Caribou Search was founded in 2025 by Peter Vrljic and Ben Smith who have both been in legal recruitment for a decade working with each other across different agencies.

Peter is a former lawyer who lived the BigLaw life and was previously the head of the Australian office of a large UK based legal search agency focusing on global recruitment at the associate and partner level.

Ben is an experienced legal recruiter with over 10 years’ experience advising law firms and businesses on strategic hiring. He began his career in his native UK, recruiting across the domestic market before relocating to Australia in late 2016. Since then, he has worked for two international recruitment companies, including one of the largest privately owned global legal specialist agencies. He has successfully worked with clients across almost every continent (only South America and Antarctica remain unchecked) and is most proud of his strong referral record from both lawyers and law firms.

If you partner with us, you will get our full attention and access to our extensive networks we have managed to build over time. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence when it comes to representing you or your firm.

Ethical. Transparent. Effective. That is who we are and why lawyers and law firms have partnered with us over the years.

Why the name Caribou? Caribous are known for their migrations and adaptation to different environments and seasons; they also follow their natural instincts to find the best paths. I aim to guide your career journey, leading you to the right opportunities. Caribou migrations also span vast areas and it reflects the global reach I have helping you move across borders.