The One Characteristic that Separates Average Attorneys from Exceptional Attorneys: The Best Attorneys are Hungry for Information

   

Harrison Barnes

A recruiter of ours called an associate at a law firm. The associate told the recruiter in no uncertain terms that he/she was extremely happy where he/she was and would never consider another opportunity under any circumstances. The associate also warned the recruiter that he "had better be careful" because the associate worked directly with the hiring partner of this law firm. The recruiter (who is used to recruiting high-level partners) was amused by this. About 10 minutes later, the recruiter called the hiring partner at the same firm. The partner told the recruiter that for the right opportunity, he and "some of his associates" would be interested in moving. The partner questioned the recruiter for about 60 minutes about opportunities in the market, and the recruiter eventually had to get the partner off the phone to get home for dinner. The partner told the recruiter he wanted him to come down and speak with him when he had some time.

What many attorneys do not realize, but should, is that information about the job market can be one of the most important resources for the advancement of their careers. Because I am a legal recruiter, I know that top associates and partners inside law firms often keep a dialogue going with recruiters for years. They do this not because they are unhappy, bored, or underpaid, but because they want to know information about the market. As an attorney, there are few things you can do with your time that are more productive than learning about what is going on in the market: You and your career are both commodities, and you want to make the best use of these commodities.


While many of these partners and associates may not move for years (if ever), they are always keeping an open dialogue. It is much more common for better attorneys to keep an ongoing dialogue with a recruiter than it is for lesser attorneys. The reason, I believe, is that an excellent attorney realizes his/her career is a commodity that needs a market to thrive. A recruiter offers the attorney knowledge about the market for his/her skills, as well as other general information about the job market. Regardless of how you get this information, it can be extremely useful.

This article analyzes the importance of information to your legal career. Regardless of whether you are happy or unhappy with your current employment situation, you should know that good information can make all the difference. Information is useful (indeed essential) to your legal career because it (1) lets you know if you are on the right track, (2) gives you options, and (3) can improve your life and career.

See the following articles for more information:
 

• The Only Way to Be Happy Practicing Law
• Finding Bliss at the Bar: How to Be a Happy Lawyer
• How to Ensure Career Satisfaction and Happiness as an Attorney
• Why Most Attorneys Are Depressed and Unhappy

Information lets you know if you are on the right track

Most of us have weak points that we like to avoid. If you are overweight, you may want to avoid the scale. If you have difficulty saving money, you may want to avoid looking at your bank balance. If you are unhappy, you may want to avoid happy people. Seeing aspects of ourselves that we are not necessarily proud of and confronting these aspects is never easy. The same holds true for your legal career.

One of the largest benefits of information is that it can let you know if you are on the right track. Legal recruiters deal with employers all day long. They know the sorts of attorneys that are likely to get interviews and how marketable each attorney is. Accordingly, a good legal recruiter can almost always tell you if you are marketable after speaking with you for 10-15 minutes. Moreover, the better a legal recruiter gets to know you, the more he/she can tell you about where, specifically, you are marketable. Once you have this information at your disposal, you can know how you are doing. If you are not marketable, you can ask the recruiter why. If you are extremely marketable, you can also ask the recruiter why.

It is very easy for attorneys to get off track in their legal careers. If attorneys are concerned about feeling good about themselves and not confronting the potentially negative aspects of their experiences, they can get seriously off track. You can get off track without even knowing it. In law firms, there are numerous ways attorneys can get off track. Some of these include (1) being in a law firm where they are getting too specialized, (2) not getting enough experience for an attorney of your class level, (3) being overworked without the opportunity to ever bring in business, (4) being increasingly underpaid compared to your peers the more your career advances, (5) being in an environment where you are unlikely to ever advance, or even (6) not being aggressively critiqued and developing negative work habits.

Most attorneys have no idea what makes them on track or off track, even though they think they do. There are numerous aspects of an attorney's position with a given employer that can rapidly throw him/her off track. Being aware of these aspects of your career is something that can only help you. A legal recruiter can point these out to you and assist you in realizing what may be wrong.

When you are speaking with a legal recruiter about the market, you are essentially speaking with an "ambassador" of the market itself. A good legal recruiter is quite intimately attached to the market and knows the pitfalls attorneys can fall into. The recruiter makes his/her living on identifying attorneys who are on the right track. Because it is in the recruiter's best interest to work with the best attorneys, even a negative conversation with a legal recruiter can be beneficial to you. A legal recruiter can tell you what is wrong; and once you know that, you can do your best to change it—at your current employer or elsewhere.

In this respect, a good recruiter is not at all unlike a coach. A good coach makes you aware of your weaknesses and helps you improve your game. Most top athletes and others have top coaches involved in their careers.

When you consider that a legal recruiter is like a coach, it should not be surprising that the best attorneys tend to be quite open to speaking with a legal recruiter. You need to understand that in many employment environments, it is not always in the employer's best interest to point out your weaknesses, the weakness of the experience it is providing you, the lack of advancement potential available to you, and the fact that you are not going to be marketable after a few more years there. A legal recruiter can do this. This is one reason why I think the best attorneys are the ones who speak with legal recruiters the most enthusiastically.

See the following articles for more information:
 

• Mentors, Attachment Disorders, and Your Career
• Instead of Seeking Praise, Seek Criticism
• Lessons of Stars: How to Be a Star in Your Life and Career
• Are You a Quality Product?

Information gives you options

Young attorneys are often the most adverse to knowing what is going on in the market. Among all the reasons I believe this is true is that young attorneys do not know the necessity of having options. Most senior attorneys, in contrast, know the importance of having options at all times. They come to think of this as a necessity.

