Warren Smith

As the Managing Partner of Smith Legal Search, Warren Smith has built one of Canada’s top executive search firms specializing in the legal industry. With offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, his firm is at the heart of legal recruitment, working with leading law firms and in-house legal departments across the country.
With over 20 years of experience, Warren is one of the most senior and well-connected legal recruiters in Canada. He has been directly involved in the expansion of multiple U.S. law firms into Canada and has played a key role in numerous high-profile group moves across the country.
Warren’s relentless commitment to in-person meetings with firms and lawyers makes him a trusted advisor to managing partners navigating growth, retention, and recruitment strategies in every major Canadian market. Smith Legal Search’s clients consistently value Warren’s ability to contextualize local trends within the national legal market.
His expertise has not gone unnoticed. Warren is the only Canadian recognized in the Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting, a prestigious guide that recognizes the most influential consultants and strategists in the legal industry worldwide. He is also the only Canadian to have ever served as President of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC), the leading industry association for legal recruiters in North America.
Education
- Called to the Bar of British Columbia, 2004
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), University of British Columbia, 2003
Associations
- The Lawyers Daily – Regular Columnist “The Headhunter”
- St. Thomas More Lawyers Guild of British Columbia – Chair
- Red Mass Dinner – Steering Committee
- Traditional Learning Academy – Board Member
- National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) – Past President & Board Member
- Make-A-Wish Foundation (BC and Yukon Chapter) – former Vice-President and Board Member
- Signal Hill – Past Board Member
- UBC Law Alumni Association
Speaking Engagements
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canadian Corporate Counsel Association
- Canadian Defence Lawyers
- National Association for Law Placement (NALP)
- National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC)
- South Asian Bar Association
- University of British Columbia
- University of Victoria