Looking for the perfect law firm position? Legal Authority's database contains the hiring contacts of practically every law firm in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Updated hundreds of times each day,
the Legal Authority database contains thousands of firms not even listed in Martindale Hubbell, NALP, or other traditional sources. If you want to practice law in a law firm, we can get you the job you want. Every day, numerous attorneys throughout the United States get law firm jobs through Legal Authority. Precise, Current Data To Drive Your Career Forward
Hiring information can change quite frequently inside law firms. This is why for each law firm in our database, we research who the precise individual in charge of hiring is and verify this information at least once every four months. The ongoing work we do in compiling and maintaining our law firm database provides you with a level of focus and accuracy that daily enhances the lives and careers of attorneys throughout the country.
Comprising hundreds of thousands of law firms, our database is a world unto itself. Each day, we make hundreds of inquiries and literally work on our law firm database 24 hours a day.
We organize our information in a way that allows you to target firms with profound precision. We locate law firms based on practice area, combinations of practice areas, size, geographic locations—even a particular zip code, county, or street if you like. Legal Authority Allows You To Approach Only The Law Firms Likely To Be Interested in You
For example, if you are a litigator, you might be surprised to know that there are more than 4,000 law firms doing litigation in certain counties of the United States.
Certainly you would never want to apply to all these law firms. Nevertheless, by narrowing this list down based upon the size of the firm you seek, the area of the country you desire, and the practice areas you prefer, you can come up with a targeted list. Accordingly, if you were a realtor before attending law school and are interested in real estate litigation, you can target firms with real estate and litigation practices. In a market with as many as 4,000 litigation firms, you might target as few as 50 law firms. The extent and inclusiveness of our database means that we help you to contact only those firms likely to be most interested in you. Case Studies
For many attorneys, the law firm path turns out to be an exceptional choice due to the wide variety of characteristics and firm cultures available. Law firms can offer generous salaries and comfortable environments. Many attorneys also find the work interesting and are satisfied with the challenges and successes. The hours can be demanding in some firms, but may be relaxed or not tracked in others.
By tailoring and customizing your approach to various law firms,
you can ensure that you get the type of working conditions and job you want. We have outlined several case studies below. These illustrations prove that no matter where you are in your career, we can help. CASE STUDY: Fourth-Year Associate with an "AmLaw 100" Law Firm Desiring More Trial Experience in a Smaller Firm
Kevin was a fourth-year associate with one of the most prestigious firms in the United States practicing law in New York City. Despite excellent credentials, the only positions any legal recruiter could tell him about were at other major law firms. Kevin wanted more litigation and trial experience. He did not like the hours of his current firm and wanted a more collegial environment. After several excellent years of training, he believed he was ready for the increased responsibility in a smaller firm.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
Legal Authority identified more than 250 law firms with litigation practicies in New York City of fewer than 30 attorneys. Legal Authority assisted Kevin in creating a compelling cover letter and resume that
explained his desire for increased responsibility and additional reasons he wanted to work in a smaller firm. Kevin ultimately chose to approach slightly more than 200 firms. He received more than 20 interviews within two weeks of mailing his letters and accepted a position with a small, but high-powered, securities litigation boutique in Manhattan. Although he was prepared to take a major salary cut to join a smaller firm, he actually ended up making close to what he made when working for a larger firm. Kevin ended up participating in two trials during his first year with the new firm. He had actually never heard of the firm he accepted a position with before interviewing with them. CASE STUDY: Law Student from First-Tier California Law School Desiring a Position in Either Chicago or Texas
Evan was a student at a top law school in the University of California system. He had attended an Ivy League college (where he majored in chemistry) and had enrolled in law school directly out of college. Evan was entering his second year of law school and was interested in working as a summer associate with a firm that did patent prosecution work in both Chicago (where he was from) and also Texas (where his father had moved after getting divorced). While approximately 15 law firms from Chicago interviewed at his school and another 10 or so did from Texas, most of these firms did not have patent prosecution practices. Using his school's career services office had not been the best option for him due to the limited number of firms interviewing at his school for summer associates in the patent prosecution field.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
Evan contacted Legal Authority, and we identified close to 200 firms in Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth that had patent prosecution practices and were of the size that Evan wanted to contact.
After having his resume and cover letter rewritten by Legal Authority, Evan contacted each of these firms. Evan received to more than 30 interviews, ended up going to 11 of them and received 6 solid job offers for a summer associate position. Evan split his second summer between a firm in Dallas and one in Chicago. Each of the firms Evan received interviews with did not even interview at his school. CASE STUDY: Second-Year Insurance-Coverage Associate Relocating from Minneapolis to New York
James was an insurance-coverage associate with a major Minneapolis law firm. He had been dating a woman in law school who moved to New York City directly following graduation, and the two were eager to work and live together in the same city. For months, James checked the websites of major law firms for openings, sent out some resumes to the better-known insurance-coverage practices in New York, and also spent a good deal of time checking job boards. He did not receive a single interview.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
Legal Authority identified more than 100 firms in New York City with insurance coverage practices. Legal Authority recommended that James approach them all. James received more than 11 interviews within two weeks of sending his letters. He accepted a position with a well-known national law firm that had only started an insurance coverage practice a few months before James contacted them. James now works and practices law in New York City.
