Friday Job Flash
Your weekly dose of the hottest legal roles!
New roles ALERT!
Because we care (a lot) about your career growth at GRM, here’s this week’s exciting legal opportunities, from Cape Town to Kenya, Johannesburg to the US. Let’s get into it.
Legal Operations/Paralegal (CPT)
Join a leading financial services provider as a Legal Operation/Paralegal, where you’ll play a key role in providing frontline support for legal requests, drafting and reviewing contracts, and helping to improve legal processes. If you have at least 2-3 year PQE, excellent drafting skills, reach out and lets have a chat.
Contact: Aphiwe at aphiwe@thegrmgroup.com or Nasreen at nasreen&thegrmgroup.com
M&A Director (JHB)
A top-tier law firm is looking for an M&A Director for their JHB office. Reach out to Aphiwe at aphiwe@thegrmgroup.com for more information.
Min Requirements:
10+ years PQE,
Proven M&A track record
Excellent leadership and management experience
Transferable book of business.
Director Roles (CPT)
We're recruiting on behalf of a prestigious Cape Town law firm for senior Directors in the following areas:
Insurance
Employment & Labour Law
Insolvency / Business Rescue
Requirements:
PQE: 10 years or more
A robust Book of Business
Strong Management Skills
CPT-based or willing to relocate
Contact: Nasreen at nasreen@thegrmgroup.com or Aphiwe at aphiwe@thegrmgroup.com with the subject line being the relevant practice area.
Corporate Commercial Director (CPT)
A global law firm is expanding its CPT team. If you’re a Corporate Commercial Partner/Director looking for a new challenge, this could be the one.
Requirements:
Admitted Attorney of the South African High Court
Deep Experience in Corporate Commercial
PQE: 10 years or more
Transferrable Book of Business
Excellent Management Skills
Based in CPT or willing to relocate
Reach out to learn more! Email Aphiwe at aphiwe@thegrmgroup.com with the subject line: Corporate Commercial Director”.
Banking Lawyer with debt experience (Kenya)
Our client is a leading international Law Firm across Africa. Their Nairobi office is looking for a senior Banking Lawyer with debt experience, and ideally experience dealing with London and New York.
Contact Rob Green on rob@thegrmgroup.com
Remote Position (United States)
We are actively recruiting for a remote position for a client of ours. The Attorney will be 100% remote and can be anywhere in the US. You must be a US Attorney and you must be 5-7 years PQE.
Our client is on the hunt for a sharp, business-aware attorney to join their growing legal team. Reporting to the General Manager and working closely with the Group Legal Counsel, you’ll be at the heart of high-impact decision-making, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders.
You MUST have experience dealing with public sector clients, drafting and delivering RFPs and commercial contracts - you’ll need to display experience of this.
For you there is total remote working, good pay, good benefits, good people to work with, chances of progression, future M&A work and more.
Contact Kayresha Naidoo on kay@thegrmgroup.com
Associate- Constitutional/Admin & Regulatory/Labour Law (JHB)
Join a prestigious SA firm as a well-rounded Associate in:
Constitutional Law
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Labour Law
Min Requirements
2 years post-admission experience
Public sector & High Court litigation exposure
Experience with procurement & review of public decisions
Contact: Nasreen at nasreen@thegrmgroup.com or Aphiwe at aphiwe@thegrmgroup.com with the subject line “Associate- Constitutional/Admin & Regulatory/Labour law” to learn more about the opportunity.
GRM INSIGHTS
Article of the week: In-person & Virtual Interview Tips
A little something from our Associate Consultants, Aphiwe and Nasreen. Tailored advice for legal professionals preparing for interviews, from CAs to Partners.
VIP Exclusive: The 2025 Legal Hiring Forecast
This week, we spotlight a sharp analysis by Kayresha Naidoo, Head of Executive Search at The GRM Group. From reposted LinkedIn roles to hidden hiring costs, she unpacks key trends shaping the 2025 legal hiring landscape.
Don’t miss this one | insights that could save your firm more than just time.
The 2025 Legal Hiring Forecast: The real cost of a bad hire.
