When faced with a career move, choosing among the "Big Firms" may be akin to playing the dating game, wherein you usually have two choices: presume they are all the same and blindly pick one or take so long to decide that you end up missing out on the best choice.
Allow me to dispel the first presumption: Not all big firms are the same. You may think they are; you would be wrong. Now that you know this, how do you find the "Big Firm" that is right for you? More important, how do you avoid taking too long when deciding which firm is actually the right one?
The answer is legwork. That's right. Do your homework. Attorneys spend hours choosing law schools, picking classes, and determining which clerkships to apply to, but they become uncharacteristically paralyzed with fear or apathetic when faced with the decision of having to choose among Big Firms.
There are two reasons why this happens. First, many attorneys presume all big firms are the same. If not the foregoing, then attorneys often adopt the "better the devil you know" attitude. Sound familiar? In other words, rather than commit to the footwork of investigating each firm on its own terms, attorneys often just close their eyes and pick one based upon the facts as they know them (or have heard about them). This is enormously bad judgment.
"Big Firms" can vary in every way. As such, decision-making cannot be carried out in a vacuum. The right answer will not appear in a dream or in your morning coffee grains (or respective tea leaves). Unless you commit yourself to doing the legwork, which requires taking the time to face the known as well as the unknown, you are placing yourself at a distinct disadvantage when you should be making smart, informed career decisions.
Okay. So what is legwork in this case? Research. Research may be divided into two areas: tangibles and intangibles. Not unlike choosing a mate-which requires numerous dates and discussions focused upon the exchange of job details, academic credentials, politics, and religion (the tangibles) as well as friends, talents, viewpoints, and future leanings (the intangibles)-choosing a firm requires a review of both sides of the coin. Tangibles may be identified as practice group rules, compensation, book and news reviews, and the three B's (billable hours, bonuses, and benefits). In contrast, intangibles may consist of firm culture, associate perspective (including Internet surveys, chat lines, and commentary), partner perspective, and your own intuition. The above lists are not all-inclusive. In short, you need to dedicate yourself to uncovering everything there is to know about the firm or firms to which you are drawn so that at the end of the day, the choice between two good candidates may not be easy, but it is manageable.
- a. First, investigate the practice group to which you may belong.
Ask questions. Lots of them. How many attorneys are in the group? What is the ratio of partners to associates? How is the work assigned? What is the rate of turnover in the past year? What about the rate of turnover during the past five years (pre- and post-9/11)? Is there crossover with other practice groups? If so, who is your supervising and reviewing attorney in the event of such crossover? Is it your primary practice group leader or the practice group leader of the group you are assisting? If partnership is something in which you are interested, how many attorneys in your class are in your practice group?
In other words-and there is no nice way of saying this-assess the competition. Assess your chances. When was the last time an attorney in your group made partner? Is a partner within this group deemed a service partner or is rainmaking a necessity? How much pull do the lead partners in the group have, overall, within the firm. In other words, if you put yourself in such a group and expect its partners to support you, is that support going to be solid? Bottom line: to whom will you be extending your allegiance?
- b. Second, investigate the compensation. Easy task.
What is it, and how does it compare to other similarly sized firms? Is it lockstep? Or is it based upon individual talents and credentials?
- c. Third, read the "news"-the firm's website, press releases, trade journals, and your regional bar papers.
Again, easy task. Each firm website has a press release or recent news link. Look at it. Know where the firm and its practitioners stand in the community, fall out in the market, and rank on local and national lists. Aside from this, take a trip to Barnes & Noble or any large-scale bookstore featuring a legal section. Within that section, you will find book after book featuring top firms throughout the country. Such reviews will list everything from compensation to bonuses to billables to vacation time to market rankings to which firm(s) only hire attractive people (These shall remain nameless.). Read and absorb all you can.
- d. Fourth, investigate the three B's (billable hours, bonus options, and benefits).
By New York City standards, there are commonly three types of billable hours: the baseline at which you avoid getting fired (usually 1,800 hours), the baseline at which you get a bonus (usually 2,000 hours), and the baseline at which get an extra-special bonus (usually 2,400 hours). How do these increments stack up against each other? How do the firms compare? How hard do you want to work? Does one firm require more to enter bonus territory than another one? Where does the bonus fall market-wise? Is it competitive? Is it discretionary? Guaranteed? What about benefits? Ask about everything from eye care, dental care, and 401K to the Family Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") in the event of maternity and/or paternity leave. Many firms are, in fact, offering several weeks of paternity leave for new fathers. If you don't ask, you don't know.
- So, you've done the first half of your job-ascertaining the tangibles, writing them down, charting them, and thinking about them over dinner. Do they sound good? Do the firms fit within your parameters? If so, you are ready to move on. You have ascertained the tangibles; now you must tangle with The Intangibles.
The Intangibles
The intangibles are a delightfully naughty breed. They are the ones you cannot put your finger on, but they will either dig at you or draw you in. Hence, they mandate investigation and acknowledgment. The intangibles consist of the following: firm culture, associate perspective (including Internet surveys, chat lines, and commentary), partner perspective, and your own intuition. Let's start with firm culture.
- a. First, what type of culture is encouraged at the firm?
Use your senses. While you are waiting for that interview, what do you see? Hear? Avoid just sitting there and reading a magazine. Look. Watch. Listen. Look at the office space, the bathroom, the associates. Are the associates in cramped offices? Are they still sharing an office at the fifth-year level? Is there a couch or nap corner in the bathroom? Look at the associates. Really look at them. Do they look happy? Tired? Unfazed? Do they smile at you while you are sitting in reception or look through you as if Casper (That means you.) just walked through the door?
