Welcome to our first Newsletter of 2009. Last year was a great year for HR Partners as we enjoyed tremendous success and growth and continued to welcome new people into our business. We feel that we have a very strong value proposition. Despite doom and gloom in much of the media, we have continued to innovate and to make ourselves a valuable partner of the HR community.

We are also proud to bring to you our new HR Network Group website - www.hrnetworkgroup.com.au and we hope our Network Groups can give you the opportunity to connect with fellow HR professionals around Australia.

I hope you enjoy this brief news piece and wish you a safe and prosperous 2009.

Regards,

David Owens
Managing Director

We are pleased to announce the addition of Sophie Wells to the team in Sydney. Sophie joins us via the HR Partners Graduate Scheme. Our Parent Company in the UK, Digby Morgan, have successfully managed a Graduate Trainee Recruitment Programme for a number of years and Sophie is the first Graduate to commence with HR Partners. Sophie has recently completed a degree in Applied Science majoring in Occupational Therapy.

Sophie can be contacted on 02 9019 1614 or through email at swells@hrpartners.com.au

We are also very happy to welcome Cara McLennan to our Brisbane branch. Cara has enjoyed a career in the recruitment industry for over 5 years servicing clients across both the private and public sectors. A graduate from Griffith University, Cara has developed a range of innovative recruitment, staff retention and training and development strategies with a range of clients including blue chip organisations, government owned corporations and multinational financial institutions.

To get in touch with Cara please call her on 07 3009 3800 or cmclennan@hrpartners.com.au.

When you started your career in HR what were your aspirations as an HR professional?
I started HR late in my career. In my 20's, I completed an arts/law degree at Sydney University and then spent about six years working as a lawyer. In my early 30's, I went to Europe and completed an MBA - then I discovered HR. As part of the MBA, I was lucky enough to learn about the role that HR can play in the strategic business context of organisations. As a result, I have always been interested in and looked for jobs where HR contributes at a key level in the setting of strategy and where change is squarely on the business agenda.

What has been your greatest achievement to date in HR?
Definitely my role and my team here at Allens. My team has gone through a lot of change in the last two years and has done some great work which has made a huge impact in the way the firm is run. We won two Australian HR awards last year which was a huge testament to my amazing team - I am very proud that they have been recognised in this way.

What advice would you give someone looking to practice HR in a Law firm?
Build your stakeholder management skills! Partnerships are very different to corporates and require quite a different approach - I am still learning! The ability to think commercially is also a great talent to have. I was fortunate enough to run a very small (and unsuccessful!) technology company for two years and that taught me a lot about being in business. Particularly now, HR practitioners need to have general business knowledge and related skills.

Allens Arthur Robinson is a great firm, can you please tell us about the best part of your job?
I love working with the fantastic group of HR professionals who are in my team - they challenge my thinking and are an inspiring and really interesting group. I also love working for my clients - the senior management team and partners of the firm who are a very engaged and energised group.