About our Founder: Simon de Meo
I founded Pembroke Soames in 2025 to provide the personal senior-level attention that senior legal hiring deserves—working directly with clients from brief to placement, whether recruiting domestically or internationally, with flexible engagement models tailored to your needs.
With over two decades in recruitment—14 years specialising exclusively in placing senior in-house legal and compliance professionals—I bring deep expertise to every search, whether it's a single domestic hire or a multi-country team expansion. After transitioning to legal recruitment in 2012 at Norman Broadbent in London, I spent seven years at Major, Lindsey & Africa, where I placed dozens of General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officers, and senior counsel across the US, UK, Western Europe, and the Middle East.
Over the course of my career, I have placed senior legal professionals across financial services, technology, life sciences, healthcare, energy, private equity, and professional services. My searches range from hiring a single domestic counsel to building legal teams across multiple countries. Whether domestic or international, I bring the same expertise: drawing on established relationships with thousands of senior legal and compliance professionals; identifying passive candidates who aren't actively on the market; assessing cultural fit alongside technical capability; and understanding what makes successful placements.
I am known for understanding local hiring practices and regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions, transparent communication with clients throughout the search process, and delivering results in searches where conventional methods have struggled.
Why Choose Pembroke Soames?
Finding exceptional legal talent requires the right recruitment partner. Here is why organizations partner with Pembroke Soames:
Senior-Level Personal Attention
Genuine International Expertise
Flexible Approach
Focused Expertise
Strategic Support Beyond Placement
Cost-Effective Solution
Clients work directly with our Managing Director from brief to placement—someone who has over two decades of experience and established relationships with thousands of senior legal professionals—not a junior researcher learning on your search.
Two decades of recruiting across multiple international regions. Deep understanding of local hiring practices, regulatory environments, and cultural nuances—whether you're hiring domestically or across borders.
Partner with your internal team or manage complete searches. From market mapping and candidate identification to full executive search—we work alongside you at whatever level of support you need.
Exclusively in-house legal and compliance recruitment. This specialisation delivers deeper industry knowledge, stronger candidate relationships, and a better understanding of what makes successful placements.
Market intelligence, compensation benchmarking, succession planning insights, and team-building counsel. Value that extends beyond individual placements.
Boutique attention without big firm overheads. Flexible fee structures, direct leadership access, and competitive rates without compromising on quality or thoroughness.
It was evident that Mr. de Meo understood the market better than anyone else and was capable of hiring the high level of talent we needed for this role.
Director of Legal & Compliance, Medical Devices Company
John Doe
★★★★★
Building Outstanding Legal Teams
Ready to discuss your legal hiring needs or explore how we can support your team? We'd love to hear from you.
Whether you're building a legal function from the ground up or adding to an established team, Pembroke Soames brings the experience, networks, and personal attention to find the right people.
Mr. de Meo was remarkably able to present a shortlist of five exceptional candidates. The hired candidate has created a breadth of value.
General Counsel, Cryptocurrency Brokerge Company
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Services
Senior in-house legal recruitment | Local to international | Counsel to General Counsel
US: +1 (443) 248 9453
Connect
66 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NA
WASHINGTON DC | NEW YORK | LONDON
276 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10001
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UK: +44 (20) 4572 0729