From Magic Circle Associate to Global GC: A longstanding partnership

Background

Elixirr is a growing business operating in a fast-moving environment, requiring a legal team capable of supporting commercial objectives while maintaining high professional standards. As Global General Counsel, Portia Thornhill was responsible for building a legal function with the expertise, mindset and culture needed to support the organisation’s ambitions.

Drawing on a relationship that began early in her legal career, Portia partnered with the Taylor Root team to identify lawyers who could bring both technical excellence and a strong cultural contribution to the business.

The challenge

Building a legal team involves more than assessing legal knowledge and experience. Portia wanted to create a culture where people were genuinely passionate about their work and invested in the success of the business. While technical capability was essential, finding candidates who would embrace that culture and demonstrate the right level of enthusiasm and commitment was equally important.

The solution

Taylor Root worked closely with Portia to understand not only the technical requirements of each role, but also the type of team and culture she wanted to build. Through detailed conversations and a consultative approach, the team gained a clear understanding of what success looked like for both the business and the legal function.

Leveraging its extensive network of high-quality legal talent, Taylor Root introduced candidates with strong professional backgrounds and the qualities that Portia valued most. The result was a highly targeted recruitment process that produced candidates who performed strongly throughout assessment and interview stages.

The outcome

Taylor Root successfully supported Elixirr with the growth of its legal function, introducing candidates who consistently met both technical and cultural requirements.

• High-quality legal professionals were identified and introduced throughout the hiring process
• Candidates consistently demonstrated strong performance during legal assessments
• The majority of candidates introduced by Taylor Root were successfully hired
• The legal team was built around a culture of passion, engagement and high performance

The result was a trusted recruitment partnership that enabled Elixirr to build a legal function aligned with both its business objectives and cultural values.

Client testimonial

“Asha really took the time to understand what I was looking for and the culture I wanted to build. From that moment, she genuinely understood what I was trying to achieve, and the candidates she introduced were fantastic. They consistently demonstrated strong technical ability, but just as importantly they brought the passion and commitment I was looking for. We have hired most of the candidates that Asha has sent me.”

Portia Thornhill, Global General Counsel, Elixirr