Our Thinking
Knowledge Hub

Firing on all cylinders: How working capital teams fuel business success
What’s the difference between a firm that’s good and great? It might well be your working capital team. Totum Consultant Carolyn Beckford Balogun explores the

Not so different? Evolution of the professional services sector
As seen in our 20th Anniversary report, DLA Piper’s Director of Business Service Delivery James Craddock is key example of a business services leader who

Inside track: Research in Marketing and BD
In a piece first published by PSMG’s Centrum Magazine, Totum’s Marketing & Business Development consultant Jenny Owen argues the case for excellence in research across

Totum becomes B Corp Certified
We are delighted to announce that Totum is now a Certified B Corporation, reflecting our longstanding and continuing commitment to make a positive difference to

How do you get hired for your next job and hire the best people?
Totum’s specialist Marketing & BD recruitment consultant, Lara Mitchard, recently spoke with James Stringer at The Glue podcast along with Simon Mofatt, Head of BD

Changing world: Totum reports on its 20 years of working in professional services
In our latest report, ‘Changing World: Totum reports on its 20 years of working in professional services’, Totum’s Founding Directors Tim Skipper, Deborah Gray and

Exploring Your Recruitment Options: Making Informed Choices
We spoke with Totum’s Manager for Finance and Accounting recruitment, Dee Deol, to hear his advice on what candidates should be considering when looking to

Less time for dirty laundry: The Lawyer, May 2023
We were recently delighted to see our research from, ‘The hybrid office: a Totum workplace report’, featuring in an article written for the Horizon newsletter published

Growth marks Totum’s 20 years in business
2023 marks Totum’s 20th anniversary – and a journey that has taken us from a recruitment business of just four people to 30 today. We

Women in Tech: Q&A with Caroline Macdonald, Ashurst
We ask Caroline Macdonald, Head of Demand Management at Ashurst, about how her career in marketing led to IT – and why more women should

The Business of Being Brilliant: Recruiting brilliant talent
Deborah Gray, one of Totum’s founding Directors, was recently delighted to be interviewed for ‘The Business of Being Brilliant’, a podcast hosted by organisational expert,

The hybrid office: A Totum workplace report
We are delighted to publish findings from our latest hybrid working survey, the fifth of its kind since March 2021. Our recent findings suggest that

Recognising talent: Latest developments at Team Totum
Reflecting our commitment to invest in our people, we are delighted to announce several internal promotions to kick off the new financial year at Totum. From

Marketing and BD Rising Star Award 2023: Meet the Winners
There is some phenomenal up-and-coming talent in today’s marketing and business development (BD) teams across the professional services sector. The proof of that is in

Environment, Social and Governance: Supporting firms to deliver positive change
Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability strategies have become critical components of today’s business infrastructure, including professional services firms. That

How do your salaries compare? Totum delivers Business Services Reward Survey 2023
Findings from Totum’s Business Services Reward Survey 2023 show law firms competing hard on salaries, bonuses and benefits to secure the best business skills and

Totum Report 2023: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are proud to introduce our Totum 2023 report: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. This is our sixth year of publishing our diversity statistics and analysis,

The sweet smell of success: Building your career with Lara Mitchard
In a piece first published in PSMG Magazine, Totum’s Marketing & BD consultant Lara Mitchard spoke with three of the Rising Star judges in recognition of Totum’s

Totum Technology: Unlocking potential in professional services
At Totum, we have a deep understanding of the ways in which technology is transforming capabilities across the professional services sector. In our guide, ‘Totum

Rise of the Legal COO: Second Edition with Laura McNair
A comprehensive guide to the changing role of the law firm COO. Totum’s Head of People & Operations Practice Laura McNair collaborated with Global Law

Changing the focus: How to source great Finance Business Partners
Finance teams are investing and developing in their Finance Business Partnering capabilities as firms increasingly seek to link finance with commercial thinking to drive performance.

