Page 91 - 2019 - Leaders in Legal Business (q)
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In order to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging economic environment, firms
continue to recognize the value professional managers and administrators bring to the firm; with
that value comes increased responsibilities and corresponding compensation. These professionals
play a pivotal role in the success of law firms; thus, the support from experienced recruiters is
paramount to finding the right match in candidates for those positions.10
General Counsel and Other In-House Positions
These are very different from law firm associates, partners, and business management
roles. They, too, benefit greatly by utilizing legal recruiters for a range of levels in corporate law
departments and across various legal disciplines, whether generalist or subject-matter specific.
Searches range from positions at start-ups with fewer than 10 employees to the GC search at
Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. Adept legal recruiters help find and place the
best-matched candidate for each role, depending on the specific needs of the corporate legal
department.
Since our firm began in 1982, in-house law departments have become an increasingly
attractive destination for law firm lawyers, including partners. This growing popularity compounds
the barrage of applications by interested candidates, which are effectively managed by legal
recruiting and staffing firms well versed in the arena.
Typically, the CEO, VP of human resources, chief human resources officer (CHRO), or
other senior executive at a company is faced with the task of recruiting a first or new GC. Thus, it
is hugely beneficial to defer to well-equipped legal recruiters with high-caliber expertise and
experience who work on a daily basis with senior-level lawyers. This is especially true when the
hiring authority has not previously faced such a task frequently, if at all. Consequently, senior
executives routinely seek the advice of legal recruiting firms to determine whether it makes
economic sense to hire an inside lawyer based on a company’s legal workload.
Many legal search consultants have graduated from top law schools and worked in the law
departments of some of the nation’s largest and best-managed corporations. This experience
provides an unmatched depth of knowledge and contacts. Established recruiters with an extensive
track record of successful searches for senior in-house lawyers also have the advantage of a
longitudinal view of the candidate market. This knowledge can provide a valuable and long-term
perspective on each slate of candidates for in-house legal departments.
Temporary Project Staffing
This previously consisted primarily of support for document review, M&A due diligence
work, and project staffing for maternity leave, offshoring, and onshoring. Today, however, it
encompasses a more substantial portion of the legal landscape. After the 2008 recession, global
demand for legal services contracted, and it has taken several years to get back to a baseline. Now,
the legal market is regaining strength as it continues to expand into new and emerging markets
worldwide.11
While global growth is on the uptick, BigLaw has been and will continue to give up market
share to new entrants to the legal services market. Firms such as Axiom, Laterally, Thomson
10 Id.
11 See, e.g., Jeffrey A. Lowe, BigLaw 2017: A Look Ahead, MAJOR, LINDSEY & AFRICA (Jan.13, 2017),
https://www.mlaglobal.com/publications/articles/biglaw-2017-a-look-ahead.
76
continue to recognize the value professional managers and administrators bring to the firm; with
that value comes increased responsibilities and corresponding compensation. These professionals
play a pivotal role in the success of law firms; thus, the support from experienced recruiters is
paramount to finding the right match in candidates for those positions.10
General Counsel and Other In-House Positions
These are very different from law firm associates, partners, and business management
roles. They, too, benefit greatly by utilizing legal recruiters for a range of levels in corporate law
departments and across various legal disciplines, whether generalist or subject-matter specific.
Searches range from positions at start-ups with fewer than 10 employees to the GC search at
Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. Adept legal recruiters help find and place the
best-matched candidate for each role, depending on the specific needs of the corporate legal
department.
Since our firm began in 1982, in-house law departments have become an increasingly
attractive destination for law firm lawyers, including partners. This growing popularity compounds
the barrage of applications by interested candidates, which are effectively managed by legal
recruiting and staffing firms well versed in the arena.
Typically, the CEO, VP of human resources, chief human resources officer (CHRO), or
other senior executive at a company is faced with the task of recruiting a first or new GC. Thus, it
is hugely beneficial to defer to well-equipped legal recruiters with high-caliber expertise and
experience who work on a daily basis with senior-level lawyers. This is especially true when the
hiring authority has not previously faced such a task frequently, if at all. Consequently, senior
executives routinely seek the advice of legal recruiting firms to determine whether it makes
economic sense to hire an inside lawyer based on a company’s legal workload.
Many legal search consultants have graduated from top law schools and worked in the law
departments of some of the nation’s largest and best-managed corporations. This experience
provides an unmatched depth of knowledge and contacts. Established recruiters with an extensive
track record of successful searches for senior in-house lawyers also have the advantage of a
longitudinal view of the candidate market. This knowledge can provide a valuable and long-term
perspective on each slate of candidates for in-house legal departments.
Temporary Project Staffing
This previously consisted primarily of support for document review, M&A due diligence
work, and project staffing for maternity leave, offshoring, and onshoring. Today, however, it
encompasses a more substantial portion of the legal landscape. After the 2008 recession, global
demand for legal services contracted, and it has taken several years to get back to a baseline. Now,
the legal market is regaining strength as it continues to expand into new and emerging markets
worldwide.11
While global growth is on the uptick, BigLaw has been and will continue to give up market
share to new entrants to the legal services market. Firms such as Axiom, Laterally, Thomson
10 Id.
11 See, e.g., Jeffrey A. Lowe, BigLaw 2017: A Look Ahead, MAJOR, LINDSEY & AFRICA (Jan.13, 2017),
https://www.mlaglobal.com/publications/articles/biglaw-2017-a-look-ahead.
76
