Collaboration With One Of Canada’s Largest Pension Investment Managers

The Mandate

Marsden’s partnership with one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers began through a long-standing relationship with a leading Global Elite law firm. One of the firm’s partners sought compensation guidance for their client and asked our co-founder, Michelle Mills, for advice. Following that introduction, Karen Glass advised the company’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO) on an appropriate remuneration package for the UK market.

The success of this initial engagement led to further collaboration, with the client retaining us to recruit their EMEA General Counsel and a Legal Director as they built out the legal infrastructure for their London office.

The Process

Our approach was grounded in deep collaboration and strategic counsel. We invested significant time in understanding the client’s organisational structure, culture, and long-term goals to ensure each appointment was aligned not only with their immediate requirements but also with their broader business objectives.

The Challenges

The client was in the process of expanding their global footprint and establishing a significant presence in London, a complex task requiring not only the recruitment of exceptional legal talent but also the alignment of global team structures and processes.
The competitive legal market in London, combined with the need for seamless integration between global and regional operations, presented additional challenges. It was essential to identify individuals who possessed both technical excellence and the strategic capability to shape and lead within a rapidly evolving environment.

The Outcome

Our work has helped the client build a strong and effective EMEA legal function, anchored by a high-calibre General Counsel and Legal Director.

The relationship has continued to evolve. Karen Glass recently conducted a new project working closely with the CLO once again, this time partnering with a leading business consultant to advise on the reorganisation of the Target Operating Model for the company’s global legal team. Alongside this, we provided consultancy services including  team dynamics analysis and guidance on team structure and reorganisation.

This partnership between Marsden and the client—which began with a single piece of compensation advice—has evolved into a trusted, multi-faceted relationship encompassing search, consultancy, and leadership advisory services. We are proud to remain a key strategic partner to both the client and the Global Elite law firm, with whom we continue to collaborate on numerous partner and associate hires, including the recruitment of their own Chief Legal Officer in 2024.

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