Ask A Recruiter - Law

From big company to startup — is being the sole in-house lawyer worth it? I’ve been thinking about the jump from a large F100 company to a startup where I’ll be the only counsel. The autonomy and impa… more

Hi! I am a seasoned litigation attorney based in the Philippines, and I am exploring a transition into AI-assisted legal practice or a backend legal support role with a U.S. law firm. Is there a pathw… more

Any insight into Kahana Feld? General culture, reputation, etc.

I have been in my current company for 5 years now, there are limited opportunities to be promoted but I’ve noticed that some lawyers progress quickly because they’re visible to the right people, while… more

Do lateral moves actually reset your career trajectory — or just buy time? I’ve seen people make lateral moves hoping for better balance, a fresh start, or renewed momentum. Sometimes it works, other … more

I’ve made it to final rounds twice and lost out to candidates with more direct industry experience. The feedback is always close call. I’m getting discouraged. How do I keep momentum without second gu… more

I’ve been quietly applying to lateral roles for four months and interviews keep stalling after the first round. Firms say my background is strong but not quite right. I’m starting to doubt my strategy… more

Fellow legal recruiters — sanity check. Twice this week, candidates told me that firms we submitted to a year or two ago reached out to them directly on their own. I’ve had this happen before as well, inclu… more

There’s one job that the firm (let’s call it firm A) posts on its site publicly. Its Paralegal Manager also reached out to me in December. Last week, this recruiter approached me for a position with f… more

I am a finance senior at a well respected firm (but finance is not a headline group for the firm). I already made two lateral moves at around 4 and 6 years and am going on two years at current firm. H… more

Is moving from legal into consulting actually worth it?I’ve been thinking more about roles on the business side or in law-related consulting. The work sounds broader and often more flexible, at least on pap… more

I am struggling with how honest to be about why I want to leave. The workload is heavy and support is inconsistent but I worry that saying that sounds like complaining. At the same time I want to be t… more

I’ve been thinking more seriously about remote roles as a way to protect work-life balance, but finding truly remote positions feels harder than it used to — and the competition seems intense. Sometim… more

I am having trouble moving past this one. I went through three interviews, all very positive, then was asked to do a short writing exercise that took a full evening. I submitted it along with referenc… more

I have to vent here after posting my interview experience on their glassdoor profile. This place insisted on an in-person interview at their headquarters, which is 2.5hrs from my home for a remote job… more

I am feeling completely stuck. I have six years of experience and have been applying to lateral roles since November. Interviews move slowly and then stall with no explanation. As someone supporting a… more

Hi all,

I am struggling to find a job in the legal industry and I was wandering if anyone could advice me.

Given my profile (non-native English, work experience in politics in my country, career switch in my mid-3… more

Lately I’ve been questioning whether I’m just having a rough patch, or if it’s actually a sign that I’ve outgrown my current role. Everything looks fine on paper, but something feels off. For those wh… more

I have heard there has been a mass exodus from DoJ in the last year due to firings and disagreements with leadership. Are recruiters seeing a significant increase in DoJ veterans looking for jobs? And… more

If someone applied to a role without a recruiter and didn’t get it, are they forever on the “pass” list? A recruiter said I am not eligible for a role because the firm previously passed on my applica… more

Probably a really ridiculous question, but what are people (women specifically) wearing for in-person interviews these days? A full suit feels stuffy and overly formal. Is business casual (nice sweate… more

Which path is more marketable in long term- a generalist or a specialist? If moving in house, should I aim a more general role or focus on a special role like privacy, product etc? thanks

Is leaving a firm I lateraled to less than a year (around 9ish months) ago a bad idea? It’s a bad fit culturally and I don’t feel like this is the best place for me

I am a South African relocating to the UAE (Dubai), I have an LLB (laws) degree and a lot of experience within the legal and fintech industry (Trading) - any tips to secure a job there? I am finding m… more

What should we know about background checks in legal hiring? background checks coming up more often — sometimes late in the process, sometimes with very little explanation about what’s actually being… more

If I’m working in a boutique law firm (<40) that specializes in a niche area doing both corporate and litigation, are my chances to lateral to a bigger firm greater as a litigation associate or as … more

I am new here. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a job in Houston Texas? I have over five years of experience as a Legal Assistant/Executive Assistant to VPs and CEOs. I came from a… more

How much does pedigree actually matter when lateraling? I did not start at a top firm and I feel like that follows me everywhere. My experience is solid but interviews are inconsistent.

Hey guys! Trying to budget for law school and was wondering if anyone here got a summer internship in school at a Personal Injury Firm? If so what was that experience like and how was the pay if you d… more

I got scheduled for an interview for next week. They followed up with a confirmation email along with instructions for me to provide three professional references, including the contact information of… more

Are there any junior paralegal openings in Houston right now? They seem surprisingly scarce.

I’m interviewing with a company for an in house role, and it seems to be around 6 rounds, is this normal? Feels like if I make it to round 5 and lose it, I will have spent north of 10 hours on this. A… more

I’ve been in big law for about 3.5 years as an associate. I’m considering applying for a Staff Attorney position at another big law firm. Does anyone have any insight on why this would be a good mov… more

Take the in-house role with lower pay or stay put and keep searching? I have an offer at $155K that is fully remote, but it is a step down in title from my current role. The alternative is staying at … more

I’m heading into a second interview and would love some tips on how to assess workload and work-life balance without sending the wrong signal. I want to understand what day-to-day really looks like, b… more

Why do in house interviews feel so vague? I get asked high level judgment questions but very little about day to day work. Then I get told I was not the right fit. How do you read what they actually w… more

I have the worst luck ever. I started searching and every firm I talk to is slow or pauses hiring. My current workload is still brutal. How do you job search without burning out?

How do submissions work? Do recruiters submit you to firms they actually think you have a shot at getting an interview with, or do they have a submission “quota” they need to meet?

Is it okay to pause a job search once it’s already started? I am thinking to pause due to some internal changes but wondering -is pausing a search a red flag, or is it completely normal in this market… more

How do you know when it is time to lateral versus stick it out? I am a fifth year billing heavy hours with no clear path communicated. Recruiters keep pitching roles with similar pay and promises of b… more