Finding legal talent that fits the business, not just the role

Background

Houseful is one of the UK’s leading digital property businesses, bringing together a portfolio of well-known property brands. As the business continued to grow, its legal team faced increasing demands, requiring additional legal resource and specialist expertise to support a fast-paced commercial environment.

Amelia Guilfoyle, General Counsel & Company Secretary, has worked with Taylor Root team over a number of years to support the development of Houseful’s legal function. Throughout that partnership, the focus has been on identifying legal professionals who can not only meet the technical requirements of the role but also thrive within the company’s culture and contribute to its long-term objectives.

The challenge

Like many in-house legal teams, Houseful’s hiring requirements were not always predictable. While some recruitment projects could be planned in advance, there were occasions when rising workloads created an immediate need for additional legal support. In those situations, Amelia needed access to high-quality candidates who could quickly understand the business, integrate with the team and add value from day one.

Equally important was finding candidates who were the right fit and value alignment. Beyond technical legal expertise, new hires needed to align with Houseful’s way of working and contribute positively to the team’s culture and objectives. This required a recruitment partner with a genuine understanding of both the business and the wider legal market.

The solution

Taylor Root invested time in developing a detailed understanding of Houseful’s business, legal team and culture. By maintaining regular contact beyond active recruitment processes, the team built a strong foundation that enabled them to respond quickly whenever hiring needs arose.

The outcome

Taylor Root successfully supported Houseful with multiple legal hires, providing high-quality candidates at speed and helping the legal team respond effectively to changing business demands.

New hires were able to integrate quickly, contribute immediately and strengthen the overall capability of the legal function, while preserving the culture and values that were important to the business.

Client testimonial

“One of the key things is the relationship we have with Taylor Root and the time they have invested in getting to know us as a business. When we have a recruitment need, they’re able to combine that understanding with their knowledge of the legal market to identify candidates who genuinely fit our culture and what we’re looking for.

Whether it’s a planned hire or an urgent requirement, they’ve consistently delivered a great service and introduced people who have made a real contribution to our team.”

Amelia Guilfoyle, General Counsel and Company Secretary, Houseful