Caldwell Acquires The Counsel Network

October 5, 2022 – Toronto-based Caldwell has acquired The Counsel Network Inc., a Canada-based executive search firm specializing in the Canadian legal market. The acquisition of was an all-cash deal, and no securities of Caldwell were issued in connection with the acquisition.

“The Counsel Network is the most respected, connected, and powerful legal recruitment firm in Canada,” said Michael DeCosta, managing partner of Caldwell’s professional services practice. “This combination brings together two strong executive search brands with exceptional reputations borne of a true passion for achieving the best results for clients and candidates.”

“Lawyer recruitment is a burgeoning sector of the professional services talent acquisition space and Dal, Sameera and their teams are clearly the outright leaders in this space,” Mr. DeCosta said. “We are delighted to have them joining our practice and expanding our ability to serve our clients.”

Founded in 1988, The Counsel Network specializes in providing long-term talent management solutions to the Canadian legal market. The team is led by Dal Bhathal (Toronto) and Sameera Sereda (Calgary), who have advised the profession through economic cycles in the industry over the last 25 years.

“We have always been passionate about delivering the best experience to our clients, and we see that same passion reflected in Caldwell’s entire team,” said Dal Bhathal and Sameera Sereda, managing partners of The Counsel Network. “To find a firm whose drive to build long-term client relationships that provide added value, expert counsel and a collaborative team-based approach really matches our own is immensely gratifying. We are truly excited to be joining Caldwell and look forward to the expanded reach and functional expertise that we will now be able to offer our clients.”

Ms. Bhathal provides strategic advice and guidance to Canadian and international law firms and legal departments on all aspects of legal talent management. A former practicing lawyer and recognized leader in her field, she leverages over 25 years of experience building exceptional legal teams for law firms and corporations, and provides expertise, sophisticated analyses, and robust knowledge to clients and candidates. Ms. Bhathal’s recruitment experience spans all major business centers in Canada, from Halifax to Vancouver, and she leverages a legal and business network spanning the breadth and width of the national market.

Ms. Sereda provides talent management solutions to law firms and legal departments while focusing on building strong long-term relationships with both clients and candidates. She is a former practicing lawyer and highly sought-after speaker, author, and strategic advisor.

Deeply committed to building a diverse and inclusive legal profession, Ms. Sereda has dedicated much of her career to nurturing and promoting women lawyers. She is chair of Women in Law Leadership (WILL), a Canadian not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the celebration, education, and advancement of women lawyers, and co-founder of the WILL Awards.

“Adding high-caliber partners is always a win, and with this acquisition we are welcoming two new partners whose values, commitment to inclusion and priority on client satisfaction aligns with ours,” said Chris Beck, president of Caldwell. “Dal, Sameera, and their teams have demonstrated absolute authority in their space, making this a significant geographic and functional expansion of our legal practice and capabilities, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Caldwell team.”

New Offices

Caldwell recently expanded with the opening of new locations in Annapolis, MD and Tysons Corner, VA, in the Washington, D.C. area. In conjunction, the firm added Byron Marchant as a partner and Tiffany Faucette as an associate. The moves expand the firm’s capabilities and add focus on the sports and entertainment industry, federal and state public sector, and the public utilities space. “This is an exciting next step for Caldwell,” said Mr. Beck. “We’re thrilled to have such exceptional people join our outstanding team and lead our continued growth in the mid-Atlantic market and our firm.”

Mr. Marchant serves in the board and CEO practice. He joined Caldwell from the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni and Foundation, where he served as president and CEO for over 13 years. His tenure was highlighted by his steady, strategic leadership through the 2009 recession and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, said Caldwell. Mr. Marchant oversaw the most successful campaign in organization’s history, raising more than $541 million in support of the Naval Academy’s Strategic Plan 2020. Previously, Mr. Marchant served as executive vice president, general counsel, and chief administrative officer for Black Entertainment Television (BET).

Related: Caldwell Acquires Applied Behavioral Academy

“Byron has a successful track record that cuts across a wide range of areas – from his impressive tenure leading the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni and Foundation to his role in the $3 billion acquisition of BET by Viacom to his background with technology and nuclear submarines in the Navy and everything in between,” said Jay Millen, managing partner of Caldwell’s board and CEO practice. “He’s an incredibly accomplished individual with an exceptionally wide network of content, which together make him a true asset to the team.”

Ms. Faucette has a 30-year track record in the professional sports world as an award-winning LPGA instructor, competitor, entrepreneur, and author, delivering a rare combination of sports and business acumen, said Caldwell. Additionally, she launched FG Enterprises, which conceived, developed, patented, and released globally available products, as well as an instructional book. She has made numerous appearances on television and talk radio, including The Golf Channel, NBC, ABC, and Fox. Ms. Faucette holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida State University.

Related: Caldwell Forms Alliance with Johnson Partners

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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