Such was the case with the most recent candidate that I placed. She is Class of 2015, passed the bar on her first try, attended a strong law school in San Diego, did not do particularly well there (earning just below a 3.0 GPA), participated in Mock Trial, attended a UC school for her undergraduate studies and is fluent in Spanish. So overall, while her schools are decent / fairly strong, her GPA is not necessarily competitive (I often have trouble placing candidates with a GPA of below a 3.0). To add to the difficulty of the situation, this candidate's work experience has been mixed since law school. She started as a Staff Attorney, Graduate Law Clerk and Certified Legal Intern at her school's Legal Clinics, working there for just a few months post-graduation from law school. She then joined a small San Diego firm as a Staff Attorney, working there for just over a year. Her practice at this firm focused on class action securities litigation, and she was not partnership track (Staff Attorneys normally are not). The honest truth is that attorneys with the title "Contract Attorney" or "Staff Attorney" on their resume, even if in the past, often have trouble landing jobs as Associates at law firms. I think that this is because a prospective employer doesn't necessarily trust the experience that the attorney has gotten to date, and may think that the attorney not offered a partnership-track position because of some deficiency on his or her part. Firms are generally conservative in their hiring, and don't want to take any chances on a potential hire. They really want to see attorney resumes with only the title "Associate" on them, for any current or past experience that the attorney has under his or her belt.
This candidate's "saving grace" was that for the past 2.5 years, she has been working at a small, public entity-focused firm between the OC and San Diego, and her practice has focused largely on defense-side employment litigation. 70% of her current practice centers around Labor & Employment / Employment Litigation, 15% around Education and 15% around Union issues. She is also an Associate Attorney now, so she is on partnership track. As mentioned above, Labor & Employment is a very hot and sought-after practice area in California, so candidates with strong and substantive defense-side experience, even if otherwise clunky, may have success in lateraling to a decent to strong firm. The other thing that I think helped this candidate was that she is in a small market. While this meant fewer positions for us to apply her to (we only applied her to three), it also means that firms in San Diego generally have a smaller pool of candidates to choose from. Interestingly enough, even if a candidate that is based in LA or the OC says that he or she is interested in San Diego, I find that San Diego firms often only want to consider candidates that are currently located in San Diego and / or have strong ties to the area. This candidate lives in San Diego / has a San Diego address on her resume, and currently commutes to her firm (which is located between the OC and San Diego). So, I believe that this also gave her a leg-up with the firm that ended up hiring her.
As mentioned above, we only applied this candidate to three firms, towards the end of September. The largest of the three firms that we had applied her to, a strong, mid-sized, California-based firm, immediately responded to her application materials, asking to set up a phone interview between her and the head of the firm's Labor & Employment practice group. From there, the firm asked to review her writing sample (writing samples are important, and should be taken seriously! They can make the difference between a rejection and an offer!), and asked to set up a lunch interview with the candidate, which the head of the practice group and a Partner in San Diego attended. The two Partners drove to the candidate to have lunch with her, even though her current firm is located a good hour north of San Diego! They clearly really liked her and her experience, and wanted to do everything possible to get her to join.
The candidate ended up receiving an offer soon after the lunch, at a base that is 25% higher than her current base! She accepted the next day, in early October (just a couple of weeks after we started working together!), and she will be attending the firm's Labor & Employment retreat this weekend! This opportunity is a pretty amazing one for my candidate, as she will be lateraling from a ten-person, public entity-focused firm to a firm of around 100 attorneys, that has a strong presence and several offices in California, and that does a lot of work with private employers. From this firm, I think that this candidate will be able to lateral up to an even bigger and more prestigious firm in a couple of years, if she so chooses. She is very excited about joining the firm at which she has accepted, and I couldn't be happier for her!
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.
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.
