Andy Russell is a Partner in Macrae’s London office. With over 20 years’ experience in placing law firm partners and teams, he is a well-known figure in the London legal recruiting world. His practice typically covers retained and exclusive partner searches, partner representation, team moves and new office openings as well as due diligence and market intelligence assignments.
Russell has worked across nearly all practice areas and sectors and with many of the leading law firms in London, Europe and Asia. He has a broad and impressive partner placement track record and deep market knowledge. He is noted for his open and straightforward style, his thoughtful and pragmatic advice and for his ability to deliver successful results.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting | 2026 | Professional Recruiting |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting | 2025 | Professional Recruiting |
| The 2024 Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting | 2024 | Professional Recruiting |
| The 2023 Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting | 2023 | Professional Recruiting |
| The 2022 Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting | 2022 | Professional Recruiting |
Prior to joining Macrae, Russell was a Managing Director at Fox Rodney Search, a global legal executive search firm. He also co-founded Abrahams Russell, which became a leading partner level recruitment business and which merged with Fox Rodney Search in 2013.
Russell moved into legal recruiting in 1994 and worked for many years, alongside Founder and Chairman Joe Macrae, for ZMB (now Hays Legal). Russell played a key role in the growth of ZMB, becoming the director responsible for the law firm business and overseeing regional and international expansion.
He qualified as a lawyer with Freshfields, practising as a litigator, and has a first class degree in Law from Sheffield University. He speaks conversational French and some German and Spanish.