A Career Guide for Law Firm Partners

With clear and proven insights on rainmaking, business plans, lateral moves and more, BCG's Comprehensive Guide for Law Firm Partners is a must-have resource for all law firm partners and future partners.


  Click here to download BCG's Comprehensive Guide for Law Firm Partners.
We have been in the legal recruiting business for a long time and have witnessed countless attorney careers rise, fall or stagnate based on the attorney's mastery of the business of lawas opposed to the intellectual nuances of it. Time and time again, the lawyers who succeed are the ones who approach their legal careers as businesses that need relationships, business plans and carefully crafted career moves to grow.


If this does not come naturally to you, don't worry! That's what we are here for. The Guide gives you the seeds of growth. All you need to do is plant, nurture and cultivate them. The Guide covers:
Rainmaking

• Where to look for new business.p. 34
• How to find clients just about anywhere.p.34
• How to ask for business without stressing.p.68
• How savvy partners use economic downturns to grow business.p.17
• How to put yourself on the fast track to a trusted advisor role with clients.p.18
• Why you should call your clients regularly just to check in.p.18
• How to get a lot of business fast.p.72
• How to be good at marketing even if you are shy.p.44
• How to strengthen client relationships while getting CLE credit.p.19
• Twelve guidelines for building the relationships you need to succeed.p.72
• The grim reality of being a lawyer with no business.p.45
• The intangible factors that go into being a rainmaker.p.67
• The number one method to acquire business. p. 64
• The number two method to acquire business.p.64
• How to do follow-up for relationship-building activities.p.72
• The importance of cross-selling efforts right now.p.20
• A three-step approach for asking a client for business.P.67
• How a common love of dogs or books can get you business.p.74
• The best ways to network.p.68
• Why rainmakers ask open-ended questions.p.72
• Why rainmakers provide strategic advice to clients.p.18
• Forty-seven activities that can expand your book of business.p.72
• Why you should add Google News Alerts for each of your clients.p.18
• Why you should join LinkedIn.p.68
• Special rainmaking tips for female attorneys.p.83
• Why learning how to play golf is never a bad idea.p.88
• How to sell your firm over another in a classy way.p.67
• Why you should try again with potential clients who said no before.p.68
• The reason every lawyer should be a rainmaker.p.29
• Why in-house counsel need to think about portables too.p.131
• Great marketing resources.p.44

Business Plans

• Seven key attributes of all great business plans.p.10
• Ten critical elements of all great business plans.p. 11
• Easy steps that even beginners can take to draft a business plan.p.28
• The single most important part of your business plan. p. 2
• The problem with being too cautious in estimating portables.p.2
• How to use a lateral hiring questionnaire to your advantage.p.2
• The importance of keeping detailed billing records.p.3
• The significance of "three years" when it comes to portables.p.3
• How to compute potential portables.p.4
• Knowing when you can include a client with multiple ties in your portables.p.3
• Steps you need to take with clients you include as potential portables.p.5
• Why you can't neglect the cross-selling part of your business plan.p.6
• The importance of breadth over length when it comes to business plans.p.8
• Customizing a business plan for a specific firm.P.8
• Where market research fits into a business plan.p.11
• How to handle confidential information in your business plan.p.14
• The reason why you need to sell yourself in writing plus in person.p.16
• How your business plan is related to the salary you want.p.25
• A step-by-step approach to a business plan that can make the difference.p.28
• The importance of staying true to yourself in your business plan.p.33
• Why you should write your business plan and not your recruiter.p.70
• Why it is never too soon to create a business plan.p.27

General Advice

• How to make a career map.p.21
• Why you need three-year goals and five-year goals.p.24
• How to make the most of your non-billable hours so they payoff in the end.p.30
• The most important thing you can do for your career.p.45
• Why you need to ask what you liked doing most at work this week.p.23
• Why you can never talk too much about your work.p.37
• When you need to stop talking and listen.p.40
• Why honesty is the best policy in the long run.p.38
• Why a personal mission statement is not corny.p.48
• The importance of specialization.p.42
• The advantages of personal business planning.p.47
• The biggest landmines attorneys face when it comes to planning.p.50
• How to become more successful by thinking of yourself as a small business.p.76
• How to market yourself and the product you offer.p.80
• A sixteen-step plan to moving your portables.p.134
• A great way to demonstrate you are committed and a go-getter. p. 29
• What you should know about the "roller-coaster rule."p.89
• What new partners should think about early in their partnerships.p.90?
• What partners should do when they feel stuck in their careers.p.91
• What partners should expect in Phase IV of their careers.p.92

Partners and Recruiters

• What a good legal search firm should do.p.51
• Seven things a good recruiter should be able to tell you.p.107
• Why you should meet with a recruiter even if you are happy where you are.p.110
• The stages of the legal recruiting process.p.113
• How recruiters vet the credibility of applicants.p.116
• The least amount of contacts any good recruiter should have.p.121

Lateral Movements

• The main reasons partners make lateral moves.p.51
• The number one priority when it comes to making the lateral switch.p.51
• Nine issues you should consider when you think about making a move.p.52
• Why you need to know how much debt your potential new firm has.p.52
• Why your potential new firm's billing rates matter.p.53
• What factors firms consider when making partner-hiring decisions.p.9
• Twenty questions you should ask yourself to see if its time for a move.p.59
• The number one thing you should never discuss with a potential new firm.p.99
• Why you should talk to support staff at your potential new firm.p.55
• How to get down to the nitty-gritty of assessing a firm's culture.p.56
• Deciding if a one- or two-tiered partnership in better for you.p.61
• Advantages of a two-tiered partnership system.p.63
• Key questions to ask before signing a new partnership agreement.p.55
• The best ways to kick off your new partnership position.p.88
• Special insights for non-equity tax partners who want to switch firms.p.94
• What to do when your firm mergers with another firm.p.95
• Why you should look into cross-selling opportunities presented by a merger.p.97
• How to leave your current firm with solidrelationships.p.101
• Tips to smoothly transition to a new firm.p.99
• State bar rules to consider when you switch firms.p.100
• Insurance issues to consider when you switch firms.p.101

Click here to download this guide.


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.