Optimising profitability: Nigel Laws, Withers
Nigel Laws, Head of Pricing at Withers, has been part of the legal pricing world right from the start. In our most recent report, Developments

Secrets of success: How to get ahead in Marketing and BD
In recognition of Totum’s Rising Star Award 2023, Totum Consultant Lara Mitchard asks three of our Rising Star judges, all leaders in marketing and business development

A year of being a Rising Star with Amanda Birch, BCLP
In light of re-launching our BD & Marketing Rising Star Award we spoke with last year’s winner Amanda Birch, Marketing & Business Development Executive at

The commercial shift: Adrian Avanzato, Ashurst
Totum’s recent report, Developments in the Legal Pricing Function, featured an in-depth discussion with Adrian Avanzato. The commercial side of pricing is explored, taking the practise

The changing world of pricing with Stuart Dodds
Totum’s recent report, Developments in the Legal Pricing Function, featured an in-depth Q&A with Stuart Dodds, who was one of the first Pricing Directors in the

A year for agile thinking
In a piece first published by PM Magazine, Totum Consultant Emma Johnston takes a look at the recruitment market into 2023 and argues the case for a

How Black British Leaders Succeed in Organisations and Why It Matters
Is referring to race at work dangerous for career progression? How can black people and others feel open to express their whole selves at work?

Developments in the legal pricing function: Totum report 2022
The legal sector’s pricing function has big ambitions to take a pivotal place in the legal sector’s commercial future, according to the findings from our

‘Breaking the Bias’ with Sadie Baron as a Female Leader in Marketing
Break the bias: Sadie Baron, Reed Smith In this piece, Totum Director Deborah Gray talks to Sadie Baron, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Reed Smith,

Returning to the office: The agile workplace
Hybrid working is now a permanent feature of most workplaces and it is offered to all employees, most of whom attend the office no more

It’s back! Totum’s business services reward survey
To provide clarity and insight into today’s salary and bonus structures for business services professionals in law, we are delighted to announce that we are

Interim, temporary and contract roles: A Totum guide for recruiting short-term talent
The interim, temporary and contract market is a particularly exciting area of recruitment right now that is attracting more fantastic candidates and presenting firms with

Best Business Leaders: Winner’s profile – Adam Soames, Hogan Lovells
In the fourth of our series profiling our five winners of Totum’s Best Business Leaders awards, we are delighted to talk to Adam Soames, Global

Best Business Leaders: Winner’s profile – Brooke Johnston, DAC Beachcroft
In the third piece in our series profiling our five winners from Totum’s Best Business Leaders awards, we are delighted to talk to Brooke Johnston,

Move to London – London Guide
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of what to expect when working in the United Kingdom, in particular London. If you are interested in relocating

The Rise of the COO
Highlights from Totum’s latest research and advice on COO recruitment. The rise of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) is arguably one of the most important

Best Business Leaders: Winner’s profile – Elizabeth McGarrity, Fragomen
In a continuation of our series profiling our five winners from Totum’s Best Business Leaders awards, we are delighted to talk to Elizabeth McGarrity, Senior

Best Business Leaders: Winner’s profile – Stacey Rickford, Travers Smith
In the next few weeks, we will be publishing profiles of the five winners of our Best Business Leaders awards, announced earlier in the summer.

Benefits of interim and short-term contracts
Emma Johnston recently joined Totum in a bid to actively establish our interim practise. Emma spoke with Head of Marketing, Sarah Broad as she detailed

Rising Stars reveal marketing’s rising status
In a piece first published in PSMG’s Centrum magazine, Totum BD & Marketing Consultants’ Joanna Milne and Lara Mitchard report on Totum’s Rising Star Award

‘Breaking the Bias’ with Bruna Pellicci as a Female Leader in Technology
Totum Director, Deborah Gray speaks with Bruna Pellicci, Chief Technology Officer at Linklaters, and one of the very few female leaders in technology. As part

Rising to the challenge: Leadership trends 2016-22
Highlights from Totum’s latest research into business services leadership placements, incorporating figures for 2021/22. What do our latest figures tell us about senior level recruitment

Raising awareness, raising funds: The Sickle Cell Society
Carolyn Beckford-Balogun is a recruitment consultant in our finance and accounts division making placements across all finance roles, at all levels of seniority. But this

Best Business Leaders Awards 2022: And the winners are…
We are thrilled to announce the winners of Totum’s Best Business Leaders Awards 2022, representing a small number of exemplary role models who have excelled

From the Paralympics to law: Amy Marren on diversity at work
We were recently delighted to welcome swimming Paralympian and apprentice lawyer Amy Marren to a Totum knowledge-sharing session. Here, we share some of the highlights

Ruggs Gig – 29th September – Under the Bridge
We’re delighted to say that Totum’s own Founding Director Tim Skipper and Head of HR & Operations Practice Laura McNair will be playing at Under the

