Cleveland & Co Launches an Innovative Dual Career Framework, Creating Two Parallel Routes to Senior Leadership

Cleveland & Co has introduced a new dual career framework that recognises different forms of excellence within a legal team, creating two distinct routes to the most senior levels of the firm: the Legal Pathway and the Technical Pathway.

The framework has been designed around a simple principle: talented lawyers should be able to progress by building on where they make their strongest contribution.

Rethinking what progression looks like in law

Traditional career structures in the legal profession have often placed increasing emphasis on business development, client relationship management and team leadership as lawyers become more senior. While that route suits many outstanding lawyers, it does not reflect the full range of contributions that lawyers can make.

Recognising this, Cleveland & Co has introduced a dedicated Technical Pathway through which lawyers can reach the highest levels of the firm on the strength of their technical contribution, without having to originate business or assume responsibility for client relationships. It sits alongside the Legal Pathway, which follows the more traditional model of career progression.

Lawyers on both pathways bring strong legal expertise and judgement to their roles. Those on the Legal Pathway focus on advising clients, building and leading trusted client relationships, generating business, leading teams and helping shape the firm’s direction. Those on the Technical Pathway focus on providing specialist input on complex legal matters, strengthening legal standards, managing legal risk and building the firm’s intellectual capital through the development and sharing of specialist knowledge, precedents and expertise that support colleagues in delivering consistent and high-quality advice to clients. The Technical Pathway also encompasses regulatory monitoring, technical training, legal innovation and thought leadership, as well as specialist contributions to the firm’s wider strategic and business development initiatives.

By recognising these different strengths, Cleveland & Co is making the most of its collective expertise, strengthening the firm’s legal capabilities and enhancing the quality and consistency of the advice it delivers to clients.

Two pathways, equal opportunity

The Legal and Technical Pathways each span six stages, sharing common foundations before greater specialisation as experience develops. Each lawyer chooses their pathway with a senior sponsor, supported by mentoring and structured development throughout their career.

The Legal Pathway leads to General Counsel, while the Technical Pathway leads to Head of Technical Excellence, with equivalent seniority, recognition and compensation.

Progression is assessed against criteria reflecting the responsibilities and contributions expected at each stage of the chosen pathway.

Making progression more transparent

Each pathway is accompanied by an Experience Navigator, illustrating the practical experiences and expectations at each stage. Together with transparent eligibility criteria for promotion consideration, the Navigators provide lawyers with a clear understanding of what strong performance looks like and how to progress.

Structured annual reviews and written feedback are complemented by professional development, opportunities for publications and speaking engagements, and meaningful work appropriate to each pathway.

Together, these measures make career development a continuous and deliberate process, rather than one defined by promotion conversations alone.

Investing in our people

The framework reflects Cleveland & Co’s long-term commitment to developing and retaining exceptional lawyers, creating an environment where individuals can build on their strengths, realise their potential and make a meaningful contribution to the firm.

Emma Cleveland, CEO of Cleveland & Co, said:

“When I founded Cleveland & Co, I wanted to build a different kind of law firm. I have spent a lot of my career in places where progression meant one thing, and I have watched brilliant lawyers get overlooked, or leave, because they didn’t fit the mould. I didn’t want that here.

Our lawyers bring different strengths and I want all of them to have the opportunity to reach the top by building on where they make their greatest contribution. I am really proud of the thought our team has put into this and I’m excited about the opportunities this will create for our people.”