By Kayresha Naidoo (Head of Executive Search)
UMBIIE
How Umbiie Reduces Legal Staffing Costs Compared to Traditional Fractional Legal Providers
Direct Cost Savings
No Ongoing Margins or High Placement Fees: Traditional fractional legal staffing platforms typically charge a 10 - 20% margin or fee on every engagement, either increasing the company’s cost per hour or reducing the lawyer’s take-home pay. Umbiie eliminates these recurring fees by charging only a minimal, one-time fee to unlock a candidate’s profile, after which you can engage the professional for any number of projects with no further platform charges.
Transparent, Upfront Pricing: Umbiie’s model provides full visibility into costs from the outset. There are no hidden margins or agency commissions layered onto the professional’s rate, which means companies pay only for the actual legal work delivered, not for ongoing intermediation.
Flexible Engagement Models
Variety of Fee Structures: Legal professionals on Umbiie can offer hourly, flat-fee, retainer, or hybrid pricing models, making it easier for companies to select the most cost-effective arrangement for each project. This flexibility allows legal teams to tailor engagements to their budget and needs, rather than being locked into agency-driven pricing.
Scalable Support: Like other fractional models, Umbiie enables companies to scale legal support up or down as needed, but without the typical agency overhead, further reducing total spend.
Empowered Legal Professionals, Lower Platform Overhead
Shared Gig Economy Model: Umbiie operates a shared gig economy platform, empowering legal professionals to control their profiles and data. When a company unlocks a profile, the candidate receives a portion of the fee, incentivising active participation and reducing platform costs.
No Agency Dependency: By connecting companies directly with verified, KYC-checked legal talent, Umbiie removes the need for ongoing agency involvement, which is a major source of cost in traditional models.
Summary Table: Cost Comparison
Bottom Line
Umbiie’s approach transforms legal staffing costs by removing recurring agency fees, enabling flexible and transparent pricing, and empowering both companies and legal professionals. This results in substantial savings and greater value for in-house legal teams compared to traditional fractional legal providers.
Sign up for Umbiie today to find your fractional lawyer or to access fractional work!
CLERQ: Business Showcase
Having featured partners like Umbiie.com, Law Ninjas and others, we like to showcase businesses that we believe are genuinely helping Attorneys, Law Firms and Legal Teams around the world.
This time, it's a great company that packages together all the support SME law firms need to help them grow. Their strapline is "Less Admin. More Business"....perfect!
South Africa’s SME law firms need more than just AI; they require robust support to truly grow their businesses.
The legal sector in South Africa is vast and diverse, with small firms comprising the majority of the landscape. As of 2025, nearly 15,000 law firms operate across the country, with over 14,200 being sole practitioners and more than 4,100 having between two to nine attorneys. This means that most law firms are lean operations, often managed by just a few professionals.
The challenges faced by these small firms are significant. While discussions around artificial intelligence and automation are prevalent, many firms seek practical, human support instead.
1. Overwhelming Admin: Small firms often find themselves inundated with paperwork, compliance issues, billing, and other back-office demands. Each hour spent on administrative tasks detracts from time spent serving clients or growing the business.
2. Marketing Struggles: Many lawyers did not enter the profession to become marketers. In a competitive market, however, visibility and client acquisition are crucial.
3. Resource Constraints: With limited personnel, every team member is stretched thin. Specialisation is rare, leading to a heightened risk of burnout.
So, what do these firms truly need? It’s not more AI or another flashy app; it’s:
- Hands-on admin support to alleviate paperwork and compliance burdens.
- Practical marketing assistance to help them share their stories and attract new clients.
- Relief from non-core distractions so they can concentrate on serving clients and developing their businesses.
Clerq (clerq.co.za), is an initiative founded in South Africa by former attorneys aimed at providing genuine support to legal professionals.
They handle administrative tasks, marketing efforts, and operational challenges so lawyers can refocus on their core mission - lawyering.
Their mission emphasises that South Africa’s legal sector thrives on small firms rather than big tech solutions; what these firms truly need is dedicated people in their corner.
Check it out; it looks incredible