Achieving your career goals: María Gabriela Bencid
In late 2021, Totum Consultant Lacey Near was delighted to support María Gabriela Bencid (Gaby), a highly personable and articulate Project Manager for help in moving

5 minutes with Hannah Leon Soon
Hannah is a Consultant in Totum’s specialist HR team, recruiting senior HR and Operations candidates within professional services and law firms. 5 mins with HR

EU Directive demands third of board members are women by 2026
In a piece first published in HR Magazine Totum Founding Director Deborah Gray shares her insight on female representation and the importance of this to

Women are more negatively affected by hybrid working than men, and this is why
In a piece first published in The Accountant Totum Founding Director Deborah Gray details the affect hybrid-working has had on women in professional services. A pattern is emerging across

Addressing the Burgeoning Culture Crisis in the Legal Sector
In a piece first published in International Law.Com (Legal Week) Totum Founding Director Deborah Gray shares her expert opinion on the recent cultural shift within

Unique business, unique roles: Placing talent at Avail
Today’s professional services sector boasts many newly created roles (particularly in areas such as technology, change and transformation) that require a different mix of skills

Stephenson Harwood has divided the City
In an article first published in The Lawyer, data from our recent ‘return to the office survey’ is discussed as strategic insights are shared to

Prioritising business services roles is key to law firms’ recovery
In a piece first published in Reports Legal Totum Founding Director Deborah Gray shares her insight on the value of business services roles and their

The great return: Getting back to the office in a hybrid world
Three quarters of firms have now implemented a hybrid-working policy, with nearly half (49%) stating the policy is a permanent change, meaning that many employees

Combatting talent shortages in the legal and other professional services sectors
In a piece first published by IFLR1000 Totum Founding Director Deborah Gray shares her insight on how the ‘Great Resignation’ has affected law firms. The

Know how: Law Firms and Retaining Talent
In a piece first published by PLC Magazine (Practical Law), Founding Director of Totum Deborah Gray discusses the strategies that law firms should implement in

Job spotlight: The Legal Cashier
In a piece first published by The Institute of Legal Finance & Management, Totum Finance Consultant Carolyn Beckford Balogun takes a look at the role

How Can Businesses Foster Diversity?
In a piece first published in Finance Monthly Totum Director Deborah Gray outlines key tips to help businesses attract diverse talent. The business case

Hybrid working: How will it impact your career? Totum report 2022
Improved productivity, better work-life balance and improved wellbeing and health… All are benefits of hybrid working according to our latest survey of the changing workplace.

Recognition for Best Business Leaders
Welcome to Totum’s ‘Best Business Leaders’ awards 2022. Over the past two years, professional services firms have faced challenges that have put business services leaders

ESG…and the recruitment struggle
In a piece first published in PMSG’s Centrum magazine, Totum Director Deborah Gray looks at ways in which professional services firms are approaching ESG. How

How businesses can act to retain talent
In a piece first published in Elite Business Totum Director Deborah Gray sheds light on how firms can hold onto talent as staff retention is

Great Resignation can stay Stateside if UK employers focus on employee needs
In a piece on the Great Resignation first published in Global Banking & Finance Review, Totum Director Deborah Gray considers how firms can hold on

The hybrid office: Keeping everyone happy?
In a piece first published in Legal Abacus, Totum Consultant Carolyn Beckford Balogun looks at latest approaches to hybrid working, implications for the finance function, and

Diversity and equality in law firms: A personal journey
Anglo-Australian Legal Services veteran Paul Khan shares his personal experiences of working in the legal sector as a mixed-race professional and how they have impacted

Dancing to a different beat: Succeeding as a woman in business
Totum’s Marketing and Project Manager Sarah Broad provides some personal tips on succeeding as a woman in business. She shares insights on gender equality taken

The rise of business partnering in finance
Totum Consultant Dee Deol considers the rise of business partnering in finance within professional services firms. What does the remit and responsibilities of the Finance Business Partner

Perks of the job? Employee Benefits Survey 2022
Law firms are offering a wide range of generous benefits that make up an increasingly important part of the overall compensation package on offer to

5 mins with HR Recruiter, Briony Jenkins
It has been a while since we have shared a ‘5 mins with…’ but with new team members on board, we thought it was high

