John Pritchard
John is the founder and Chief Executive of Piper Pritchard. After graduating in Law from Cambridge University, John's professional background was as a lawyer and investment banker. He trained at Allen & Overy and at Salomon Brothers, both in New York and London. He has been involved in the search industry for nearly 20 years and founded Piper Pritchard Associates in 1992 as a specialist Legal and Banking search consultancy.
John was also a sportsman. He competed with success in two Olympic Games as well as several World and European championships as a rower. He also participated in three University Boat races for Cambridge University. Amongst other non-day jobs, he has broadcast on TV and Radio on sport, is a Chairman of the international charity, Right to Play, a Director of the British Olympic Association, Board Director of Cambridge University, and Chairman of the Hawks' Club.
Email: john.p@piperpritchard.com
James Whitworth
James Whitworth is a Director at Piper Pritchard. His expertise is Partner level search, working with a portfolio of leading UK and US law firms to explore their strategic needs and executing assignments across a spectrum of areas. He has conducted and completed a high number of partner searches and team moves for firms in London, the US, Europe, the UAE and Australasia. In addition to the above, James has been involved in training for law firm clients and generating market reports, client assessments and profiling.
Prior to joining Piper Pritchard in 2009, James spent 6 years at a leading legal recruitment consultancy. He founded and headed their international division, primarily focusing on the Middle East, Asia and Continental Europe, across Private Practice and In-House. Prior to setting up the international division James specialised in the London Private Practice market, working on both retained search and contingent recruitment at partner and associate level.
James read Theology and holds an MTheol (Hons.) from the University of St Andrews.
In his spare time James enjoys playing golf, squash, running and football.
Email: james.w@piperpritchard.com
Tom Balmer
Tom Balmer joined Piper Pritchard in September 2010. Tom began his career in recruitment back in 2001. His experience has seen him involved in the establishment and development of a well-known legal recruitment consultancy and most recently he ran the legal division of a market leading investment banking search firm in London. Tom has experience of co-ordinating search projects in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US and has worked across both Private Practice and In-House markets. Tom's principal area of expertise falls within the finance, asset management and dispute resolution sectors at Partner, Counsel and Senior Associate level.
Tom has a BA (Hons.) in Politics and History from the University of Manchester.
In his spare time Tom enjoys cycling, squash and is a qualified PADI Master Diver.
Email: tom.b@piperpritchard.com
Alice Hardy
Alice Hardy joined the legal team at Piper Pritchard in June 2011, having spent the last 10 years working within legal recruitment at both a large global consultancy and a smaller niche search firm.
Alice has experience handling Senior Associate, Partner and Counsel roles and has particular industry knowledge within Dispute Resolution and Insurance. She has managed recruitment both nationally and internationally across a variety of clients within private practice and In-House.
Email: alice.h@piperpritchard.com
Charlotte Pember
Charlotte Pember joined Piper Pritchard in July 2011. She has over 8 years of recruitment experience and specialises in Corporate and Finance search at Partner and Associate level working with a range of UK and US law firms and in house organisations. She has worked on exclusive retained mandates at the partner and GC level in London and internationally.
Prior to joining Piper Pritchard, Charlotte worked for a well-known legal recruitment consultancy and focused on the Corporate and Finance area covering private practice and In House.
Charlotte has a BSc (Hons.) in Philosophy & Economics from the University of Bristol.
In her spare time Charlotte enjoys horse racing and skiing.
Kirk Williamson
Kirk Williamson joined the legal team at Piper Pritchard in early 2009. His principal expertise is within the mid to senior level associate market, working with the City's leading UK and US firms, placing lawyers across a large number of areas.
In addition to the associate market, Kirk has strong expertise in the senior In-House corporate/commercial arena, having executed multiple searches for large corporates at both General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel level.
Prior to joining Piper Pritchard, Kirk began his career in the legal group of a global recruitment consultancy where he specialised in placing junior-mid level associates at UK and US firms.
Kirk graduated from the University of Greenwich with a BA (Hons.) degree in International Business and Marketing in 2007.
In his spare time, Kirk is a keen sportsman and enjoys a variety of sports including golf, squash, skiing and when he can, competing in triathlons.
