For in-house legal teams
Our origin
The gap appeared yesterday. Someone resigned. A deal accelerated. A regulatory issue landed. Parental leave starts in three weeks and the permanent replacement is months away.
You need a senior lawyer who can step in immediately, understand your commercial and regulatory context, and carry responsibility. Not in six weeks. Now.
You also need to not pay Big Law hourly rates for the privilege.
That’s what Arbor Edge is for.
Trigger moments
Senior team member departure creates immediate capability gap.
Time-critical response requiring immediate senior judgement.
Extended absence requiring senior-level continuity.
Multiple high-stakes matters competing for limited resources.
Our contract arm
Arbor Edge is the contract arm of Arbor Law. This means that every lawyer we place is held to the standard of a practising law firm with real clients, real work and a reputation worth protecting.
We know what it takes to walk into a complex team and make decisions under pressure, because we do it ourselves. When we introduce someone to your team, it’s because we would put them in front of our own clients.
That’s the difference. You get the quality hallmark of a City firm, combined with the flexibility of contract working. Without the overhead, the hierarchy or the inflated cost that normally comes with either.
The need is rarely planned. A senior team member leaves unexpectedly. A regulatory investigation arrives. A transaction creates short-term overload. Maternity or sickness leave opens a gap. A new General Counsel needs breathing space before reshaping the team. Expansion into a new sector or jurisdiction stretches internal capacity.
In each case, the requirement is the same. Someone senior, credible, ready. At a cost that makes sense.
Experienced lawyers who understand demanding environments, work directly with senior stakeholders, take ownership of matters and lead on decision-making. Not just delivery. Not just support. Actual responsibility.
Your team keeps control. Your business keeps moving. The work continues at the standard you expect.
The team are fantastic – they are highly efficient, commercial and collaborative. They are genuinely customer-focused and care about the client’s needs. They consider the big picture and are by far the best value for money of all my external supports.
Legal 500 (2026)
The difference
Law firm secondments are often junior or mid-level, limited in duration and tied to the firm’s priorities rather than yours. You’re borrowing someone else’s resource, and it shows.
Recruitment agencies prioritise speed and volume. They fill gaps. They don’t assess whether someone can manage board-level exposure, navigate internal politics or operate independently at the level your team requires.
Permanent hires are the right answer eventually. But not when the gap appeared yesterday. Recruitment takes time, creates long-term cost and does nothing for the immediate pressure you’re under right now.
Arbor Edge gives you senior lawyers, vetted by practising lawyers, backed by a firm with a name that means something. The economics are transparent and the cost reflects the work, not the overheads.
Get in touch
If you need someone senior for your team or your project, let’s talk.