How to become a Rising Star Winner: Amanda Birch, BCLP
We talk to Amanda Birch, Legal Marketing & BD Executive and Totum Rising Star Award Winner 2022, about her life and career in law so

Diversity in Recruitment: Totum Report 2022
We are delighted to once again publish Totum’s latest diversity in recruitment statistics (our fifth year of publishing our diversity figures!). We include details of

Webinar: How to Thrive in a Law Firm
Totum Director Rebecca Ellis will be sharing latest news and trends in professional services recruitment at the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Europe’s webinar: How to

Totum Rising Star Award: And the winner is…
We announce the winner of our Totum Rising Star Award, which celebrates the achievements of more junior professionals working in marketing and business development in

Dispelling fear: Zia Chaudhry and the makings of community
Diversity & inclusivity (D&I) can still feel like a tick-box exercise. But Barrister, Speaker and Author Zia Chaudhry inspires a different outlook – one in

Support SEND Kids: Helping the next generation thrive
We take a closer look at one of Totum’s chosen charities in 2022: Support SEND Kids. How does it work with parents to ensure children get

What’s in a Job Title?
What titles make up a law firm marketing and BD team and how do individuals progress up the ranks? Totum’s latest research explores the roles

Don’t rely on lawyers for your firm’s success
We were recently delighted to see our research quoted in a piece in The Lawyer (‘Don’t rely on lawyers for your firm’s success‘, 10 December),

What’s it like to join Totum?
As Totum continues its expansion plans into 2022, we thought it would be helpful to share the perspectives of two of our Consultants who have

Force for change: Justin Gyphion, Slaughter and May
We talk to Justin Gyphion about his career in legal recruitment and his initiatives to improve diversity via blind recruitment campaigns. Justin Gyphion, Senior Recruitment

How Professional Services firms can ensure they embed diversity and inclusion into their recruitment policy
In a piece first published in Business Express, Totum Director Deborah Gray looks at how embedding long-term diversity and inclusion strategies into recruitment policies should be at the

How to find a career sponsor: Nine tips for success
Here we offer advice on how to find a career sponsor and why it’s a good idea, plus nine key tips for success. ‘It’s not

Totum’s first non-executive director, Christine Lynch
We are delighted to welcome Chris Lynch, formerly Global HR Director at Linklaters, as our first Non-Executive Director. Her outstanding experience in some of the

Return to the office: Totum survey report 2021
We report on the highlights from our latest research into how firms are planning a post-Covid workplace into 2022. Flexibility may remain a priority, but

Recruitment drive sees 83 per cent of UK firms embed flexible working policies
We were delighted in November to see Totum’s latest research into flexible working policies post-Covid get coverage in a variety of publications, including UK News Group, Business

Excellence in leadership: A Totum guide to recruiting Chief, Director and ‘Head of’ roles in professional services
Hiring an individual to lead a business services function in a professional services firm is a complex job requiring the prescience to understand exactly what

Changes in the Legal Workplace: Insights from CBRE
In a guest editorial, commercial real estate and investment firm CBRE shares insights into the changing workplace and how it impacts the way the legal sector will

Selecting the right hiring strategy in today’s very difficult recruitment market
In a piece first published in Business Express, Totum Director Deborah Gray explores how firms can find the best hiring strategy to secure the right talent. While the

The changing role of the CFO: What Tech adoption and a widening remit means for financial leaders
In a piece first published in Business Express, Martyn Draper, Head of Finance Practice at Totum explores the changing role of the CFO and how they are

Webinar report: How black professionals navigate the world of business services
Marking Black History Month, and as part of our ongoing series of events reflecting Totum’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we were delighted to

Professional services firm to recruitment agency: Why make the move?
Ever thought of taking your business services expertise into a recruitment role? We share some of the experiences of those who did just that at

Property firms must move with the ESG tide
We are delighted to reproduce our letter on ESG in Property Firms, as published in the Property Week on 1st October 2021. By Deborah Gray, Director,

Letter: Diversity officers must be more than token roles
We are delighted to reproduce our letter on chief diversity officers, as published in the Financial Times on the 20th September 2021. By Deborah Gray, Director,

Rewarding leadership: Chief and Director salary and bonus report
Throughout all the disruption of the past year, one constant at Totum was continued law firm leadership recruitment, catering for the most senior roles across

Changing workplace means increased responsibilities for the head of finance
In a piece first published in Workplace Insight Totum’s head of finance practice, Martyn Draper, discusses our recent Finance survey and explains how the finance function

