Chisholm Clarke has been named a finalist in the Excellence in Candidate Care category at the 2026 RCSA Recruitment Industry Awards.
Chisholm Clarke is humbled to announce that it has been named a finalist in the Excellence in Candidate Care category at the 2026 Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association (RCSA) New Zealand Recruitment Industry Awards.
The RCSA Awards recognise outstanding achievement across the recruitment profession, celebrating organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in areas including candidate care, client service, innovation, leadership and social impact. To be recognised alongside some of New Zealand's most respected recruitment businesses is both an honour and a reflection of the values that have guided Chisholm Clarke since its inception.
For Chisholm Clarke, candidate care has never been about simply facilitating job placements. Legal careers are deeply personal, often involving significant decisions around professional growth, family, lifestyle, identity and purpose. The firm's approach has always been centred on providing confidential guidance, detailed market insight and genuine long-term support to lawyers at every stage of their careers.
Over the years, Chisholm Clarke has worked with lawyers taking their first steps into private practice, senior practitioners seeking new leadership opportunities, and individuals navigating complex career transitions. The focus has remained consistent: listening carefully, offering honest advice, and ensuring that every candidate feels informed, respected and supported throughout the process.
As a boutique, founder-led business, Chisholm Clarke has built its reputation on relationships rather than transactions. Many of the lawyers the firm works with today were first supported years earlier as graduates or junior practitioners. Others return at different stages of their careers, seeking the same trusted guidance that characterised their initial experience.
This recognition reflects the belief that exceptional recruitment outcomes stem from understanding the person behind the CV: their aspirations, motivations and long-term goals. It is this philosophy that continues to shape the way Chisholm Clarke partners with lawyers throughout New Zealand and beyond.
"More than recruitment. It's about people."
This finalist recognition also reflects a broader commitment to supporting the legal profession beyond recruitment itself.
Through the What a Lawyer podcast, Chisholm Clarke has created a platform for conversations about leadership, wellbeing, career development and the evolving nature of legal practice. The business has also established the New Lawyer Fund (launching in 2027), delivers interview workshops for graduates entering the profession, and continues to invest time and resources into initiatives that strengthen the wider legal community. The Search Firm also launched its own Youtube channel this year, supporting video interviews and short clips for lawyers that prefer to watch instead of just listen to podcasts.
The firm's international partnerships have further enabled New Zealand lawyers to explore opportunities overseas while remaining connected to advisers who understand both the local and global legal market. Whether candidates are looking to relocate internationally or return home to New Zealand, the emphasis remains on thoughtful, personalised support.
Behind every placement is a series of conversations, questions and decisions. Candidate care often happens in the quieter moments — a confidential discussion before work, reassurance ahead of an interview, market insights that provide clarity, or simply taking the time to listen. It is these interactions that define the experience candidates have with Chisholm Clarke.
While this finalist recognition is a significant milestone, Chisholm Clarke views it primarily as an opportunity to acknowledge the trust placed in the business by the lawyers, clients and community partners it has had the privilege of working alongside.
The stories, referrals and relationships developed over many years are the foundation upon which the firm has been built.
The business also extends its congratulations to all finalists across this year's RCSA Awards program. The quality of work being undertaken throughout New Zealand's recruitment industry is impressive, and it is encouraging to see candidate experience recognised as a critical measure of professional excellence.
Regardless of the outcome on awards night, being named a finalist for Excellence in Candidate Care is something Chisholm Clarke is immensely proud of. More importantly, it reinforces the firm's ongoing commitment to placing people at the centre of everything it does.
To everyone who has trusted Chisholm Clarke to play a part in their professional journey, thank you. This recognition belongs as much to you as it does to the business itself.
Whether you're exploring new opportunities, returning to practice, relocating overseas, or simply seeking confidential market insight, the team at Chisholm Clarke (Sam & Jane) are here to help you navigate the next chapter of your legal career. Contact Us today.
Chisholm Clarke is a dedicated legal search firm, synonymous with expert and confidential legal career guidance in New Zealand. More than just finding and securing qualified lawyers new jobs, we provide detailed market information, sound advice and smooth private job searching services tailored to each individual.
Chisholm Clarke was founded in 2022 and is led by Sam Lindsay who offers ten years worth of New Zealand and international legal recruitment experience, a relaxed yet professional approach and 50+ public reviews to back it up. If you would like to start a confidential conversation about your options or how to structure your job search, reach out to Sam today on 0275665707 or sam@chisholmclarke.co.nz.
