Allens Arthur Robinson has launched a new campaign featuring the use of social media to attract lawyers from the UK to come and work at the Brisbane and Perth offices.

“Our Perth and Brisbane offices are continuing to experience ongoing growth; sourcing talent for those locations has become more of a focus as a result,” said Kathryn Whyte-Southcombe, head of recruitment at Allens.

The firm’s UK campaign will involve traditional print ads as well as the use of Twitter and Facebook and the social media accounts of third party organisations, such as recruiters. “This is the first time we have utilised Twitter and Facebook for lateral recruitment,” said Whyte-Southcombe. “We have been using it for graduate recruitment for some time, but at a more senior level of recruitment it is only just starting to build momentum.”

Along with recruitment, the firm and its partners have been using Twitter and Facebook as a way of connecting with clients and alumni on a regular basis. “I think utilising social media for recruitment across law will become the norm in the future,” added Whyte-Southcombe. “From a recruitment point of view, staying connected to our alumni through social media allows us to promote events, programs and positions which may be of interest to them and their networks.”

The firm is particularly looking for either Australian qualified lawyers or UK qualified lawyers in the areas of energy & resources, particularly oil and gas, construction, M&A and banking & finance. Allens has also recently extended its A$20,000 employee referral scheme bonus to the Brisbane office, after introducing it for the Perth office late last year. Whyte-Southcombe said the firm had already seen success through the initiative at the Brisbane office. “Brisbane and Perth are talent short markets, law firms have to think strategically about how to recruit, especially in locations where we are competing for talent and there is continued growth and opportunity in the market,” she said. Other Allens offices have a referral payment of A$10,000.

Several Allens partners will also be travelling to London to spruik working at the firm’s Brisbane and Perth offices in the coming weeks.