Suzanne Dupree Howe,Managing Director in Houston

Education
Juris Doctor, The University of Texas School of Law
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, The University of Texas at Austin

Details
Suzanne Dupree Howe is the Managing Director of BCG Attorney Search’s Texas and Southeast Region. She places partners, counsels and associates in firms throughout Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia. She also places candidates in Europe, the Middle East and other overseas markets.

Ms. Howe is an attorney and former litigator. She found her way into legal recruiting when she realized that her favorite aspect of practicing law was interacting with fellow attorneys and clients. As a result of her interpersonal skills, vast network of connections, and understanding of law firm culture and the legal market, Ms. Howe is one of the most approachable, trusted and prolific recruiters in the South and beyond.

She grew up in Oklahoma and Texas, where her father worked in the oil and gas business. After a traditional Texas high school experience – including competing on the drill team in support of the football team – she remained in the area for college and law school and makes Texas her home today.

At the University of Texas at Austin, Ms. Howe majored in Sociology (with a concentration in Psychology) and was selected to be a member of the school’s prestigious Liberal Arts Honors Program. After graduating, she went to the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She had always been interested in the human mind and criminology and thought she might pursue a career in criminal justice. She no longer reads true crime stories like she used to, but she remains fascinated by people and their stories and is reading the complete works of Jane Austen. She just finished Persuasion.

During law school, Ms. Howe took advantage of a unique opportunity to travel to England for a semester to study the English common law system at the University College London. While there, she also branched out to explore different countries and cultures. Along with friends, she backpacked around Europe with a Eurail pass and made trips to Scotland and Italy. She still loves to travel, and both London and Southern Coastal Italy remain among her favorite places to visit.

After graduating from law school, Ms. Howe spent five years as a litigation associate for a large firm in Austin. Though she eventually decided that her best fit in the legal world is as a recruiter and not a lawyer, she considers her law firm experience invaluable from an analytical and professional development standpoint. As a recruiter, she uses her firm experience and people skills to help fellow lawyers find their perfect law jobs. She joined BCG because its ethical candidate-focused model allows her to give her candidates the honesty, attention and advocacy they deserve.

Ms. Howe’s husband works in network security and the couple has two children. They spend their free time attending kids’ sporting, music and school events and enjoying the vibrant Austin culture. They enjoy trying new restaurants, taking day hikes around Lady Bird Lake, and attending music festivals such as the ACL (Austin City Limits) Festival. They love the Hawaiian Islands and look forward to their much-cherished trips there.

Articles Contributed
Career Choices

• Avoiding the ''L'' Word: Layoff
• Transition Tips for Partners Changing Firms
• Analyzing the Offer: A Questionnaire and Worksheet

Advice for Job Seekers

• No Job Offer in Hand? Then You Need a Plan
• What Google, MySpace, and Facebook Say About You to a Potential Employer: How to Control Your Online Footprint When Conducting a Job Search.
• The Interview Post-Mortem: Don't Forget Your Thank You Notes!!

Job Search Q&As

• Q: I'm about to engage in a search to find a new associate attorney position. Will firms look at my law firm bio? And how important is my bio?
   
• Q: I was recently laid off from my law firm. My law firm has told me that they will keep my personal profile on their website for the next two months. Furthermore, a partner at my firm told me that it might be best for job–seeking purposes not to mention that I've been laid off until I have to. I can't help but feel that my chances at present of landing a new position are much better if other firms are not aware that I've been laid off.
   
• Q: I am planning to look for a job here in Dallas. My partner is somewhat aware that I've been unhappy with my hours. I think he would help me find another position since he has so many connections here in town and is generally a nice guy. Should I let him know I am looking for a new position and see if he will help me?
   
• Q: Unfortunately, I did not receive an offer from the firm where I worked as a summer associate. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do as a 3L to improve my chances in finding a permanent associate position after graduation?
   
• Q: I've had phone interviews before, but recently a firm wanted me to do a Skype interview with them. Can you tell me how to handle a Skype interview?
   
• Q: I have an upcoming interview with a law firm in another city. It's a city to which I have no obvious connections. How do I establish my interest in the city during the interview?
   
• Q: I am a mid-level and am nearing senior associate status. I’m not that happy at my current firm, but I really don’t want to look for yet another firm position. I prefer to go in-house, but I understand that market is very competitive right now, and I think my chances are low as I haven’t done a lot of higher level work. What should I do?
   
• Q: I have a technical background with degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. I am interested in patent agent positions or technical advisor roles, but I will not be able to take the USPTO exam until a few months from now. Should I begin looking for patent agent positions now or wait until I have the USPTO licensure on my resume?
   