Any attorney who has been practicing for more than 10 years has almost undoubtedly been involved with a legal employer that (1) has run into serious economic straits at some point and let numerous attorneys go for "performance difficulties" (or simply been honest and termed these staff reductions as layoffs), (2) gone out of business, (3) has fired him/her with little notice and for no apparent reason, or (4) known attorneys who have been the victims of these reductions. Accordingly, the more senior an attorney gets, the more he/she is willing to listen to a recruiter who knows what is going on in the job market.

Knowing about available positions in the market, and where you are marketable, gives you options. An attorney who communicates with recruiters (or employs other means to learn of job openings) knows that if he/she needs to, he/she can move—and often move quickly. Most attorneys at firms that are in financial trouble, or who have been let go for no apparent reason, have little idea what is coming until it is too late. Speaking with a recruiter on an ongoing basis, or even just being aware of what is happening in the market, can help you avoid this.

Most good recruiters know this. If a recruiter is calling you every six to seven months, for example, he/she is trying to stay fresh in your mind. Having his/her business card on hand can really help you if things ever go wrong with your employer. If you are planning on a career in the law, the chances are things will go wrong with your employer at some time in your career. When you need a recruiter's help, you need to ensure that you are on good terms with him/her.
 

• See A Comprehensive Guide to Working with a Legal Recruiter for more information.

Information can improve your life and career and fulfill your needs

I speak with attorneys all day long, all week long. I am also an attorney and have numerous friends and acquaintances that are attorneys. Many of them are unhappy, even though a large proportion of these attorneys enjoys some aspect of what they are doing. For example, a litigator may enjoy writing motions, but hate going to court. A patent attorney may love doing electrical patents, but hate doing mechanical ones. One attorney may want shorter hours; another may want more money.

Everyone wants something different. Regardless of what your unique needs are as an attorney, the chances are that if your needs are reasonable, there is an employer out there that offers something very close to what you are seeking. This is almost a given. If an attorney has needs that are not being satisfied in his/her current employment situation, he/she can likely find it if he keeps a dialogue with a recruiter going long enough. A recruiter is likely to know—more than any other source—who that specific employer is.

By getting information, you have the ability to improve your life and career. All you need to do is ask for it.

I have often been amazed when I am carrying out searches for a given law firm. Attorneys often do not want to know that something better is out there, despite the fact that it is. When you receive a telephone call from a recruiter, he/she may be calling you to say something like the following:

"John, listen. My client is more prestigious, pays 50% more money than you are making in your current position, and will require you to work less on work you will enjoy more."

Everyone has reasons for staying at his/her current employer, and if your current employer treats you well, then you should stay. Nevertheless, if knowing about an opening or a need at a particular firm can really change your life that much, you should certainly do your best to learn that information.
 

• Of course, that characteristic doesn’t stand alone — it builds on the essential skills and qualities attorneys must develop to succeed and survive throughout their careers.

See the following articles for more information:
 

• Police Chases, Foreclosures and Access to Information
• You Need to Enjoy What You Are Doing

Conclusions

When you think about it, information is an extremely valuable commodity. It serves the purpose that it can reassure you, correct you if you are doing something wrong (i.e., coach you), offer you security, and potentially improve your life and career.

Far too few attorneys seek out information or absorb it when they get it. Some of the most valuable conversations I have ever had are ones where people have given me information that I can use to improve my career. A call from a recruiter, or knowledge about specific openings, is just that. Make the most of the information out there.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the best attorneys want and indeed crave information. The reason, I suspect, is that there is nothing negative about this information whatsoever. Indeed, this information helps you grow as an attorney-no matter how you make use of it.

See the following articles for more information:
 

• How to Be a Successful Attorney
• Showing Up: The Difference between Those Who Get Hired and Advance in Law Firms and Those Who Do Not
• Two Things the Most Successful 5% of Attorneys Do That the Rest Do Not
• The Most Important Characteristic Attorneys Need to Succeed and Why It Is Almost Impossible for Them to Keep It
• Top 10 Ways Attorneys Can Move to a Better Law Firm and Get a Better Attorney Job
• 10 Biggest Career Mistakes Big Law Firm Attorneys Make (and 10 Ways to Survive in a Big Firm)
• Why Attorneys with 5+ Years of Law Firm Experience Are in Serious Trouble (and Seven Steps They Need to Take to Save Their Legal Careers)

 

Click here to contact Harrison

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
• Family Law
• Trust and Estate
• 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.

• His articles on BCG Search alone are read by over 150,000 attorneys per month, making his guidance the most sought-after in the legal field. Read his latest insights here.
• He has conducted hundreds of hours of career development webinars, available here: Harrison Barnes Webinar Replays.
• His placement success is unmatched-see examples here: Harrison Barnes' Attorney Placements.
• He has created numerous comprehensive career development courses, including BigLaw Breakthrough, designed to help attorneys land positions at elite law firms.

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.

Harrison's reach, experience, and proven results make him the best legal recruiter in the industry. Don't settle for an average recruiter-work with the one who has changed the careers of thousands of attorneys and can do the same for you.

About BCG Attorney Search

BCG Attorney Search matches attorneys and law firms with unparalleled expertise and drive, while achieving results. Known globally for its success in locating and placing attorneys in law firms of all sizes, BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys in law firms in thousands of different law firms around the country. Unlike other legal placement firms, BCG Attorney Search brings massive resources of over 150 employees to its placement efforts locating positions and opportunities its competitors simply cannot. Every legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search is a former successful attorney who attended a top law school, worked in top law firms and brought massive drive and commitment to their work. BCG Attorney Search legal recruiters take your legal career seriously and understand attorneys. For more information, please visit www.BCGSearch.com.