Making a Difference: Employee Mental Health in Professional Services
In a piece first published in Undercover Recruiter one of Totum’s founding directors and cross-sector recruiter, Deborah Gray, discusses employee mental health in professional services. Pre-Covid,

Totum Event: How black professionals navigate the world of business services
As part of our ongoing series of events reflecting our commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion, Totum invites you to join our virtual event and

Gender equality in a post-covid legal sector workplace
In a piece first published in International Employment Lawyer, one of Totum’s founding directors and cross-sector recruiter, Deborah Gray, discusses workplace gender equality in the legal

Supporting legal project managers of the future: Q&A with Helga Butcher, Ashurst
Helga Butcher is a highly experienced Legal Project Manager, currently working as Interim Head of Legal Project Management (LPM) and Process Improvement (EMEA) at Ashurst.

The art of the possible: Spearheading BD & marketing in Europe
We talk to Ernestine McKay about her international career in professional services, BD and marketing in Europe, and how Totum helped her to find her current dream

More than half of law firms use exceptional bonuses to retain top talent, new Totum Partners survey reveals
In a piece first published in UK News Group, Totum discuss their findings on how law firms use bonuses to attract and retain top talent: More

Why CFOs really matter to law firms
In a piece first published in Reports Legal, Martyn Draper, Head of Totum’s Finance Practice, explains how the finance function and role of a law firm

Law firms turn to exceptional and sign-on bonuses to retain and attract top talent
In a piece first published in International Employment Lawyer, Totum discusses their latest Bonus and salary research, as law firms turn to exceptional and sign-on bonuses

The future is hybrid?
In a piece first published in PSMG’s Centrum magazine, Totum Director Rebecca Ellis and Consultant Liz Chappell share their insights gained from many conversations with professional services firms over the past

Multiple offers and counter-offers: How to win the competition for talent
After days, weeks or even months of sourcing, shortlisting and interviewing candidates, you have finally identified the right candidate for the role. But, with many

Why millennials are the driving force behind corporate ESG policies
In a piece first published in People Management, Totum Director Deborah Gray discusses why Environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy is becoming a more prominent priority for businesses

Webinar report: To hybrid or not to hybrid?
Totum was recently delighted to join PSMG to host a joint webinar, ‘To hybrid or not to hybrid? Returning to the office’. Totum’s Tim Skipper

Why law firms need to develop genuine sustainability policies
In a piece first published in International Employment Lawyer, Totum Director Deborah Gray discusses the importance of law firms getting ESG right by developing a sustainability policy if

Do not ignore ESG when recruiting
In a letter recently published in Property Week, Totum Director Deborah Gray, discusses ESG and recruitment and explains why property firms must take an authentic

Leadership roles in law 2016-2021
As we emerge from a rollercoaster year of pandemic, we are delighted to published Totum’s PDF report on leadership placements in the legal sector since

Virtual interviews: Mishaps and learnings
In a piece first published in The Professionals, Totum consultant Georgia Cooke looks back on a year of virtual interviews and lessons for the future.

Making a difference: Mental health in professional services
Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May) this year is timed perfectly to get us all thinking about the impact of the past year on mental

Developments in the finance function: Highlights from Totum’s 2021 report
The finance function is evolving rapidly in the legal sector. We are delighted to publish some of the key findings from Totum’s latest survey into

Event: To hybrid or not to hybrid? Returning to the office
Join Totum’s Tim Skipper, Laura McNair and Carly Hubbard, Head of HR, Travers Smith for a joint event with PSMG on the 24th June at 11 – 12pm

Autism in the workplace: Opening minds
World Autism Awareness Week (29th March to 4th April), provides all of us in the professional services sector with the opportunity to reflect on the

What’s in a job title? Chief vs Director
It is fast becoming one of the most common questions we are asked when recruiting leadership roles. Totum Director Deborah Gray asks whether a senior

Diversity in recruitment: Totum report 2021
Diversity in recruitment remains an important topic. Totum is delighted to publish its latest report on diversity, based on statistics gathered from candidates through 2020.