• Q: I'm a new law school graduate. I've applied repeatedly to recruiters to see if they can help me find my first attorney position, yet I either don't get a response from recruiters or get a rejection letter. I have strong law school credentials, so I don't understand why recruiters aren't interested in me. Why is this happening?
   
• Q: I have just accepted an offer from a law firm. I’m planning to give notice, but I haven’t heard back that I’ve cleared conflicts. Does it matter if I give notice before I’ve officially cleared conflicts at my new firm?
   
• Q: I’ve recently given notice to my firm and I have two weeks to wrap everything up. What are some things I should do during this two-week period so that everything goes smoothly?
   
• Q: Is it possible to transition to a law firm in a city where I have no personal ties? I live in New York and I would really like to leave for quality of life reasons, but I do not have personal ties outside of New York.
   
• Q: I'm a corporate attorney with five years of experience. I've been hearing that I should put together a "Deal Sheet" to accompany my resume, but I don't really know what that is or how it should look?
   
• Q: How do I get a job in a city where I have no local connections?
   
• Q: I am an intellectual property associate. My recruiter has asked me not only for my law school transcript, but for my undergraduate transcript as well. Is this unusual?
   
• Q: A friend of mine recently told me that law schools were looking at the Facebook and MySpace profiles of their applicants. As a third-year attorney thinking about conducting a job search in 2009, it occurred to me that law firms may search these websites to gain information about me when I apply. Are law firms looking at this information online? And what should I do to keep this personal information private?
   
• Q: I just received an offer from a well-regarded large law firm in Houston. I am excited about the offer, but I know that there are only so many jumps I can make before people start to look negatively upon my resume. I've already moved twice. My current position is good, but not great. I believe the perfect position is out there, but it's hard to know whether this is the one. What, in your opinion, are some important considerations to consider when weighing a law firm offer?
   
• Q: I have my first interview as a lateral associate coming up next week. Should I send thank-you notes afterward, or is that something that is more appropriate for law students? I've been practicing for five years. And if I do send a thank-you note, should I send a handwritten note or an email? (T.J., Dallas)

Future Speaking Engagements

• University of Notre Dame Law School on the Texas, Charlotte and Atlanta legal markets, March 28, 2007
   
• Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington on February 1^st on the Texas and Southeast legal markets, February 1, 2007

Media

• Salary Survey: Competition Heats Up Across U.S." (IP.Law360.com February 7, 2007)

Testimonials

• Suzanne was great to work with. BCG made the job easier for me. - Jiwon Hughes
• Suzanne, you could not have been a more professional and delightful person to work with! You made my relocation to Houston from DC relatively stress-free due to the quality of firms and people you put me in touch with. You took the time to find out what I was looking for and used your extensive knowledge of the Houston market and your personal relationships to find the right fit...and we were very successful. I say ''we'' because I could not have pulled this off without you. In addition to being GREAT at what you do, you are a great resource for information and advice. I am sure that everyone who works with you will have a similar experience. To your prospective clients: Look no further than Suzanne Howe for your recruiting needs.
  - K.S.
   
• I had the opportunity to work with Suzanne Howe in connection with a recent search for a corporate law associate position. Suzanne was a pleasure to work with for the duration of my job search. In the beginning of the job search, Suzanne assisted me in framing my goals and identifying which type of law firms would be a good match for my career objectives and qualifications. I was amazed at the number of positive responses we received from law firms, and I think that Suzanne's ability to present my background and qualifications in an extremely marketable fashion and her personal connections with various law firms played an integral role in the success of my job search.
  
  Suzanne is very personable, and her positive and energetic personality makes her an ideal choice for representing attorneys in job searches. I was also impressed by the manner in which Suzanne was able to prepare me for interviews. We covered all of the questions that I was asked in my interviews, which shows Suzanne's knowledge of what law firms are looking for in a lateral candidate, and I felt comfortable answering the various questions that came up in the interviews. Suzanne helped me formulate responses to interview questions that were much more effective than responses I would have come up with on my own.
  
  Perhaps the best part of working with Suzanne was her dedication to the job search. She was very attentive and sincerely cared about placing me with a firm that matched my personal goals and personality. Most importantly, Suzanne's work yielded an excellent final result as I received offers from several highly ranked law firms. I highly recommend Suzanne to any attorney interested in making a lateral move.
  - J.S.
   
• Suzanne, I wish I had come to BCG Attorney Search first when I began my job search. I worked with a few recruiters in Texas before talking with you, but it was clear that YOU were fighting the hardest for me. There was a world of difference between my interactions with you and the other recruiters.
  - C.M.