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Ho to Get Jobs in Private Law Firms

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published February 19, 2013

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

The Law School Placement Process: To this point, the purpose is to survey generally those considerations which will allow you to take maximum advantage of obvious job opportunities. There are, however, ways to identify or create additional job prospects and, in the process, further refine your abilities to take advantage of the situations that you want to pursue.

Fortunately for most law students identifying law firms looking for lawyers is quite easy. The law school placement office provides that function; it is the equivalent of the New York Stock Exchange specialist.

The first step in identifying or refining job prospects in the placement process is to have some idea of where you want to practice. This is part of the interviewing process. It is not a very efficient use of time to learn all there is to know about Wall Street law firms if you hate New York City. If you have several prospective locations, try to narrow the list as much as possible. However, be realistic about your choices; although the profession is trying to disprove the theory, not all law school graduates can practice in Boston, New York, Washing ton, and California. In any event, it should be relatively easy to eliminate those places where you do not want to live. Be honest with yourself. If you know you hate Milwaukee, do not interview there because you perceive that more job opportunities exist there than in Boston.

If you are one of those people who are truly flexible about geography and can be happy wherever an opportunity best presents itself, you have the option of trying to identify specific private law firm opportunities in specific locales. Even with this approach you cannot be totally without restrictions; you must have some mechanism whereby you can narrow the range of possibilities to a workable list.

Once you have identified your target, concentrate on it. Before the interviewer visits your law school, learn as much as you can about all of the firms in a given location or about the particular firms you have selected. In many instances, the interviewing process is so hectic and competitive that law school placement offices have imposed certain restrictions on students attempting to interview certain firms. For instance, certain law schools force students to make geographic determinations which, consequently, limit their chances to talk to firms in other parts of the country. Other schools limit a student's total number of interviews and still others arbitrarily allow the first students who sign up for a given interview to fill up that interviewer's schedule.

Learn the 10 Factors That Matter to Big Firms More Than Where You Went to Law School

The important thing to remember about interviewing at your law school is to know how your placement office works and use it as one of your allies. Remember, the principal function of a law school placement office is to place its graduates as well as possible. Law schools see the placement process as part of their responsibility to their students and candidly admit that students who are well placed tend to be more successful, thereby increasing the prestige and endowment of that particular law school. Those things, in turn, distinguish the better schools which then attract the better students who are easier to place, and the process continues. Use your placement office!

You should also consider writing to firms in which you are particularly interested before they visit your campus. That technique will be especially helpful if you are, for one reason or another, precluded from seeing an interviewer during the normal interviewing schedule. Many law firms try to see every student who genuinely expresses an interest in an interview. Most interviewers will consider expanding their schedules through cocktails, breakfast or some other schedule adjustment to the extent they feel it is warranted. It is your job to convince a given interviewer that you have sufficient interest in and likelihood of success at a given firm so that the interviewer will take the time to see you. Last, pay attention to your classmates' discussions about their experiences and their friends' experiences in a particular firm or in a specific city. Rumors and hearsay are just that, but law students' discussions about common interests and common experiences in the interviewing process are terribly helpful. Indeed, the reason some people counsel prospective clerks and others not to defer making an employment decision while in their third year to the contrary is that they have access to the greatest volume of information about law firms while they are in school and should take advantage of it.
United States

Other Sources

There are a great many law schools, particularly the newer ones and those which are not yet fully accredited, that do not have a placement office or, if they do, have one which is not fully staffed and operational. In those situations you are going to have to identify by other means the private law firms with which you wish to practice.

Currently, the most readily available and complete single source of information about law firms in the United States is the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which lists by lawyer, or in many instances by firm, all the lawyers practicing in the United States. There is also a section listing lawyers and firms in other countries. Martindale-Hubbell is compiled on a state-by-state basis. When the listing is by firm, the firm provides the information which is submitted to Martindale-Hubbell. The listing will show, sometimes by seniority and sometimes alphabetically, the partners (and in some instances all the associates), a listing of representative clients, and the addresses and phone numbers of its various offices. Each firm will be assigned a ranking of professional competence, whose relevance might be only the absence of it. You will be able to use Martindale's to identify a lawyer in a particular firm who might have graduated from your law school or college or who might have some other mutual affiliation. You should also be able to tell quite a lot.

Private Law firms

About the recruiting policies of the firm: If all of the lawyers in the firm have the same last name or have gone to the same schools, that firm might not be the place for you, unless, of course, you went to your father's alma mater and intend to return home to practice with him. If the associates are listed, you should also be able to tell how much the firm emphasizes grades by the presence or absence of academic honors attending each associate.

If you are interested in a specific type of practice, you might want to contact the relevant American Bar Association section for information with respect to firms specializing in a particular field as evidenced by memberships on the various ABA committees and sections. You can also find specialty publications such as the "Red Book" published twice a year by The Bond Buyer as the Directory of Municipal Bond Dealers of the United States which contains a listing on a state-by-state basis of recognized bond counsel. Moreover, each local city or county bar association will have a listing of all members. Indeed, you may even decide to let your fingers do the walking and look through the yellow pages under "attorneys". Included as Appendix H, is a more complete listing of some of the better resources to find private law firms.

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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