Cataloguing Your Experience

Regardless of whether or not you are in the midst of a job search, taking the time to thoroughly and quantitatively catalog your legal work experience to date can be a highly beneficial exercise.  I’ll start first with a few examples of what this might look like depending on your practice area, and then discuss the benefits of doing this in the context of both an active job search or as a useful metric for making yourself a better attorney.
 
Corporate and Real Estate: Typically called a “deal sheet” or a “list of representative matters,” most transactional attorneys will have a 1-2 page list of their most recent and/or most significant deals, ideally separated into specific categories such as “M&A,” “Finance,” “Restructuring,” or whatever transactional subcategories are appropriate to the type of work the attorney has done.  Essentially an extension of a corporate attorney’s resume, helpful details also include the total value of each matter and the attorney’s role or tasks performed on each matter (e.g., served as first chair on an acquisition of the assets of Company A by Company B, valued at $50 million dollars).
 
If you are currently conducting or thinking of embarking on a job search as a transactional attorney, firms will request a deal sheet the majority of the time, so it is a good idea to keep one up to date as you progress through your career so that you do not have to scramble to put one together when the time comes.
 
Litigation: Most firms will not request or require a representative matter list from their litigation candidates, however I still find that it is extremely helpful for litigation candidates to do a survey of all their past work to list the cases they’ve worked on and the tasks they performed for those cases.  Helpful information for each case will include the type of case (e.g., contract dispute, fraud, securities litigation, etc.), the type of court (e.g., N.D. California, First Court of Appeals of Texas, etc.), and the attorney’s role or tasks performed in the case (conducted percipient and expert witness depositions, drafted motion for summary judgment, second-chaired jury trial, etc.).

Even if you do not submit the full list to firms, having a catalog of your past work will help you quantify your experience and explain to a potential future employer what value you bring to the table in your resume and cover letter.  “Conducted over 15 depositions of percipient and expert witnesses in state and federal commercial litigation matters” sounds much more impressive and concrete than a bullet point that simply says “deposition experience.”  Creating and having such a list on hand is also going to be invaluable for interview preparation, as you will inevitably be asked to describe your work experience in particular areas, and it is easy to forget or omit important aspects of your work if you have not recently thought about them.


Additionally, if you have a mix of general class action business litigation experience as well as a decent amount of labor and employment litigation experience, you can pull the most relevant information from your representative matter list to create different versions of your resume to target job listings seeking different experience.  Your resume will be the first (and perhaps only) thing a hiring partner sees from your application, and so you want to convey as best as possible how your experience fits with the job listing and the particular practice group to which you are applying.  This is much easier if you have created a representative matter list beforehand.

Patent Agents and Attorneys: Patent practice is quite specific, and most patent practices will often specialize in servicing particular types of clients in particular technical areas.  Thus, the hiring partners in any given patent practice will want to know the depth and extent of a candidate’s experience with the technologies most relevant to themselves and their clients.  If you are a patent agent or attorney, you should put together a list of the patents you have drafted and office actions and appeals you have worked on, categorized by particular technical area (e.g., Software: drafted 25 patent applications, responded to 10 office actions; Wireless Technologies: drafted 5 patents and responded to 2 office actions).  You should also make sure to have a writing sample, preferably a published patent application, for each technical area in which you have expertise, as firms will often want to see how you grasp and present the technical issues as well as get a sense of your general writing ability.

Why This Is Helpful:  Cataloguing your experience in this manner is obviously helpful in your job search for a number of reasons.  If you are a transactional attorney, a deal sheet will likely be a required element of an application.   But even if it is not required in your practice area, as I mentioned above, a catalog can help you tailor your resume and cover letter to a particular position.  It will also help you prepare to discuss your experience in an interview generally, as well as help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your experience to date that may require explanation – for instance, you may have extensive briefing experience as a litigator but lack deposition experience, and this may come up as an interview question.

Even if you are not on an active job search, taking the time to catalog your experience can help you generally in your legal career.  It will help you identify what aspects of your experience may be lacking so that you can actively seek out work on future matters that will broaden your experience and make you a more effective attorney.  It can help you identify particular types of matters that you enjoy more than others, which is useful in focusing on a specialty as you become more advanced in your career or, alternately, it may prove a catalyst to request a different type of work if you realize you are being passively pigeonholed in a particular practice area that you do not enjoy or may not be sustainable at your current firm in the long run.

With how busy most attorneys are, it can be easy to get mired in responding to day-to-day tasks and making the next bonus check without ever bothering to take a step back and look at the progress of your career to date as well as your broader goals for the future.  At the end of the day, however, your career is your own, and you will be doing yourself a favor if you take the time to catalog your experience to date to see where you stand and, more importantly, where you want and need to go in the future.  And of course if you conclude that you need to move on from where you are right now, your friendly neighborhood legal recruiter is there to help you out.


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.