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Andrew Lilley, the former managing partner of Travers Smith, is set to join recruitment company Rare as its first full-time commercial director.

Lilley, who was managing partner of Travers Smith for five years, is joining Rare to help with its growth strategy.

Recruitment company Rare specialises in providing companies with diverse graduates from a range of backgrounds. Its legal clients include many of the top 50 law firms in the UK such as Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters.

Lilley started his career at Freshfields before moving to Travers Smith, where he spent 30 years as an employment lawyer.

While at Travers Smith he headed the employment law department, before being made managing partner in 2010.

As managing partner, Lilley oversaw a 51% growth in revenue as well as introducing a sector-based approach focusing on financial services, leisure, healthcare, retail and infrastructure.

Before joining Rare full time, Lilley had already acted as a consultant to the company and had mentored two candidates on Rare's law programme.

Lilley said: "My association with Rare began as a client and continued last year when I joined its team of candidate mentors as a consultant. I admire the organisation and share everything it stands for. It is a pleasure now to have an opportunity to take up an executive role there."

Raphael Mokades, managing director of Rare, said: "He has had a lot of commercial experience during his career and we look forward to learning from him."