Legal

Kumal Dhami

London

What I Do

As a legal recruiter, I specialize in the banking and finance industry and assist US and UK law firms to hire top legal talent at the associate and partner levels.

Ask me about

Thumb gymnastics, my indoor voice, or how I got the nickname “Kumquat.”

And for the rest of the story

To be a great cook, you need to understand not only balance and presentation, but how to excite others’ taste buds. That’s what our man from the historic Midlands city of Wolverhampton does both in recruitment and the kitchen. Growing up in a bilingual Punjabi/English household wired Kumal’s brain for flexibility, and so the recession during which he came out of law school presented not so much a roadblock as a detour that led him to surprising opportunities. Indeed, he now knows becoming a top legal recruiter instead of a lawyer was a stroke of good fortune. Fun, charismatic, cheeky and ambitious, Kumal has earned his colleagues’ love and respect through his easy banter, emotional intelligence, and impressive powers of persuasion. Although based in London, he has a strong connection with Japan through his travels between Tokyo and Fukuoka, Japanese knives, and a father-in-law addicted to sumo, so the Nippon wing of our tribe feels a special kinship with him. When not crushing it in his practice area, Kumal will most likely be found spending time with his eclectic family, walking his miniature labradoodles Frank and Rufus, whipping up his next culinary masterpiece (paired, of course, with the right vintage, since he’s also an aspiring master of wine), or making one of his annual trips to the south of France. He’s what’s cooking.

Ayni Programs

Recruitment brought us extraordinary opportunities, so our recruiters donate a small percentage of their earnings to our charity, called Ayni. Each year, Ayni funds programs at Shisei Gakuen, an orphanage in Tachikawa City, Tokyo. Two of our favorite programs are Speakout and Careers in Nature.

Speakout is an event that provides the kids with career mentorship, something every Zensho recruiter knows is vital to a person’s chances of living a full life. What makes it so special is that every one of the speakers also grew up at Shisei Gakuen. Returning as big brothers and sisters, they share their practical work experience with the next generation of graduates. And since it’s held as a business lunch at a hotel, Speakout offers a double benefit: encouraging the kids to think seriously about their futures, and reminding them that proper table manners are a powerful asset when trying to make a good first impression!

Careers in Nature is our scholarship program for kids at Shisei Gakuen who are specifically interested in careers related to nature. To qualify for a scholarship, they write essays about their plans for work in farming, fishing, forestry, conservation, marine biology and veterinary medicine. They have dreams, but, without the sort of education and training that parents usually finance, might have difficulty realizing them. These scholarships are our way of helping these youngsters get started on the good foot while doing our bit for Mother Earth.

Ask the Zensho tribe what it means to close a deal. When we succeed, our clients get the talent they need, our candidates make the career change they wanted, our Partners move a step closer to achieving their personal ‘why,’ and we all participate in this magical dance of reciprocity called Ayni.

How does that feel? Energizing.