Job Seekers

For many lawyers, after your first two years as a practicing lawyer, it quickly becomes apparent that you are not going to get the same level of feedback on your work product and developing skills that you did in law school or during your first year as a lawyer.

No matter your position in a law firm; leading a department, overseeing a matter, interfacing with the client, or simply delegating tasks to colleagues, you are wearing the manager’s hat. No matter your title, if you’re asking anyone to pitch in, you’re in the management business. In embracing this role in the firm, you acknowledge the unwritten contract to not only manage work but also to manage morale, motivation, and how your team members find purpose and satisfaction in their endeavors.

For in-house counsel aspiring to a general counsel position, sticking it out at one company for years in hopes of a promotion to the top job isn’t as promising these days.

A study by PwC found that workers who have expertise on artificial intelligence can earn about a 49 percent higher salary than peers without AI skills in the United States, and about a 27 percent higher salary in the United Kingdom. 

About two-thirds of companies fill general counsel positions with external candidates, which shows a changing trend in in-house legal department hiring practices. The reasoning typically cited for searching for candidates outside the company is that counsel already in-house lack leadership skills or business acumen, according to John Gilmore of BarkerGilmore, a company that assists companies in finding general counsel. 

Tom Scolaro, founder of Scolaro Law, left his job at a boutique law firm to found his own personal injury law firm earlier this year. Scolaro writes about navigating the change, incorporating his firm, and shares some observations to anyone interested in leaving their firm jobs and  starting a law firm. 

Making the move from deputy general counsel to general counsel is a huge and difficult leap due to limited positions amidst a crowded competitive field of potential candidates from both within the company and outside the company. Christopher Williams, director of in-house counsel recruiting and board services teams at Major, Lindsey & Africa, advises aspiring general counsel on how to best position themselves for the top job with the following:

Michael Maslanka, associate professor of law at UNT Dallas College of Law, advises that losing “deserves equal billing” on an attorney’s career trajectory. 

Attorney Kyle Roberts of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney is president-elect of the Broward County Bar Association’s young lawyers section. Roberts understands that finding opportunities as a young attorney can prove difficult, especially since professionals starting out in the legal industry often need to balance learning the profession, finding a mentor, and joining and volunteering in the local community.

The market for privacy attorneys has surged in recent years, according to a Tru Staffing Partners study. The increase in regulation for data privacy and increase in concerns from adoption of artificial intelligence, may be contributing to the increase in recruitment for privacy lawyers, said Anna Gorodestky of Major, Lindsey & Africa.