CASE STUDY: LL.M. Student with a Background in Education Law
Liz, a student in an LL.M. program at a third-tier law school in Florida, has a background in Education Law. She was a teacher for several years before attending law school and enrolled in an education law LL.M. program directly out of law school. In fact, her school in Florida offers the only LL.M. program in Education Law in the United States. Unfortunately, very few firms recruit on campus for law students, and no firms recruit for attorneys to do education law. Her law school did not have any suggestions for her as to how to get a job with a law firm. In fact, most of her classmates are simply applying to work for school systems throughout Florida.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
Liz was interested in working in 15 possible states. Although there were less than 40 firms fitting her criteria
(i.e., a firm of more than 30 attorneys, with an education law practice) in these geographic areas, Legal Authority was able to assist Liz in applying to all of them. Working with Legal Authority, Liz received a well-crafted cover letter that explained her interest in working in an area outside of Florida and how her experience prior to law school made her a good fit. Liz received nine interviews in six separate states and accepted a position in California that paid more than $100,000 per year. CASE STUDY: Part-time Attorney Who Has Been Out of the Job Market
June, a 36 year old graduate of a fourth-tier law school and a recent mother, had been out of the job market for three years and was seeking a part-time position in the Southwest as an attorney. She had already approached seven or eight top firms in this area, with no luck.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
In June's case, we assisted her in preparing her cover letter and resume to effectively describe her desires and what she had to offer. By performing a completely expansive search in her area limited to smaller firms, we helped her find a smaller firm seeking a part-time attorney. June received interview requests from three other firms which were within a 20-minute drive from her home.
CASE STUDY: Partner With No Portable Business
Ron, a 52 year old partner at a major law firm in Los Angeles, was being forced out because his firm was terminating partners without significant portable business. Ron wanted to stay in the same area and had inflexible salary requirements. To even pay his current expenses, he needed to take home a salary of at least $200,000 per year.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
We assisted Ron in contacting slightly more than 100 Los Angeles law firms. With our research and subsequent mailing (Ron did not want to sign or stamp the envelopes himself.), we were able to connect Ron with more than 15 law firms interested in speaking with him. Within four weeks, Ron had received a job offer from a mid-sized Los Angeles law firm, paying $60,000 more than his present salary.
CASE STUDY: Law Student from Second-Tier Law School
Steven was a "B" student at a second-tier law school. His school's Career Services Office had no resources to speak of and a very small on-campus interviewing program. In the fall of his third year, Steven sent out resumes to all 200 firms in the NALP directory located in his state, but received a very poor response.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
The NALP directory represents less than 5% of the available firms in any given market. We were able to identify more than 6,000 additional firms that Steven could approach. Steven ultimately approached approximately 300 employers and received several job offers.
From our research and conversations with potential clients, we have compiled a list of legal myths that seem to surround the legal job search. Read on and be enlightened.
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| Only law firms that interview at my school will hire me. | There are more than 250 law schools in the United States. Do you think every law firm goes to every school seeking attorneys? Many attorneys from first-tier through fourth-tier law schools land positions at thousands of firms each year that did not interview at their respective schools. | |
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| I will never find a law firm position. | Okay, you are already defeated. A positive, optimistic attitude is the only way to start a job search. Right now, in almost every American city, there is a law firm that needs an attorney just like you. This position could pay tens of thousands of dollars more than you are making now. This position may not even be advertised, and you are not going to find this law firm by using Monster, 15 gazillion websites, a headhunter, or even Martindale Hubbell. Chances are this firm is already in our database. Let us put you in touch with them today! | |
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| It is better to work with a recruiter to find a law firm position. | Unless you have stellar qualifications, there are very few headhunters that will work with you. Stellar qualifications mean that you are coming from a top law firm and attended a top-20 law school. While recruiters can be enormously helpful in getting candidates positions, unless you have these qualifications, they will not be able to do you much good. Also, recruiters only work with law firms or clients that will pay their fees. This can limit you to a very small slice of all the available opportunities in a given market. Furthermore, recruiters only work with firms that have active openings that are provided to the given recruiter. This, too, can keep you from applying to an enormous amount of potential jobs you might otherwise be able to apply to. An additional and little-known fact about recruiters is that you have very little control over their work product. Many placement firms do not even send cover letters and will just fax your resume to the employer. At Legal Authority, we actually work with you to create a cover letter and resume that will make the best possible impression upon employers. You control the work product. Finally, smaller firms rarely use recruiters. This can result in missing out on an opportunity to join a growing firm that will become the next Skadden Arps or Latham & Watkins. Moreover, in a tough economy, law firms, just like everyone else, need to cut back on their expenses, and recruiting expenses are normally the first to go. |
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| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| If I spend enough time on job-posting boards, I will find the perfect law firm position. | Most firms do not advertise their open positions on job posting boards or in the classified section of your local newspaper. If that is the only action you are taking in your job search, you are going to miss out on the majority of opportunities. Would you rather approach a few firms with positions on the Internet or every firm that matches your interest in a region of the country? | |
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| Only firms with advertised positions will ever interview me. | Do not let the fact that a firm may have paid $300.00+ to post a job on Monster.com or some other site convince you that this is the firm for you. Most law firms hire all year long. If you only rely on advertised positions, you are going to be missing out on a massive number of potential positions. If your resume and materials arrive at the right firm at the right time, you may get an outstanding opportunity. |
Questions about law firm jobs? Contact Legal Authority at 1-800-283-3860 today.