Email: kirk.w@piperpritchard.com
David Crocker
David Cocker joined Piper Pritchard in June 2011. He began his career in 2007 at a leading international search firm where he focused initially on research and execution for buy and sell side in-house legal positions. David's client base now includes top tier European and US investment banks, as well as some alternative investment and commodity trading houses, where he focuses on the placement lawyers in derivatives & structured products, structured finance, debt capital markets and corporate finance (including private equity).
David graduated from UCL with a degree in History and French.
In his spare time David enjoys watching all sports, reality TV and cooking.
Email: david.c@piperpritchard.com
Jenna Williams
Jenna Williams, a qualified solicitor, joined Piper Pritchard in June 2011. She came from the legal group of a global recruitment agency where she specialised in placing lawyers of all levels within a range of financial institutions in London.
Jenna's main area of expertise is the recruitment of lawyers of all levels into financial institutions across areas including financial services, asset management, derivatives and general banking and finance.
Prior to joining the search industry, Jenna qualified as a solicitor, training at Dundas & Wilson LLP in London.
Jenna holds an LLB Degree from the School of Law at the University of Newcastle and completed the Legal Practice Course at Northumbria University.
Email: jenna.w@piperpritchard.com
Lucinda d'Ambrumenil
Lucinda d'Ambrumenil joined Piper Pritchard in September 2010. Lucinda is Piper Pritchard's Head of Research and in this capacity manages a team that works exclusively on ongoing client-led search projects, including the identification and sourcing of leading individuals within the legal market. Lucinda is also heavily involved in market intelligence, due diligence and screening projects for Piper Pritchard's law firm and financial services clients.
Prior to joining Piper Pritchard Lucinda worked for 7 years at two leading global recruitment consultancies where she specialised in the legal market. She was involved in both search and contingent assignments for private practice clients. Her main focus has been on the research for these assignments although she has also worked as a consultant for core clients.
Lucinda graduated from the University of Bristol with a Joint Honours degree in French and Spanish.
Email: lucinda.d@piperpritchard.com
Sarkis Zeronian
Sarkis Zeronian, a qualified solicitor, joined Piper Pritchard in October 2008. He came from a London-based specialist recruitment boutique where he had been a founder member of their Legal Search team focused on retained and contingent searches both for private practice and in house. Before that he had been in the debt and structured finance division of a global recruitment consultancy where he successfully placed candidates from Analyst to Director level at a range of financial institutions.
Prior to joining the search industry, Sarkis qualified as a City solicitor, training and practising initially at Simmons & Simmons. He has six years' experience specialising in M&A and, later, private equity.
Sarkis' areas of expertise include:
- The recruitment of senior associates and partner level lawyers into in-house, private practice and non-legal roles;
- Running international retained search and advertised selection campaigns; and
- Using his understanding and knowledge derived from legal practice to produce client-led research into market trends, sectors, competitors and other market intelligence.
Sarkis holds an LLB Degree from the School of Law at the University of Southampton, and completed the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Guildford.
Outside of work Sarkis is a social sportsman who plays tennis regularly, is learning to play golf, skis when he can and enjoys watching rugby.
Email: sarkis.z@piperpritchard.com
Olivia Huxstep
Olivia Huxstep joined Piper Pritchard in August 2011. Olivia is a member of Piper Pritchard's Research team, for which she works closely with consultants identifying and building relationships with legal candidates, across a spectrum of sectors.
Prior to joining Piper Pritchard Olivia worked as a paralegal in the market leading personal injury team at Stewarts Law LLP. She was also involved in the establishment and early-stage development of a start-up careers guidance company, using her experience of an earlier period in the recruitment industry, and helped SMEs develop training programmes designed to attract and recruit the best talent.
Olivia graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Sociology, and later obtained her Graduate Diploma in Law before sitting the Legal Practice Course at BPP in London.
In her spare time Olivia enjoys tennis and skiing, as well as playing a few rubbers of bridge.
Email: olivia.h@piperpritchard.com
Ashfaque Kahn
Ashfaque joined Piper Pritchard in late 2011 after working for an Executive Search firm specialising in Global Transactional Services covering Director to Board level searches on retained mandates.
He specialises in sourcing and placing Associates and Partners into Private Practice and In-House.
Ashfaque graduated from King's College London having studied Law and obtained an LLM from University College London before completing the LPC at BPP Law School.
His professional background involves work in both the Middle East and London prior to executive search.
