JM Associates

Personal Life

Merry Neitlich is the managing partner of JM Associates in Irvine, California. JM Associates is currently ranked 84 out of 259 on LawCrossing's 2013 Most Influential Legal Recruiter List. For the past twenty-three years, she has been providing recruiting services, business development, consulting, coaching, brand development and social media for attorneys and law firms. Through JM Associates, Merry provides “search and placement services for attorneys to law firms and in-house counsel positions throughout California.” The company's mantra is “We take it personally!” She works with attorneys in all practice areas including in-house positions and is active in placing candidates throughout the Golden State. In addition to running JM Associates, Merry is a co-founder of Extreme Marketing, a company that delivers “strategic marketing and business development training and programs to services businesses.” She is also the founder and director of Coach's Edge, a business that offers coaching and training to figure skating coaches, which helps them turn “research based learning theory into practical teaching strategies.” Prior to founding JM Associates, Merry was a strategic planner and facilitator for seven years for companies and organizations looking for change.


Merry was born in Greenwich, Connecticut and raised in Long Island, New York. Although she acknowledged she had a challenging childhood, she persevered and overcame her obstacles. She graduated with a B.S. from The Ohio State University and earned a Masters Degree in Communications from the University of Bridgeport. The Ohio State alumna is a proud parent of two amazing adult children and one adorable granddaughter.

When the legal recruiter isn't working, she enjoys adult competitive figure skating. Merry trains fifteen hours a week and gets up at four o'clock in the morning to practice before she heads to work. She has won three adult National U.S. Figure Skating Championships and is currently ranked second in the country in her age group and skill level. Merry also enjoyed reading Malcolm T. Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference and Outliers: The Story of Success.

Merry's Successful Career Path and Tips for Legal Recruiters

Merry discussed her top memory from school. “While at Ohio State I remember learning how to learn. This was quite a revelation to me back then as most of high school required rote memory only. I enjoyed the process of discovery and expansion of ideas that became a mainstay of my college education. This process honed my problem solving and interpersonal skills-both are necessary skills for any successful recruiter.” She was invited to join an honorary society, Alpha Gamma Delta, based on strong academics, earning a 3.6 cumulative average. Merry graduated cum laude and earned a partial scholarship to Ohio State for three years. She added, “I enjoyed achieving and liked the social aspect of college.”

When asked, “What does it takes to become a successful legal recruiter?,” Merry replied, “To be a successful legal recruiter one must put in significant time to learn the nuances of the legal profession and to learn about the varying cultures of the different firms one works with. After 23 years we are the oldest search firm in Orange County, California and serve the needs of law firms, in-house legal departments, partners and associates. We at JM Associates, ‘We Take it Personally.'”

Did Merry transition into working as a recruiter or was she always involved in the field? The businesswoman explained, “I began working with a focused recruiting agency sporting only one recruiter in each discipline. I began in legal recruiting. Within a year, I branched out on my own, forming JM Associates 23 years ago.”

What motivated Merry to work as a legal recruiter? Merry noted that she has a strong background in strategic planning and facilitation of large meetings for large organizations. She pointed out that these skills were easy to transition into legal recruiting.

Merry talked about what she is known for professionally. “I am best known for critically listening to clients and candidates in order to make placements that stand the test of time. My years of experience help firms refine their searches and help candidates more thoroughly define what change(s) they are looking for in a possible job change. I am a nationally known speaker and writing in the areas of law firm client service and business development. These skills help the candidates I work with in their own business development efforts.”

Merry also talked about her strengths and weaknesses as a recruiter. She claimed, “My strengths are strong interpersonal skills-especially listening. I am frequently able to find solutions and recommend ideas to those searching who can't quite ‘put their finger' on a solution. I am always striving to improve my skills and to strengthen my weaker areas. I can get impatient waiting for searches to conclude but strive to keep those frustrations away from the table, so to speak. I can be intense-another area I continue to want to grow in.”

