Branion Williams Recruiting Inc.

Personal Life

Trevor Branion is a co-owner of Branion Williams Recruiting Inc., a legal recruiting firm based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. BW specializes in placing a wide variety of lawyers in private practice and in-house roles in the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario. The recruiting firm also has expertise in placing lawyers throughout Canada as well as overseas. Prior to becoming a recruiter, Trevor worked both in private practice and in-house, gaining practical and extensive experience in several areas of the law. After practicing law, he joined another legal recruiting firm, where he worked for five years, before co-establishing his own search firm three years ago.


Trevor, a son of a Canadian diplomat, was born in Tehran, Iran and raised in Atlanta, GA and Dallas, TX. He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Carleton University and earned his LL.B. from Queen's University.

When the legal recruiter isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his family, running and playing the guitar. New to running, Trevor recently trained for ten weeks to complete a half marathon, after his friends encouraged him to sign up for the race. Although Trevor doesn't have a favorite song he plays on his guitar, he loves playing classic rock. He admitted that he is trying to get his daughter involved in music other than Justin Bieber.

Trevor's Successful Career Path and Tips for Legal Recruiters

Does Trevor have a top memory from school? During law school, he recalled attending inmates' parole hearings, which helped him put the law into context. Trevor added, "Instead of an academic setting, it [parole hearings] put things in perspective for me."

What does it take to become a successful legal recruiter? "It takes good listening skills. You are dealing with individuals and their careers and their goals. You are not putting candidates in a temporary placement. Recruiters are supposed to take their time and there is a lot of quality that goes into the recruiting process if they want to make the right placement. Good listening skills are key."

Did Trevor transition into working as a recruiter or was he always involved in the field?
He explained that he worked as a regulator for most of his legal career. Trevor also spent time as a family law lawyer before he transitioned into recruiting. The businessman claimed, "I wanted to do something less adversarial. Recruiting was a natural fit for me."

What motivated Trevor to work as a legal recruiter? He candidly stated, "I really like the strategy of helping individuals advance their careers and I find it rewarding."

The recruiter discussed what he is known for professionally. "We [BW] are known for the level of quality of [the] candidates that we put forward and we are known for our professional approach. We listen to candidates and tailor our needs to our clients." Trevor added, "We are ethical in our approach."

He also discussed his strengths and weaknesses as a recruiter. Trevor acknowledged that he has great people skills and he focuses on getting to know his clients and candidates. As for his weaknesses, Trevor admitted he isn't as sales minded as he should be. Instead of worrying about his retainer fee, he concentrates on bringing in his candidates.

So what is Trevor's advice to new recruiters? "Research the market. It's a fairly competitive field. Get a feel for a search firm before you join it. You should ask questions to see if the firm is compatible with your approach, otherwise you will not come across as genuine with your clients."

Considering his eight years of experience in the legal recruiting industry, many readers may want to know where Trevor sees the legal field in the next five years. He said, "The next five years could be interesting. Large Canadian firms have merged with international firms. This could be good or bad for [the] international platform. There could be a major shift in globalization."

What does Trevor look for to find the right fit? What makes a great candidate? He pointed out:

"Our approach is to get candidates comfortable so they can speak with us candidly. We want to know what has worked for them in their careers and what hasn't worked. Although their legal skills are extremely important, their personalities are just as important. We have to look at the whole person, not just at their skills. We need to see if this is the right environment for them and see if the firm or company matches up with the candidates' goals. Finding out the candidates' personality is key."

In regards to what makes a great candidate, Trevor asserted that candidates need to have a strong academic background, skills, and top practice experience. He also noted, "A great candidate is someone who is down to earth and will make clients comfortable."

Does Trevor have a recipe for a perfect match? "Understand your clients. Also, be candid with your candidates and understand their motivation."

How does the businessman process fear? "I process fear by tackling obstacles. When I feel the most anxious, that's when I allow fear to set in. I tackle obstacles head on early so things don't build up."

Has the legal recruiter learned something of value from his mistakes? "I hope so. I try not to repeat my mistakes often."

Where does Trevor derive his confidence? "It comes from my experience - eight years as a legal recruiter and five years as a practicing lawyer. I have good expectations for the legal market in Toronto, Canada, and overseas as well. A large portion of our business comes from referrals, which makes me think we are doing things right."

Professional Association, Facing Obstacles, Mentoring Others and Trevor's Passions

Trevor is a member of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC), an organization of legal recruiters that adheres to the highest ethical standards in the profession. BW is one of two Canadian recruiting agencies that are affiliated with NALSC.

Has Trevor faced any obstacles in his life? The recruiter acknowledged that he has been fortunate not to face any major obstacles in his life. However, Trevor said establishing BW in 2010 was a challenge. "Starting a new business in a downward market was a challenge. But after three years of founding our company, we are happily moving along."

Does Trevor have a mentor? "I look to different people for advice. I don't have one person I look to extensively, other than my wife." He stated, "Although she isn't a lawyer, I use her as an example for young lawyers because she enjoys working hard and she is passionate about what she does. She is a true professional."

What is the recruiter passionate about? Trevor enjoys mentoring and advising junior lawyers through career counseling. He teaches young attorneys how to tackle the legal market and he assists them with their resumes. Trevor also enjoys writing articles for law students so they can think about their legal careers. He expressed, "More and more law students graduate in Ontario and the market is becoming increasingly competitive."

Motivation, a Rewarding Position and Trevor's Goals

What motivates Trevor to be a recruiter every day? "I am motivated because I am able to spot opportunities for bright and successful individuals who haven't thought about advancing their legal careers because they are thinking about being good lawyers."

Why does Trevor find his position rewarding? "I feel happy when it falls into place. I get lawyers new jobs and I enjoy working with candidates. It's a good feeling."

Does the Canadian have goals? "My ultimate goal is to expand and grow, but we want to maintain our philosophy. BW is a joint business and we want to bring in more candidates and clients while retaining our core values."