Event report: Gender equity in a post-Covid workplace’
Totum’s Deborah Gray, recruitment specialist for senior management professionals, was recently delighted to host a virtual ‘Gender equity in a post-Covid workplace’ event. She was

Hoping to fly: Recruitment life 2020-2021
We look back over the past year from the first lockdown to spring 2021. It might bring back some memories – we hope you enjoy

Returning to the office? Totum survey on hybrid working
To hybrid or not to hybrid? Find out the results from Totum’s latest snap survey of professional services firms on hybrid working and their planned

International Women’s Day: Choose to challenge
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day for reflection for many. Totum Consultant Joanna Milne considers the current landscape and the practical steps to ensuring

Totum Event: Gender equity in a post-covid workplace.
Join Totum’s Deborah Gray, recruitment specialist for senior management professionals, for our virtual ‘Gender equity in a post-covid workplace’ event with Julia Hayhoe – Managing

Marketing careers in property: Ali Hellewell, Gerald Eve
Marketing careers in property can be hugely challenging – and equally rewarding. Rebecca Ellis, Director at Totum talks to Ali Hellewell, Marketing and Business Development

Podcast: Roles and trends in BD and marketing recruitment
BD & Marketing recruitment is nearly as busy as it was pre-pandemic. But what are the latest recruitment trends in terms of people, roles, expectations

Journey through Lockdown: Diary of an HR Recruiter in Covid
Totum’s HR recruiter Laura McNair looks back on her year of virtual recruitment and how professional services firms rode the rollercoaster of Covid from a home

Law firm marketing and BD survey: Adapting to change
Law firm marketing is a key function in helping win and retain clients. What are the latest trends in law firm marketing? How are law

Podcast: Roles and trends in people and HR recruitment
HR recruitment is evolving. What are the latest trends in HR recuitment in terms of people, roles, expecations and job opportunities? Totum Consultants Laura McNair

Webinar recording: The Future of Pricing
This week, we were delighted to co-host the Future of Pricing event, with Stuart Dodds, Principal at Positive Pricing. The event was attended by over

Virtual interviews: ten tips for success
Virtual interviews are more important than ever before. Recruitment over the past few months has changed significantly. Virtual interview processes have come to the fore

Totum Event: What is your firm’s future pricing strategy?
We are delighted to co-host this Future of Pricing event, presented by Stuart Dodds, Principal at Positive Pricing which will take place on the 27th January at 12.30 –

Webinar recording: Adapting to change – choose your marketing future
Totum’s Rebecca Ellis and Lacey Near, marketing & BD recruitment specialists, were delighted to join PSMG for a joint event in which they explored key

Webinar recording: How to create the most diverse company in Britain
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) has become a major issue in these recent months, highlighted by Covid and the widespread Black Lives Matter protests of earlier

Totum Event – Adapting to change; choose your marketing future
Join Totum’s Rebecca Ellis and Lacey Near, Marketing & BD recruitment specialists, for a joint event with PSMG on the 9th December at 12 –

Ten things… Lessons from Covid for a better future
Laura McNair, a Consultant who heads up Totum’s specialist HR recruitment and operations team, explains the many good lessons that have come out of this difficult

Driving buses & the future of law
Elliot Nash, a Consultant at Totum specialising in operations, transformation and change roles, talks to Sarah Walker-Smith about her CEO role at Shakespeare Martineau. The

Covid and returning to work from maternity leave
Roisin Ashmore, a Consultant specialising in HR recruitment at Totum, went on maternity leave in September 2019. The world was very different back then… In

Adapting to change: Totum survey explores latest developments in law firm marketing and BD teams
In response to frequent requests from our law firm clients for benchmarking data on the marketing and BD (M&BD) function, Totum has recently undertaken our

How to create the most diverse company in Britain
We believe that the firms that thrive are those with the most diverse team; but there are always challenges and we are continually working to

ESG as a business force for good practice
Totum Talks · ESG is a Business Force For Good Practice In a podcast focused on sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG), Debbie Gray,

Talent acquisition: Fingers on the pulse
From a shifting picture of demand for legal firms’ services to the post-pandemic shakedown, Totum recruitment consultants Tim Skipper and Laura McNair tell People in

Legal Project Management is No Longer a Luxury
‘Legal project management’ (LPM) as a term has become as much of a buzzword as ‘innovation’ or ‘AI’. But the positive effects of implementing project

Keep on keeping on
As we go into Lockdown #2, Totum Director Tim Skipper gives us his perspective on working through uncertainty #recruitment #onboarding #keepsmiling

Wellbeing – are you looking after yourselves?
It’s wellbeing week and it has never been more important than it is now. Covid-19 is likely to still be with us for some time

