The candidate that I just placed at a top Am Law 100 firm in San Francisco is a very strong candidate, but her practice is mixed. In terms of this candidate's very positive attributes, she is Class of 2015 (which is a great class year), has been at a well-respected Am Law 200 firm since her graduation from law school in 2015, did very well in law school (and was at a Top 20 law school), did very well in undergrad (although her undergraduate university is not well-known) and was on law review in law school. I found it particularly impressive that she has been at only one Am Law 200 firm since her graduation from law school, for the last four years. This is exceedingly rare. By now, most candidates of her class year have made at least one, if not two or more lateral law firm moves. She also has great academic credentials and was even on law review, even though she is a corporate candidate. This candidate's only potential Achilles' heels in my mind, were the fact that she has a very mixed practice, and that she isn't barred in a lot of the states to which I and my fellow Recruiters in other regions were applying her. In terms of her practice, she does about 40-50% tech transactions and data privacy, and the rest of her practice is mainly corporate governance, securities and a bit of M&A. When deciding how to market this candidate, I realized that she was likely to get the most traction in either tech transactions or data privacy, as these are very very hot practice areas right now, it is very hard to find candidates with sophisticated experience, top academics and top firm credentials to apply to the open positions in these practice areas at top firms and her corporate experience is not in M&A or venture capital, which is mainly where the need is at top firms.
I was working with this candidate in California, mainly SF and Silicon Valley, but she was also interested in the East Coast, the Midwest (where she is currently based) and the South. As a result, my company had a West Coast Recruiter, an East Coast Recruiter, a Midwest Recruiter and a Southern Recruiter all working on her file. We submitted her to around ten difference cities, and she ended up getting around 15 interviews, mostly at elite boutiques and Am Law 100 firms nationwide. This candidate got interviews in Charlotte, DC, SF, Silicon Valley, Denver, Atlanta, St. Louis and Northern Virginia. This is despite the fact that she is only barred in Missouri, where she is currently based, and Illinois! The experience of working with this candidate solidified in my mind the idea that very strong corporate, tech transactions and / or data privacy candidates do not necessarily need the bar license of the states to which they are applying.
In terms of my own experience with the candidate, she ended up getting callback interviews at three top Am Law 100 firms in San Francisco. One of the positions for which she was interviewing was a General Corporate position, one was a Tech Transactions position and one was a Data Privacy position. She ended up getting an offer from the firm with the General Corporate position, but they wanted her to take a two-year class year haircut, because as mentioned above, the candidate doesn't have M&A or VC experience, and would probably require extensive training in these areas. The firm for which she was interviewing with the Tech Transactions team didn't end up giving this candidate an offer, because her background is not technical enough / she doesn't have a technical undergraduate or graduate degree. I think that this firm really wanted technical attorneys that also had sophisticated experience drafting IP agreements, which, to be honest, I think will be hard for them to find. Finally, her first choice firm, the firm whose offer she ended up accepting, had advertised that they were looking to fill a tech transactions / data privacy position, but in the end, the position ended up being almost exclusively data privacy! This candidate has, to my knowledge, substantially more tech transactions than data privacy experience, but she is an author for her current firm's data privacy blog, and she does have some experience in this practice area (although she doesn't have any of the relevant certifications). Still, the firm offered her an Associate position with only a one-year class year haircut! She is the second attorney that I place recently in a data privacy position for whom a minority of her practice is data privacy. Just goes to show that data privacy is hot hot hot right now, especially in California, and attorneys with any relevant and sophisticated experience in this practice area may get some truly amazing traction at top Am Law 100 firms!
This candidate received the offer from the Top Am Law 100 firm for the data privacy position just this past Friday, and she accepted today, early Monday morning. She is so very excited to move to SF with her husband, and to lateral from an Am Law 200 firm to a top Am Law 100 firm, and in the cutting edge and exciting practice area of data privacy! I couldn't be happier for this candidate, and I know that she will excel at her new firm home!
About Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes is a prominent figure in the legal placement industry, known for his expertise in attorney placements and his extensive knowledge of the legal profession.
With over 25 years of experience, he has established himself as a leading voice in the field and has helped thousands of lawyers and law students find their ideal career paths.
Barnes is a former federal law clerk and associate at Quinn Emanuel and a graduate of the University of Chicago College and the University of Virginia Law School. He was a Rhodes Scholar Finalist at the University of Chicago and a member of the University of Virginia Law Review. Early in his legal career, he enrolled in Stanford Business School but dropped out because he missed legal recruiting too much.
Barnes' approach to the legal industry is rooted in his commitment to helping lawyers achieve their full potential. He believes that the key to success in the legal profession is to be proactive, persistent, and disciplined in one's approach to work and life. He encourages lawyers to take ownership of their careers and to focus on developing their skills and expertise in a way that aligns with their passions and interests.
One of how Barnes provides support to lawyers is through his writing. On his blog, HarrisonBarnes.com, and BCGSearch.com, he regularly shares his insights and advice on a range of topics related to the legal profession. Through his writing, he aims to empower lawyers to control their careers and make informed decisions about their professional development.
One of Barnes's fundamental philosophies in his writing is the importance of networking. He believes that networking is a critical component of career success and that it is essential for lawyers to establish relationships with others in their field. He encourages lawyers to attend events, join organizations, and connect with others in the legal community to build their professional networks.
Another central theme in Barnes' writing is the importance of personal and professional development. He believes that lawyers should continuously strive to improve themselves and develop their skills to succeed in their careers. He encourages lawyers to pursue ongoing education and training actively, read widely, and seek new opportunities for growth and development.
In addition to his work in the legal industry, Barnes is also a fitness and lifestyle enthusiast. He sees fitness and wellness as integral to his personal and professional development and encourages others to adopt a similar mindset. He starts his day at 4:00 am and dedicates several daily hours to running, weightlifting, and pursuing spiritual disciplines.
Finally, Barnes is a strong advocate for community service and giving back. He volunteers for the University of Chicago, where he is the former area chair of Los Angeles for the University of Chicago Admissions Office. He also serves as the President of the Young Presidents Organization's Century City Los Angeles Chapter, where he works to support and connect young business leaders.
In conclusion, Harrison Barnes is a visionary legal industry leader committed to helping lawyers achieve their full potential. Through his work at BCG Attorney Search, writing, and community involvement, he empowers lawyers to take control of their careers, develop their skills continuously, and lead fulfilling and successful lives. His philosophy of being proactive, persistent, and disciplined, combined with his focus on personal and professional development, makes him a valuable resource for anyone looking to succeed in the legal profession.
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.
