Partner Job Search Resources

The BCG Attorney Search 2018 State of the American Lateral Law Firm Legal Market Report

• The 2017 legal market was one of the better legal markets on record. We placed 30% more attorneys in 2017 than we placed in 2016—and 2016 was a very good legal market.
• While the partner market was healthy, the associate market was far healthier than it has been in a generation. The market is doing well in every part of the country.
• Provided there is no crash, the 2018 market should be an even better market than 2017.
• Litigation was surprisingly active in smaller to midsized law firms and very slow in the largest law firms. Large law firms have continued to have reduced hiring in 2017. Large law firms have also started creating more and more staff attorney roles for litigators. We saw numerous law firms do this in 2017 that formerly would have hired regular associates.
• Niche practice areas remained very popular and the easiest to get jobs in. The more “niche” an attorney’s background, the more marketable they are likely to be. Attorneys in the most niche practice areas that are geographically flexible were almost always able to land positions.
• For many niche practice areas, it became easier for attorneys to get hired at top law firms than it has ever been. Large law firms are finding a lack of talent for attorneys in many niche practice areas and hiring more and more of them.
• Corporate generalist hiring was much less robust than it was in the previous years; however, corporate finance has gotten busier.
• Overall, corporate was extremely competitive to get positions within the largest law firms, but smaller to midsized firms were hungry for attorneys in corporate.
• Real estate was very slow. There was hardly any activity in real estate all year, and real estate attorneys had a difficult time.
• More and larger law firms are moving away from employment-related work. Many of those that are not are hiring “staff attorneys” to do the day-to-day related employment work. In an interesting twist, many employment-only firms did a lot of hiring in 2017 and were increasingly demanding the best talent.
• Trademark is traditionally a “barometer” of a healthy economy with new businesses being started—we saw more trademark jobs in the last month of 2017 than we have ever seen. Many large law firms are hiring staff attorneys to do trademark work, however.
• Senior level litigators had a very, very difficult time getting positions in larger markets. Litigation is increasingly becoming a dangerous practice area for large law firm attorneys with few opportunities for advancement.
• More and more millennials seem to be interested in smaller law firms and unconcerned about compensation and leaving large law firms than ever before—many are simply quitting.
• Diversity has become something that is extremely important to law firms. This has become so important that this year I wrote a book about diversity for law firms and applicants that can be found here: Law Firm Diversity: How Race, Gender, Age, Social and Economic Divisions Impact the Hiring, Retention and Advancement of Law Firm Attorneys

Article type: State of the Legal Market, Partner Job Search Resources, Attorney Career Advice, Law Firm Culture & Economics, Specific Practice Areas

Are Virtual Firms “Worth It” for Partners? 20 Questions Partners Should Ask Before Joining a Virtual Law Firm

Summary: Are you considering leaving your current firm and joining a virtual law firm? Make sure you ask yourself these important questions first. READ MORE >

Article type: Partner Job Search Resources, Law Firm Culture & Economics

The BCG Attorney Search 2017 State of the American Lateral Law Firm Legal Market Report

• Changes have occurred in the legal world according to the 2016-2017 State of the Market Report.
• For instance, hiring law firms are far more interested in an attorney’s niche practice than a generalist-type attorney.
• Niche practices have also shown themselves as more important for job hunting attorneys than where they went to law school.

Article type: State of the Legal Market, Partner Job Search Resources, Attorney Career Advice, Law Firm Culture & Economics, Law, Society & Culture, Specific Practice Areas

Three Simple Ways to Tell If You Should Work (or Continue to Work) in a Law Firm

• Why do you think you are equipped to work at a law firm?
• Before sending out resumes, applications and interviewing, you should make sure you are law firm material.
• Keep reading to learn three important questions you should ask yourself as you embark further in your law career.

