The 3–7 PQE shortage, explained
If there is one part of the Western Australia legal market where demand consistently outweighs supply, it is the 3–7 PQE Lawyer.
It is not a new challenge, but
Legal secondments and permanent recruitment across Western Australia. Powered by relationships, experience and genuine connections – not just a database.
Shortlists in days, not weeks – drawn from a Western Australia-only network, not a cold database search.
Matched to your business, not just the role – for a fit that lasts.
Peak periods, leave and transitions covered with experienced legal talent.
Of our secondments extend past their initial end date.
West Australian focused. We do not import interstate data and apply it here.
Of our secondments are part time.
Our founders bring more than 20 years of experience in the West Australian legal market.
Legal capability, without the wait – Secondment Lawyers for workload peaks, parental leave cover and specialist projects, commercially fluent from day one.
Permanent legal recruitment from Legal Counsel through to General Counsel placements.
Partner moves, done right – discreet search for the Partners you want to bring in, and a respectful, managed process for those moving on.
We invest in long-term relationships with our clients and candidates, staying connected well beyond the initial placement.
We specialise in the West Australian market, where our knowledge, relationships and experience run deep.
A team shaped by experience as Partners, General Counsel, Board members and Specialist Recruiters.
Sensitive moves and sensitive matters are handled with exactly the confidentiality they demand.
Secondment and permanent solutions live under the one roof, so your needs are met without a second phone call.
We take the time to understand your business, culture and long-term objectives to get the fit right, every time.
Kristy Campbell and Ken Jagger each bring more than 20 years’ experience in the West Australian legal and corporate market. Together, they bring decades of experience building and leading successful legal talent businesses – now channelled into Counsel Connect, a business deliberately built for Western Australia.
Local, current, and grounded in real market activity, not interstate data. In-house and private practice benchmarks, secondment market data, and what is actually moving West Australian salaries this year.
If there is one part of the Western Australia legal market where demand consistently outweighs supply, it is the 3–7 PQE Lawyer.
It is not a new challenge, but
There is no shortage of commentary about how AI will transform the legal profession. Some of it will prove right. Some of it almost certainly will not. What is clear
The best time to decide what legal support your organisation needs in 2027 is now, before budgets lock in and the year’s work arrives unannounced. For most West Australia organisations,
Most Western Australian organisations do not notice their legal resource gap until it has already cost them money. It rarely shows up as a line item. It shows up as
If you need a new General Counsel in Perth, plan on five to seven months from the day you brief a search to the day they walk in the door.
Western Australia makes that harder to judge. The Perth legal market is relatively small and closely connected, heavily shaped by resources, energy and infrastructure work, and highly sensitive to commodity
Often, very quickly. Because we are continually speaking with Lawyers across the Western Australia market, we often know who is available – or about to become available – before a brief even lands. We have a healthy bench of Lawyers with different skill sets and different levels.
For urgent requirements, we can often present suitable options within 2 days. For more specialised briefs, we will be upfront about the market and likely timeframe. Our focus is always on finding the right person, not simply the first available person.
Absolutely not. Not only do we work with large corporates, we are often partnering with small to mid-cap ASX companies, start-ups, SME’s, Not-for-Profit and everything in between.
A secondment gives you experienced legal support for a defined period, without adding a permanent headcount. It’s ideal for parental or other leave cover, project work, peak workloads or when you need additional expertise quickly. The Lawyer is employed by Counsel Connect and works within your team for the agreed period.
Permanent recruitment is for an ongoing role within your business. We manage the search and recruitment process, and the successful candidate becomes your employee.
Not sure which model you need? We can talk you through both options and recommend the approach that best suits your requirements.
Yes, absolutely. Simply register your interest and you will receive a copy immediately.
Our Secondees are employed directly by Counsel Connect on fixed-term employment contracts and receive the usual employee entitlements, including annual leave, personal leave, superannuation and other applicable entitlements.
As an Incorporated Legal Practice, we also ensure our Secondees are appropriately covered under our Law Mutual insurance while working with our clients.
It’s a model designed to give our Lawyers the security of employment while giving our clients the flexibility of experienced legal support when they need it.