Legal interim solutions

Matthew founded Simmons & Hanbury in 2018. He has advised on executive search and legal consultancy services for many global listed corporations over the last two decades. Prior to establishing Simmons & Hanbury, Matthew held various senior leadership positions, including head of legal practice and head of legal consulting practice at other global search firms. Over the course of his career he has developed an extensive network of cross-border candidates and clients within financial services.

Matthew has in-depth expertise within the financial services sector and has successfully completed search assignments for some of the most prestigious financial services firms in the world. This includes banks, investment funds, private equity houses and leading law firms. In addition, he has completed numerous assignments for corporations across a range of industries. He also leads several high-profile general counsel networking events.

Before moving into executive search, Matthew obtained a Master’s degree in Business Management & Marketing at the University of Westminster.

Jonathan joined Simmons & Hanbury in 2021 to lead and grow the commerce and industry practice. He has specialised within in-house legal search for several years, completing numerous retained search assignments for global multinationals, SMEs and UK based businesses. He works with some of the most well-known and recognised brands in the world. Jonathan has also successfully worked with law firms and consultancies in relevant areas such as IP, Technology and Data Protection.

Jonathan is adept at assisting private equity portfolio companies with the placement of their first In-house Counsel, as well as functional Heads of Legal and General Counsel appointments. Jonathan leads General Counsel networking events, partnering with top tier law firms to deliver industry leading content for a variety of in-house legal disciplines. 

Prior to joining Simmons & Hanbury Jonathan was Head of Commerce & Industry for a leading governance search firm and studied English at the University of Birmingham.

Libby joined Simmons and Hanbury as a Senior Consultant in the Interim division after years of experience working across Financial Services, C&I and Private Practice Interim. She has advised teams across the board on hires from Legal Counsel to General Counsel (Interim), as well as placing specialist paralegals for projects or key hires. She brings a uniquely specialised blend of placements into leading Investment Funds, Investment Banks, Elite US law firms and multinational conglomerates where she has created strong relationships with General Counsels and Partners to assist with interim hires and projects, alongside a strong network of consultants and lawyers.

Before starting her career, Libby studied Sociology at the University of Leeds. Libby has also achieved an Executive Master of Business from the University of Cambridge (JBS) in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace, and has since consulted many businesses and law firms on DEI strategy for their companies as well as hiring tactics. Prior to joining Simmons & Hanbury, Libby was an Associate at a leading Legal Search Consultancy covering interim legal hiring.