When asked if she had a mentor and how did this relationship assist you in your career, Merry stated, “I was mentored by my first boss when I was a strategic planner many years ago. My relationship with this gentleman changed my abilities to serve and also changed my life. I still stay in touch with him to this day.” How did her mentor change her abilities to serve? Merry explained that her boss expanded her skill set and assisted her in developing consulting, presentation and facilitating skills. She continued to say, “I have and continue to serve as a mentor to numerous young individuals over the past 20-years including four of my most successful recruiters.”

So what is Merry's advice to new recruiters? “The harder you work, the luckier you will get!” She mentioned that recruiters must place cold calling and make relationships with candidates as well as law firms in order to be successful in the industry.

Considering her twenty-three years of experience in the legal recruiting industry, many readers may want to know where Merry sees the legal field in the next five years. The recruiter asserted, “Expanding as the economy expands.”

What does Merry look for to find the right fit? What makes a great candidate? The successful recruiter said, “The key is listening and helping both candidates and clients pull out all of the nuances they are seeking and then finding just the right candidate to be a match for both sides.” As for what makes a great candidate, Merry acknowledged that honesty and a great sense of humor are two qualities that will make an individual stand out. When asked, “If a candidate should have a great sense of humor?,” she answered, “Lighten up, it's not the apocalypse. If the candidate lightens up and laughs in the first 30 seconds, the process can be fun.”

Merry indicated that her recipe for a perfect match is clear communication. She recognized that a legal recruiter is responsible for finding out what a candidate and law firm's needs are and a recruiter needs to check to see if they are on the right path in placing a candidate at the right firm. Perhaps a candidate was misleading and did not have the experience to work at a law firm. The legal recruiter must follow up on these issues and communicating clearly with both parties.

In regards to handling fear, Merry admitted, “Everybody has fear, but you don't let it paralyze you. You take it one day at a time.” Her philosophy of tackling obstacles is just as straightforward and pragmatic as handling fear: “With a clear analysis of the problem and specific and measurable plan to solve the issue.”

Has Merry learned something of value from her mistakes? “Oh yes. Learning from mistakes is a critical part of human survival and personal growth!”

Where does the legal recruiter derive her confidence? She declared:

“Confidence comes with success and experience. Before I began recruiting, I had over 10-years of successful business experience and a Masters Degree in Communication, which really helped develop a strong footing in the industry. Meeting many partners, general counsels, associates and professional internal recruiters have helped forge strong relationships with both clients and candidates and to make placements that have stood the test of time. Abiding strictly by the NALSC Code of Ethics also helps the legal industry have confidence in working with our company.”

Since working as a legal recruiter for over two decades, Merry is still motivated because she loves helping individuals and resolves situations. That is a big reason why she entered the industry. “I love working with highly intelligent people and helping to solve problems.”

Professional Associations, Non-Profit Organizations and a Rewarding Position

The legal recruiter holds a membership with the Legal Marketing Association, College of Law Practice Management and ProVisors.

Merry assists the homeless in Orange County and with numerous organizations that strive to help the underserved populations such as Smile Train, Mazon and Share Ourselves. She collects clothing for Working Wardrobes from attorneys to donate to the homeless so they can dress appropriately for their next job interview.

The businesswoman contributes financially to Smile Train, an international charity that provides cleft palate surgery to those in need, as well as providing training to doctors who perform the surgery. Merry also donates money to Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, a national nonprofit organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States. Share Ourselves is also a nonprofit organization that provides personalized care for the Orange County community. Merry assists low-income and homeless individuals at Share Ourselves by devoting her time helping people write their resumes and prepares them for their job interviews. She also makes sure children have adequate school supplies such as backpacks before they head to school.

The businesswoman finds her job rewarding. “Yes, my work is very rewarding. I love helping people. I enjoy creating and owning my own business.”

Favorite Quote and Future Goals

Merry's favorite quote is by John Wooden: “Things work out best for those that make the best of the way things work out.” She explained that the quote is great life advise and individuals should make the best out of any situation and make lemonade with any lemons that come along.

What are Merry's goals? She said, “To continue to grow JM Associates, my other business, Extreme Marketing and to continue to compete and place on the podium at national adult figure skating championships.” Adult figure skating championships takes place once a year in April and Merry has been placed on the podium twelve times in the past twelve years.