Listen: Is the din you hear merely the coffee machine making a fresh brew of Starbucks? Is it quiet and library-like? Or is there yelling? If not yelling, do associates make generous use of speaker phone? Pay attention to the interaction between associates while you are waiting for your interview. Is there a sense of mutual respect or disrespect? Pay attention to the interaction between associates and staff. Does the respect, or lack thereof, remain?
- b. Associate perspective? What is it? There are two ways to find out
First, you can peruse Internet chat lines, websites (a/k/a greedyassociates.com), and review attorney surveys. BCG Attorney Search does not advocate any specific chat line, website, or attorney survey; we merely mention such options as tools for you to use in your movement toward discovery. All of the foregoing will inform you of the areas where the firm is weak and/or strong. Keep in mind, however, that it is, unfortunately, quite often the disgruntled who place their opinions on these sites; hence, review all such comments with a grain of salt. Better yet, schedule an associate lunch. During the interview period, or even post-offer, take the time to meet with at least two associates in your class, two associates who are one or two classes up and at least one associate who is situated one or two classes down. Over lunch-and away from the office-associates are more likely to give you their true perspective on life at the firm. A relaxed setting helps to break down invisible barriers and fear factors which might otherwise impose themselves on the discussion.
Finally, in addition to the aforementioned, speak to friends and friends of friends who know the firm, work at the firm, and/or worked with the firm. Ask these individuals many questions. Get the word on the street. There is one; you just have to find it.
c. Partner perspective? What is it?
If you can, meet with all of the key partners in your group. I cannot tell you how many times I meet with candidates who tell me they are leaving their firms because they are not working with the partners they were promised they would be working with when they interviewed. Sad story? Yes. Unfortunately, it's an all too common story. If you do not take the time to meet with all the partners and hedge your bets, you are being unwise. There are no guarantees during hiring-unless they are in writing-and even those can be arguably ambiguous. The firm is there to promise you great things in the hope that you will join them. Once you join, they are moving on to the next candidate. That's not cruel. That's reality. Take stock of and be aware of your own reality. If you meet with five partners, but only like Ms. Smith, and then the firm promises that you will only work with Ms. Smith, is that a trustworthy promise? Do you really want to take that chance? If you decide to join the firm only because of that promise, think again. In addition to the above, know the partnership's focus on the future. Where do they see the department going? Who are the rainmakers? The rainmakers set the tone of the entire department. If you do not ascertain the tone, how can you accept a position?
d. Intuition. Yes, it sounds stupid.
It sounds new age and alternative and/or insane. Take your pick. Whatever you want to call it, tap into it. At each and every meeting, interview, luncheon, etc., you will get a feeling that either this is right or this is not right. Don't ignore this message. Your subconscious is structured to pick up on clues that your conscious mind will overlook. Again, it's like dating. You know it when you have a feeling that you can't explain telling you to either ask for the check and run like hell or suggest post-dinner drinks? You don't ignore that feeling in that situation, do you? Don't ignore it now.
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Ruminate over your findings.
Okay, you've gotten this far. Welcome. Welcome to your own West Side Story, where the tangibles (a/k/a the Jets) and the intangibles (a/k/a the Sharks) take on matchmaking full-throttle. Here is where the rumble begins.
Whether you need to write a pro or con list, create a spreadsheet, pour yourself a stiff Scotch or draw yourself hot bath, take your time to think and ruminate about all your findings. Sift through the tangibles. Set them up against the intangibles and look for inconsistencies and similarities. First, analyze each firm on its own. Second, compare the firms against each other. You will find through your comparisons that not all "Big Firms" are the same. Each has its own distinct environment, financial goals, value system, associate lifestyle, and future aspirations. Once you are able to note the differences, choosing among the "Big Firms" becomes a much simpler task. The unknowns have been removed and replaced by knowledge.
Like dating, where it is also a choice between "candidates," only one is really going to be the right one for you for the long haul. Invest the time it takes to make an informed decision. Would you proffer a proposal without knowing the person? Would you accept a proposal without knowing the proposer? You will spend a large chunk of your life and free time at your firm-eating, sleeping, drinking, and living your choice. It is, in fact, more than dating; it's a marriage. Choose wisely.
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.
Harrison Barnes does a weekly free webinar with live Q&A for attorneys and law students each Wednesday at 10:00 am PST. You can attend anonymously and ask questions about your career, this article, or any other legal career-related topics. You can sign up for the weekly webinar here: Register on Zoom
Harrison also does a weekly free webinar with live Q&A for law firms, companies, and others who hire attorneys each Wednesday at 10:00 am PST. You can sign up for the weekly webinar here: Register on Zoom
You can browse a list of past webinars here: Webinar Replays
You can also listen to Harrison Barnes Podcasts here: Attorney Career Advice Podcasts
You can also read Harrison Barnes' articles and books here: Harrison's Perspectives
Harrison Barnes is the legal profession's mentor and may be the only person in your legal career who will tell you why you are not reaching your full potential and what you really need to do to grow as an attorney--regardless of how much it hurts. If you prefer truth to stagnation, growth to comfort, and actionable ideas instead of fluffy concepts, you and Harrison will get along just fine. If, however, you want to stay where you are, talk about your past successes, and feel comfortable, Harrison is not for you.
Truly great mentors are like parents, doctors, therapists, spiritual figures, and others because in order to help you they need to expose you to pain and expose your weaknesses. But suppose you act on the advice and pain created by a mentor. In that case, you will become better: a better attorney, better employees, a better boss, know where you are going, and appreciate where you have been--you will hopefully also become a happier and better person. As you learn from Harrison, he hopes he will become your mentor.
To read more career and life advice articles visit Harrison's personal blog.