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According to placement specialists in an Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) chapter webcast, recruiters are not expecting this year to be as active as the last two years in hiring in-house lawyers for law firms. However, it should still be a good year for job opportunities in the legal field. The technology sector was over-hired during the last two years, leading to layoffs in the last quarter of 2022. Randi Lewis of Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) said, “It was insane. A lot of over-hiring of anyone who had a transactional background. The market is correcting now.” Lawyers expect a more normal market, with jobs typically filled within three to four months.
Recruiters emphasized that job seekers must reach out to them, even though they work for the company or firm that is hiring, and not the job seeker. They encourage job seekers to reach out, but they also advise that they should not be disappointed if the response is just a thank you with a promise to be in touch if something comes up. Nancy Palermo of Garrison and Sisson said, “I have candidates that reach out every three or six months just to stay top of mind with us. That can put you higher up the next time we do a search that would be appropriate for you.”
The best way to ensure recruiters can find you is to keep your LinkedIn profile updated, with detailed information in the headline, which is the title of your current or most recent job. Recruiters tend to search by subject area and industry, so if your headline says, for example, associate general counsel with a specialty in intellectual property in the software industry, you will be higher in search results.
Suppose you have become used to working remotely and want to keep doing that. In that case, your job search may be more challenging because although most employers, including law firms, have become comfortable with remote workers, they typically want people in the office at least three or four days a week now that the pandemic is in the rearview mirror. Amy Hyman Baum of Robert Half Legal said, “I don’t have any fully remote positions at the moment.” Two positions that recruiters recently filled took six and thirteen months, respectively, because the employers wanted lawyers in the office most days, and candidates did not want that. If you are relatively new in your career, you should consider staying flexible about working in-office most or all days of the week because that’s how you get to know people and for higher-ups to get to know you.
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According to recruiters, the past two years have seen an exceptionally high demand for legal professionals, leading to attractive compensation offers. However, as the economy slows down, compensation may also decrease but is expected to remain favorable. In particular, in-house lawyers who switched to law firms have seen attractive compensation packages. One recruiter stated that a third-year lawyer was earning around $230,000, which made it difficult for in-house departments to compete. However, as the hiring rate returns to an average pace, lawyers with sought-after skills, strong resumes, and LinkedIn profiles will still be in high demand. Networking is crucial to staying top of mind with recruiters and should be a constant focus, as it requires significant effort and dedication.
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In-house job market to stay strong, recruiters
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