Job Seekers

Shari Davidson, President of On Balance Search Consultants advises attorneys on how to take their career to the next level. Here are her insights on the legal search: 

Summer is quickly approaching! This season is the perfect time to kick your networking into high gear, with respect to the current COVID safety regulations, of course. 

As a lawyer builds their career, there is always a chance they may become burnt out due to the work and hours they complete. In the past few years, improving mental health has become an important issue. 

Would you say that you are working too hard? Maybe not hard enough? Are you avoiding social opportunities or being too social? Could you be overspecializing or having too broad an approach and are you possibly prioritizing work-life balance or not prioritizing it enough?

The COVID-19 pandemic turned myriad industries on their heads, from figuring out virtual talent recruitment and hiring practices to accommodating hybrid and work from home workflows. 

At a certain point in a lawyer’s life (typically early on in law school) as they begin to consider a position in Big Law, they need to decide if they are going to become a litigator or a transactional lawyer. It is a big decision that will impact your entire working life. Questions such as, What are the best criteria for making that choice? Once decided, are you stuck with it? Where can you get good advice?

For some attorney’s, the large law firm environment is not for them. Sometimes they realize this before they graduate law school or they come to this realization after experiencing it first hand.

This may be surprising to hear, but most law firm candidates recruiters speak with about moving to a new firm say they are not happy with their current law firm. This has become an ongoing situation legal recruiters see in law firm partners who are looking to make a move for the wrong reasons. 

How to get invited as a guest speaker and get published in the trade publications.

The social media platform LinkedIn is a powerful way to build up a professional’s reputation within their selected area of practice, establish an image as a thought leader in the legal industry, and a way to connect with potential clients.