Previously a longtime partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she founded its London and Hong Kong office, Ms Wallman will be based in Mlegal’s London office. She will work closely with office managing partner Andy Russell to build Mlegal’s local business, focusing on partner recruitment into top US and international law firms in London and Western Europe. She will continue to assist corporations and investment funds with general counsel and other senior lawyer searches. She explained that Mlegal recruiters work as one transatlantic team and ‘that’s what top-tier law firms are looking for, particularly in the alternative asset management space where cross-border alignment is crucial. It is just as important for business development and deal execution as it is for lateral partner hiring and integration.’ Ceo Joe Macrae said of the appointment: ‘Melinda immediately and substantially strengthens our legal recruiting footprint in London and EMEA.’

Diversity champion

A familiar face, Ms Wallman has placed partners and teams at numerous global firms and general counsel and other senior corporate counsel with Fortune and FTSE 100 companies, alternative asset management funds and other financial institutions. She has opened offices for law firms in London, Cologne, Hong Kong, Munich, Shanghai and Singapore. Ms Wallman has been a strong advocate for gender diversity in the legal profession, and founded XX Advantage Ltd to advance female lawyers’ careers. Her main project to date is a recently launched returnship programme, the Reignite Academy. She is also international co-vice-chair for the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), launching its London chapter in 2015. She said: ‘It was important to me to join a firm where diversity is a core value and where every search is treated as a diversity search.’