5 benefits to working in a temporary role
In these times of change and uncertainty, temporary roles become more popular – most obviously, they can help to sustain income in the absence of

6 months on … Recruitment in a pandemic
Six months since lockdown, Totum Directors Gary Jones & Deboray Gray share their views on the professional services recruitment market and the different areas of

Legal lockdown: Hiring without meeting
Recruiting the right person for the right role is never an easy challenge. But doing it at a time when no one can physically meet

No one said this would be easy – but positive change will outlive Covid
In a piece first published in PSMG’s Centrum magazine, Rebecca Ellis, Director at Totum, discusses the latest trends in recruitment in professional services, and how

In the new rules of the office, we are happy to lead the way …
We know that the rules of the office have changed. And along with firms such as Linklaters, DLA Piper, Baker McKenzie and others, we at

Tips to stand out in a Covid job market
September is always a good time to review your career as new jobs come onto the market and people decide to make a change before

Returning to the office? Or not?
With September upon us, many will be facing the question of returning to the office – or not. Many firms have been conducting employee surveys

Professionally speaking: Covid 19 and the professional services sector
The professional services sector is vital to the UK economy through Covid. Including law and accountancy firms, real estate and management consulting firms, professional services

What is the market really like?
Five months after we closed the London office (can you believe it!), Totum Director Gary Jones shares his views on the recruitment market. Pleasingly, there

Totum supports SEO-London in social mobility
We are delighted to announce our collaboration with charitable organisation SEO-London to further our positive contribution to the community, and our role in promoting professional

What’s the market really like out there?
We share our experiences and insights into recruitment activity through Covid-19 and what it tells us about the future for business services teams in professional

New Skills – New Future
We are joining PM Forum who are hosting a webinar on the 14th July at 12.30pm – 1.30pm. Register. With the uncertainty of the current

Covid-19: Impact on BD & Marketing
In a piece first published in PM Forum magazine, Totum Director Rebecca Ellis reports on latest trends in recruitment, likely developments, and how BD &

Recruitment is quieter but not dead
“How is recruitment”? we get asked a lot these days. And although it is quieter because of Covid-19, it is not dead and there are

We’ve made some changes ..
We are Totum. And we’re looking a little…. Different.Why? Because the professional services industry is looking a little different too. Everyone can see where it’s

What has been happening in professional services recruitment?
Founding Directors Tim Skipper & Deborah Gray, reflect on the last 11 weeks of Covid-19 and what has been happening in the world of professional

A new look for Totum
We are Totum. And we’re looking a little…. Different. Why? Because the professional services industry is looking a little different too. Everyone can see where

BD & Marketing in a time of Covid-19: Latest insights
Totum recently hosted another virtual networking session for marketing & business development leaders. The objective, to continue to share some of the challenges presented by

Lockdown videos
During lockdown, we have seen and heard of some fantastic initiatives. Totum’s Gary Jones initiative was to put a smile on people’s faces. We think

Totum Talks: Working in the pandemic
LATEST NEWS & EVENTS Webinar: Furloughed or fearful? Join our Careers Clinic webinar for discussion and advice on managing your career in these uncertain times.

Looking for work? Tips for temporary, contract and interim roles
Job-seeking during the pandemic may feel daunting but there are opportunities. We are here to provide support, so thought it would be helpful to take

HR in a time of coronavirus – Part 4
Our highlights from our latest Zoom meeting with Heads of HR/HRDs. What does the future look like? Future focus It has been two weeks since

Finance leadership in law: A coronavirus perspective
In a piece first published in Financial Director magazine, Consultant Martyn Draper, who heads up Totum’s specialist finance and accounts division, looks at the role

5 minutes with Catherine Young
For our ‘5 minutes with …’ interview this month, we speak to Catherine Young. She has been with Totum since it started and is integral

Top tips for video interviewing
What makes for a successful video interview? We share our insights and experiences. As recruitment specialists and interviewers we know these can be difficult, so

BD & Marketing in a time of COVID-19
How is your team dealing with the coronavirus pandemic? We share highlights and ideas from our Zoom gathering of Directors and Heads of BD &

#RecruitmentLife during COVID-19
We hope you like our short films – our ways of keeping up the smiles and keeping together. Enjoy! March 2020 April 2020 Rocky :

