First impressions count… particularly when it comes to attracting the best talent. That’s why the Firm has completed a project that is set to transform our recruiting brand in 2018. The Reporter finds out more.

When we decided to take a fresh look at our recruiting brand, it made perfect sense to view it through the eyes of our associates.

After all, if you want an insight into what attracts new recruits to White & Case (and what it’s like once you get here), who better to ask than someone who knows first-hand?

So, towards the end of 2016, we recruited a team of around 15 associates to work with leading advertising agency Carbone Smolan to contribute ideas and feedback throughout the process.

Nicole Rodger, a Bank Finance Associate from Los Angeles, explains: “I was part of a committee featuring associates from Mexico City, Paris, Miami, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Berlin, London, Moscow, New York, Washington, D.C., and Prague representing a broad range of practice areas.

“Our job was to review various proposals for the rebrand and to provide feedback to the agency.”

New York-based Associate DeVoia Stewart adds: “We kicked off with a face-to-face focus group where associates and partners from various offices flew into New York to come up with messaging ideas.

“All subsequent meetings were held using video conferences and webcasts organized to take into account time differences around the world.”

Part of the bigger picture

The recruiting rebrand is part of our wider project to articulate what it means to work at White & Case from an employee’s perspective.

This recruitment element needed to appeal to a broad target audience including students and graduates, experienced lawyers and Business Services professionals, in a style that would work across the globe.

Nicole says: “The new rebranding was needed to enable us to tell a consistent story of what it means to be a White & Case associate.

“Our remit was to replace outdated materials that had perhaps undersold the associate experience to recruits and that didn’t project a compelling or cohesive story.

“It was felt that we needed to better communicate what makes White & Case a distinctive place to work in comparison to other firms.”

Delivering the goods

Key goals of the project were to deliver a consistent recruiting identity and campaign tagline for all markets, to establish a clear differentiation between the Firm and our competitors, and to convey our key unique selling points. Ultimately, the project needed to create a complete suite of materials for use in future recruitment campaigns across the world.

Melbourne Associate Dale Sheedy, who joined the Firm in December 2016, explains: “As the concepts started to develop, it was great to see the key benefits of working for White & Case (such as the opportunity to do meaningful work for leading clients, to join a diverse, global team, and to gain experiences that will last a lifetime) brought to life in our rebranding.

“It was also fantastic to add a first-hand perspective on what it means to work here. As associates, we’re well placed to provide insight into what a new career at White & Case is really like.”

The role of the Associate Committee was significant throughout, with much of their insight incorporated into the finished product, which will launch early next year.

Miami-based Associate Lauran Guijarro comments: “It was a really collaborative, global effort and the end result is an impressive compilation of ideas and cultures from around the world.

“For instance, our input was particularly valuable for helping the agency understand how the tagline would translate in different languages and cultures and how the visuals would be perceived in different parts of the world.

“Carbone Smolan did a great job of taking the mix of feedback and converting it into something that can work in any global market.”

Setting the right tone

As the Firm strives to attract and retain not only the very best talent, but also people who match our values and aspirations, the rebranding could prove pivotal.

International Arbitration Associate, Washington, D.C., McCoy Pitt says: “The recruiting brand is often the first thing that prospective associates see when they consider a career at the Firm.

“It’s our opportunity to make a lasting impression, so conveying the right message is crucial.”

So what do the associates think of the finished product?

Lauran says: “I can truly say the end results are outstanding – simply beautiful. They reflect our firm and culture in an exciting way and I’m sure they will attract the top candidates that we are looking for.”

McCoy adds: “The brand direction shows an engaging and inclusive message and captures the essence of what we do as lawyers at the Firm.”

All about the culture

Of course the delivery of the recruiting rebrand is just the beginning. Once launched, the real secret of any brand’s success comes from it being lived, promoted, and embedded in the culture of an organization.

Senior Associate, London, Hyder Jumabhoy says: “Every single person within the Firm, from senior lawyers to our Business Services team, has the responsibility and the privilege to be involved in making the Firm’s recruiting brand come to life. It needs to be reflected in every conversation we have, email we send, document we draft, or pitch we submit.

“In my view, White & Case is the only truly global firm which offers uniquely balanced transatlantic legal capabilities. The trick will be in communicating what we have to offer clearly and consistently – something our rebranding will help us achieve.

“But this will only be possible if we embrace it at all levels across the globe.”