focus split roughly 80% London and 20% Europe. Many of his candidates have grown with him over the years – lawyers he placed early in their careers are now in senior roles, and he is a trusted adviser for both their own career moves and team-building needs.
Alex’s role has also evolved to mentoring newer consultants, collaborating with Marsden colleagues across EMEA, and regularly travelling to Dublin and other European cities to meet lawyers considering international moves. He also works closely with Marsden’s US and Australasian teams to support clients’ global hiring needs.
Legal recruitment, Alex admits, can be unpredictable: “You’re often at the whim of law firms and candidates. Some days you’re securing someone’s dream job or seeing a junior recruiter succeed; other days are tougher. But the variety and the human element keep me engaged.”
For Alex, Marsden stands out for its established international platform, experienced and collaborative senior team, and the freedom to build long-term relationships. His own career path shows that recruitment can open doors to international work, senior-level networks, leadership opportunities, and the satisfaction of helping talented people achieve their goals.