Legal and Compliance Executive Search Blog

100 Years of Legal Recruiting Experience

Mary Alice Kuykendall — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:30:01 GMT

Law Firm Hiring in 2019 – How to attract and hire the ones you want!

Mary Alice Kuykendall — Fri, 31 May 2019 22:06:12 GMT

With unemployment at a record low, it’s more challenging than ever for law firms to find and hire lateral attorneys. In this red-hot Texas market, job seekers need to be enticed to leave their current jobs. We’ve found most of the on-point candidates are ones we've “headhunted”. Sometimes they are passively in the job market, keeping an eye on job boards or checking-in with us periodically to “test the waters”. Often, we are starting from scratch.

COMPENSATION CONUNDRUM: TO DISCLOSE OR NOT DISCLOSE

Momentum Search Partners — Tue, 14 May 2019 17:54:19 GMT

So far, fifteen states have enacted legislation that precludes employers from asking about current compensation from job applicants. See https://www.hrdive.com/news/salary-history-ban-states-list/516662/. Texas being a pro-business state, this type of legislation has not been enacted in Texas and was not a topic of discussion in the current legislative session, nor will it likely be in two years when the session meets again. So, the question for Texas job applicants continues: “Should I disclose my current compensation in a job interview or application”?

Ready to accept that job offer? Thinking about a counteroffer?

Mary Alice Kuykendall — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:01:04 GMT

While working with legal professionals looking for a new job, compensation is of course one of the primary things we discuss. Unless you’re a lawyer working for a big AmLaw firm with stair-step salaries, it’s important to do your homework and have all the facts before you accept an offer, or a counteroffer is made. Maybe they did “hit you with their best shot”, putting significant thought and consideration into your offer. If you’re working with a recruiter, they should be able to offer insight into their client about “wiggle room” in the budget, additional equity or that available corner office. But, before you accept or a potential insult is delivered and a counteroffer ill received, know the facts.

Legal Recruiting News from Momentum Search Partners

Momentum Search Partners — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 16:16:20 GMT

News From Texas' Leaders in Legal Recruitment | April 2019
We have seen an abundance of attorney jobs in Texas during the first quarter of 2019. Law firms are hiring lateral associates and in-house legal departments are hiring attorneys in specialty areas and to support operations. We are seeing a record number of in-house jobs for lawyers across the state, but particularly in Austin, with technology and financial services companies leading the way.

Hot Practice Areas
Privacy and security related work has grown significantly in the past year. LinkedIn currently shows over 4000 job openings for Chief Privacy Officers, Analysts and Cybersecurity professionals across the U.S. Most of these jobs require or highly prefer a JD and we expect to see this demand grow. The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) apply not only to organizations within the EU, but also US companies who collect, maintain or process the personal data of individuals located within the EU. Compliance will be a big task - and is compulsory. The GDPR has been labeled by some tech industry experts as the "privacy equivalent of SOX".

Texas Still A Top Place to Live and Work
US News & World Reports once again has Austin in the number 1 spot for places to live for the 3rd year in a row. They analyzed 125 metropolitan areas in the United States, assessing numerous quality-of-life factors and the job market in each metro area, as well as the cost of living and people's desire to live there. Also, Texas continues to draw Millennials. The median age of the 4 largest cities is 34.4 years old.

Along with Austin, DFW (#21), Houston (#30) and San Antonio (#34) also made the list. Here are few comparisons of the metropolitan areas:

Austin:
Population - 2 million
Average commute - 26.8 minutes
Average Salary - $51,800
Median Age - 34.2

Dallas/Ft. Worth:
Population - 7 million
Average commute - 28.1 minutes
Average Salary - $51,250
Median Age - 34.2

Houston:
Population - 6.6 million
Average commute - 29.7 minutes
Average Salary - $53,820
Median Age -34.0

San Antonio:
Population - 2.3 million
Average commute - 26.0 minutes
Average Salary - $46,200
Median Age - 34.4

Record Number of Law Firm Partners Added in 2018
According to The Texas Lawyer, twenty-one of the 25 firms with the most lawyers in Texas made a total of 98 new partners in 2019, considerably more than last year. The increase in new partner promotions at the big firms is in an indication that Texas firms are bullish on the strength of the Texas economy and the market for legal work. In addition to rewarding great lawyers for their work, the firms could also be trying to stave off departures of senior associates, considering the Texas later hiring market has been hot.

The Texas Lawyer has tracked new partner announcements for years. Their statistics provide an indication of the growth at Texas firms and the strength of the Texas Legal market.

Job Boards VS. Traditional Recruiting
While Job Boards such as Indeed and Zip Recruiter continue to attract more legal postings, the need for legal recruiters like Momentum is not going away anytime soon. With employment at the highest rate it's been in over 50 years, employers are finding that we add value to the hiring process by bringing candidates to the table who are not responding to postings but who are interested after being contacted and educated about the position and the opportunity. The best candidates are often not watching or responding to postings, but we know where they are and what types of opportunities they would be interested in hearing about. We are busier than we have ever been and expect to be as long as the job market is this hot. The knowledge and relationships that are built over decades in the legal industry cannot yet be replicated by passively posting a position.

Legal Salary Guide

Recruiting and retaining the best people require staying current on salary and hiring trends.

What Are Today's Hiring Manager's Looking for?

How should a candidate communicate, present a resume or answer recruiter inquiries? Based on what we’re hearing from hiring managers and the clients we represent, here are some suggestions that might help.

H ow to Convince An Employer You Want the Job!

Here are five reasons that show genuine interest and convince an employer that you want the job!

Momentum Recruiter Elected Officer of NALSC

Jane Pollard was elected as Secretary of the NALSC Board at the Spring Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

Austin Just Keeps Booming

As large cities lose residents, Austin is adding them faster.

Our Team

Founded by veteran legal recruiters who have worked together for many years, we are headquartered in Austin and have a successful track record of completing searches for clients across the State.

Follow us on LinkedIn!

Is the Grass Really Greener?

Momentum Search Partners — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:04:11 GMT

MOMENTUM RECRUITER ELECTED OFFICER OF NALSC

Momentum Search Partners — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 12:29:36 GMT

The 2019 National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) conference was held in Las Vegas this past weekend. The consensus was that it was one of the best conferences ever! The M Resort Spa & Casino was a terrific venue, the content of programs superb, the food and drink excellent, and participation high. Our own Jane Pollard joined the NALSC Board of Directors last year, and was elected as Secretary of the Board at the Town Hall Meeting. Congratulations Jane!

What Are Today’s Hiring Managers Looking For?

Momentum Search Partners — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 22:51:33 GMT

Today’s candidates need to be fine-tuned and savvy to land their next career opportunity. Job seekers must take the necessary steps and measures to make sure they are marketable. How should a candidate communicate, present a resume or answer recruiter inquiries? Based on what we’re hearing from hiring managers and the clients we represent, here are some suggestions that might help.

Do companies and law firms need to retain a recruiter for their hiring needs?

Momentum Search Partners — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 21:02:00 GMT

With the ease of making connections via social media and job postings reaching more people than ever before, many people ask if a recruiter’s fee remains a beneficial expense. Companies and law firms face mounting cost-containing pressures, and external recruiters are often a cost targeted for reduction. All employers agree that their most valuable resource is its employees and hiring the right – or the wrong – person is a decision critical to the bottom line. So the question becomes whether a recruiter can result in a better hire? Our clients say yes – when certain conditions exist.

Momentum is on the move!

Momentum Search Partners — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 19:45:58 GMT