Q: Can BCG help someone find a job in a geographic area not generally associated with his or her practice area, such as an entertainment attorney in Nebraska or an agricultural property lawyer in New York City?
James LaFontaine, Chicago
A: It really depends on the practice area and the city. Some practices do not need to use recruiters; these groups will hire candidates through contacts or word-of-mouth. Likewise, some areas of the country, such as Nebraska, do not have a large enough legal market to require the services of a recruiter. Within large cities such as Los Angeles and New York, some entertainment practices work with recruiters. I do not think I’ve ever come across an opening for agricultural property, so I doubt these practices would use a recruiter. Other practices that do not generally work with recruiters are personal injury, immigration, insurance defense (not insurance coverage—that is very different), civil rights, criminal law, and family law.