Robbie joined Harmos Horton Lusk in October 2022 from a specialist corporate, commercial and technology firm. He was looking for more complexity and greater exposure to a broad variety of corporate law. He was drawn to HHL because of its excellent reputation as New Zealand’s premier specialist corporate firm.
Accelerated development
My growth since joining the firm has been exponential. One of the things that makes the HHL experience distinct from other firms is the amount of responsibility given to its associates. Because of this, I am a vastly more confident and experienced lawyer than I was just 18 months ago. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with all of the directors on a range of matters and have learned invaluable lessons from each of them.
Continuous learning
Ensuring you develop as a ‘complete’ corporate lawyer is a key priority here. Rather than being allocated the same types of transactions over and over, the directors make sure you are constantly exposed to a variety. Your development is always front of mind, and you’re not restricted to a particular aspect of corporate law. The directors are great at challenging you but always making you feel well supported. They are accessible and eager to help you progress.
Client centric approach
Another unique aspect of the HHL experience is its client-centric approach. At HHL, associates aren’t organised around a particular director but instead loosely around particular clients. This means you get to know certain clients and their businesses well and follow their progress from matter to matter. It also gives you a direct line of sight into how directors develop and maintain their relationships with clients and how they adapt to different clients with different needs.
Team
The HHL team is relatively small and very close knit – we all get on well with one another. Because of this, there is a big emphasis on hiring people who will fit in well with the whole team. I met almost every member of the team while I was interviewing for HHL, and have been part of the hiring process since joining. As associates, we often go out for lunch or have coffee with potential team members to gauge how they will fit with the team.