Article type: Attorney Career Choices, Partner Job Search Resources, Career Advice for Attorneys

Top 10 Reasons Why Older Attorneys Have a More Difficult Time Getting Law Firm Jobs

• It can be difficult for an older attorney to find work in a law firm.
• Culture can be the reason, as well as some firms tend to favor younger attorneys.
• Keep reading to learn of more reasons it’s difficult for older attorneys to get work, but to also potentially increase their chances to finally be hired by a firm.

Article type: Attorney Career Advice, Partner Job Search Resources, Law, Society & Culture

What Happens When You Work with a BCG Attorney Search Legal Placement Professional?

Summary: Learn more about the entire process BCG Attorney Search goes through for every legal placement it makes. READ MORE >

Article type: Attorney Career Advice, Legal Recruiting, Partner Job Search Resources

21 Reasons Why Being a Large Law Firm Partner Is More Difficult Than Being an Associate

• Ascending to the role of partner is a dream for any associate.
• However, there are challenges to being a partner that an associate may not know about.
• Keep reading to find out what those challenges are.

Article type: Law Firm Research, Partner Job Search Resources, Law Firm Culture & Economics

Why You Should Find Your “Tribe” and Not Just Focus on Money in Making Law Firm Job Decisions

• To work as an attorney in an established law firm, a person should know themselves as a person and attorney.
• Where their focus should not be is on money.
• Instead, a candidate should look out for others like him or herself.

Article type: Attorney Career Choices, Partner Job Search Resources, Law, Society & Culture

Why Most Attorneys Are Depressed and Unhappy

• What is one of the main reasons most attorneys are unhappy with their work?
• How about the fact that they are human, and at some point have displayed too much humanity of themselves.
• Counterintuitive as law firms are, large law firm culture often frowns upon being “too human” on the job.
• This is what can lead some attorneys to look for new law firms to work in.

Article type: Attorney Career Advice, Legal Employer Resource Center, Partner Job Search Resources, The Winning Mindset

Why Most Attorneys Are Angry

• Competitiveness, unfair circumstances, an Olympic athlete who’s become a lawyer, though not with the grades and experience you have is hired over you.
• These are reasons for attorneys to be upset.
• Continue reading to find out why this and other scenarios have left attorneys frustrated and angry.
• Just remember: don’t blame others for your lack of success.
• You only have yourself to blame.

Article type: Attorney Career Advice, Legal Employer Resource Center, Partner Job Search Resources, The Winning Mindset

Two Things the Most Successful 5% of Attorneys Do That the Rest Do Not

• Are you a strategic or tactical attorney?
• Learn in this article how being a combination of both might be the best combination for you if you want to become a successful lawyer.

Article type: Partner Job Search Resources, Attorney Career Advice, The Winning Mindset

How to Easily Determine the Best Attorneys and Law Firms: The Five Prestige Levels of Attorneys and Law Firms

• Many recruiters use a five-level system to determine the ability of a law firm candidate.
• Of course, those levels are based on criteria not just of the client, but the law firm as well.
• That can include the firm’s client base’s stature and the prestige level of the firm’s partners.
• For the candidate, their law school grades and work ethic are used for evaluation.

Article type: Partner Job Search Resources, Attorney Career Advice, Law, Society & Culture

Representative Matters Lists and Deal Sheets

Summary: You need to have a list of cases you have worked on or deals you have helped close to show law firms what you have done. Learn more in this article. READ MORE >

Article type: Partner Job Search Resources, Attorney Career Advice

BCG’s Comprehensive Guide for Law Firm Partners: The Must-Have Resource for All Law Firm Partners and Future Partners

Summary: 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. READ MORE >

Article type: Getting Legal Business, Partner Business Plan Resources, Partner Job Search Resources

Three Critical Investments New Law Firm Partners Need to Make to Succeed

Summary: In order to ensure a bright future, new law firm partners should make these three critical investments in their career. READ MORE >

Article type: Getting Legal Business, Partner Job Search Resources