With two years at Spinnaker under her belt, and a well-earned progression from Resourcer to Consultant, we caught up with Clementine Matiwaza to reflect on her journey so far. Here’s what she had to say about career progression, market trends, and why detail truly matters in legal recruitment.

You joined Spinnaker as a Resourcer and are now a Consultant. How has your role evolved over the past two years?
Over the past two years at Spinnaker, I’ve grown from a Resourcer into a Consultant, which has come with a lot more ownership and client exposure. I started out mainly candidate-focused, supporting searches and delivery, and now I manage the full recruitment process end to end from building client relationships to running searches and negotiating offers. I’m also working closely with both new and existing clients and representing the business at maritime events, which has really expanded my network.

What are clients in the Legal & P&I space prioritising most when hiring at the moment?
Clients in the Legal & P&I space are really focused on securing top legal talent with strong technical skills and commercial awareness. We’re also seeing that being UK-qualified carries a lot of weight many clients place real value on UK credentials alongside solid industry experience.

Has your perspective on maritime, particularly the Legal & P&I sector, changed since you joined?
I wouldn’t say my perspective has changed dramatically, but my knowledge definitely has. I have a much better understanding of the market now the key players, hiring trends and how legal teams and P&I Clubs operate. That deeper insight means I can advise clients and candidates with a lot more confidence.

What do you enjoy most about recruiting in the legal space?
I really enjoy the knowledge-sharing side of it, discussing legal developments, market trends and career paths with candidates and colleagues. It’s a space where detail matters, so it’s rewarding to have informed conversations and genuinely add value.

What’s been your proudest moment over the past two years?
Progressing from Resourcer to Consultant has definitely been my proudest moment. Taking on more responsibility, managing my own client relationships and being trusted with the full recruitment lifecycle has been a big step and a rewarding one.

In three words, how would you describe your first year at Spinnaker?
Challenging. Educational. Rewarding.