Dealing with uncertainty: Temporary, contract and interim roles
In the weeks and months to come, we expect a rise in the number of temporary, interim and contract roles. We explore the trends and

Webinar: Furloughed or Fearful?
Join our ‘Careers Clinic’ webinar for discussion and advice on managing your career in these uncertain times. Managing uncertainty Your career is important to you

HR in a time of coronavirus
In our latest quarterly meeting of Heads of HR / HRDs, we discussed the issues facing HR teams as they support their firms through the

5 tips for starting a new job during the pandemic
Restrictions due to Coronavirus give a whole new meaning to starting a new job. Our Totum Consultant Joanna Milne provides guidance for employers and employees
5 minutes with Brooke McClure
Brooke is one of Totum’s BD & marketing consultants dedicated to recruiting entry level marketing and business development roles. Here she shares her experiences of

HR in a time of coronavirus – Part 2
Time flies during COVID-19 and, before we knew it, we were meeting up for a second Zoom meeting with Heads of HR / HRDs. Had

Future-proof your career
In a piece first published in PM Forum magazine, Consultant and Author Kim Tasso talks to Totum Consultants Rebecca Ellis and Julius Reeve about how

5 minutes with Tim Skipper
Recruitment rocks Tim Skipper, Managing Director at Totum, has partnered with law firms at a strategic leadership level to place both individuals and teams, including

My favourite clients and the secret of recruitment success
Leading the way We recruiters have the privilege of working with many different people and businesses. We go out of our way to give everyone

The role of the Head of Operations/Business Manager/Practice Manager: Impacting change
In a growing trend, we have been delighted to help more and more firms recruit Heads of Operations, Business Managers and Practice Managers into their

Working from home during Covid-19: Finding focus
In today’s workplace, most of us are familiar with working from home to some degree. But Covid-19 presents us with a whole different set of

Totum Talks: Still recruiting
Open for business Dear friends, Exactly a week ago today we temporarily closed the doors of our wonderful new office in Basinghall Street. Having only

What to do if you’re uncertain about your job during COVID-19
How you respond in times of change and uncertainty can define you. This is when your true colours are revealed – in both personal and

Leadership roles in law: Trends in Totum’s retained projects 2018
Business services professionals have taken on increasingly senior roles in law, as firms have recognised their huge contribution and their functions have grown in both

Latest research: 50:50 gender balance in Totum leadership recruitment
For some time, Totum has seen more women making headway at leadership levels in business services functions in law. But we are delighted to now

Totum Talks: Trends in leadership roles
LATEST NEWS & EVENTS Leadership roles in law: Trends in Totum’s retained projects 2018 Research into our business services leadership placements shows the rising influence

International focus part 1: Opportunities for business services professionals overseas
In a more globalised world, there are compelling reasons to consider spending at least part of your career overseas. And for business services professionals –

International focus part 2: Relocation relocation
In part 1 of this international focus we looked at some of the opportunities for business services professionals overseas – and why spending some of your

Totum Talks: International career moves
LATEST NEWS & EVENTS International focus part 1: Opportunities for business services professionals overseas If you’d like to know what it would be like to

Interview success: How to secure your dream job offer
The post-holiday September period often comes with renewed enthusiasm to begin, or step up, a new job search. It may even be that you have

5 minutes with Martyn Draper
What is your background? I have been working in recruitment since 2002. Initially I recruited technical staff into building engineering consultancies and architectural practices and

Tales from the city: How I found my job in law
What was your initial approach to finding a job in the UK after moving from the US? My initial approach was to apply directly to

Adaptive mindset: How business services professionals are changing law
New capabilities in law The Legal Business 100 always provides useful insights into the legal marketplace. Together with the publication’s Global 100, released earlier in

Totum Talks: Recruiting trends in law firm business services
LATEST NEWS & EVENTS 5 minutes with Roisin Ashmore Our HR consultant Roisin Ashmore shares her thoughts on recruitment trends in HR, as well as

Broad horizons: Looking further afield for great talent in law
In a fast-changing legal environment, law firms are more interested than ever in exploring new sources of talent from other sectors. Likewise, talented candidates are

The price is right: The growth of the legal pricing function
The growing size, influence and demand on business service professionals in corporate law firms over the past decade has resulted in a significant evolution in

Totum report: Recruiting trends in law firm business services
As specialists in business services in the legal sector, we know roles across management functions in law are on the rise. We have also seen