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What Do You Need to Do to Get Corporate Lawyer Jobs?

Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!

published April 23, 2010

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

Self-employed, or "full-time employee"
 
What Do You Need to Do to Get Corporate Lawyer Jobs?

Corporate lawyers jobs entail either working for yourself and contracting your services out to companies on an as needed basis, or working for one particular company in-house, as that company's corporate lawyer. Either way, corporate lawyer jobs entail, again, making sure a company stay out of trouble on the legal front by anticipating problems that may arise and then circumventing them. Because the business environment changes so often, corporate lawyer jobs duties also entail keeping up on these changes and advising clients or companies about them.
 
Click Here to Read BCG Attorney Search’s Guide to Corporate and Finance Job Search Categories for More Information.

In addition, corporate lawyers also help companies with employment issues like tax issues, employee contracts, labor relations, any suits that have been filed against a particular company, patents, employee injury, or contracts with vendors.

In general, especially if you are an in-house attorney, you don't do your job entirely by yourself. Instead, there's the head of a corporation's legal department, and that head of the department has legal staff supporting him or her.

Qualifying for corporate lawyer jobs

As you can probably tell, qualifying for corporate lawyer jobs takes a significant amount of education. You must first get a bachelor's degree in what is usually pre-law, and then you'll need to go to three years of postgraduate education in law school thereafter. When you are in law school, you'll take a variety of courses in various types of law, including tax and insurance law, trust, and corporate law. Thereafter, if you want to specialize such that you will ultimately be applying for and obtaining corporate law jobs, you'll generally specialize in one track and take courses in subjects like commercial transactions, creditors' rights, trade regulations, trial advocacy, and so on.
 
Interested in these kinds of jobs? Click here to find Corporate jobs.

Once you've graduated from law school, you'll need to be admitted to the bar, in the particular state or states you want to practice them. To be admitted to the bar, you'll need to take the bar exam.

Applying for corporate lawyer jobs

While you are in law school, you should be getting job experience that will prepare you for a career in corporate law later on. This will help give you a "leg up" when you go in for interviews, because you can show prospective employers that you've already had experience. So for example, you can become a junior court clerk, work in the law school library, type legal briefs, and more. Because corporations actively hunt for qualified corporate lawyer jobs' candidates, you may actually be recruited to interview for prospective corporations just prior to graduation. Therefore, it's going to help you greatly if you're already prepared by having had some previous job experience.

Another way to apply for corporate law jobs is to peruse law journals and classified ads in newspapers; you may also have luck by going online and doing a search for these types of jobs, or hooking up with a recruiter online, who will know about corporate law jobs that may not be publicly listed.

Working in corporate lawyer jobs

In general, as a corporate lawyer, you begin by working "under" more experienced corporate lawyers, and then advancing as your career continues. As stated previously, you may also decide to become self-employed as your career continues and once you've gained experience. Either way, your hours are not contained to just 40 hours a week and you will have to decide to dedicate significant time to your career. This is especially true if you have to prepare to go to court. Especially if a particular corporation employs you, you may be expected to travel to that corporation's various branches to assess and take care of any legal problems the corporation may be having. Of course, this may also be true if you are self-employed and clients want you to come "on-site" to address and take care of legal problems there.

What can you expect to make in corporate law jobs?
 
SEARCH CORPORATE JOBS ON BCG ATTORNEY SEARCH

Average earnings across all sectors and levels of experience range from about $50,000 a year to more than $100,000 a year. Corporate lawyers who are not self-employed also usually get health and life insurance, and retirement plans as part of their employment packages.
 
Interested in these kinds of jobs? Click here to find Corporate jobs.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!

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