Alternate Paths to GC: A Case Study

The classic path to GC is to start at an Am Law firm in corporate securities, then go in-house to a capital markets team (being sure to pick up SEC, M&A, employee benefits, IR support, and other adjacent practice groups). The person would climb the corporate ladder internally or join a smaller company as the […]
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RIP RBG. She Left Us Good Advice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has departed this world, but left words to guide us. She wrote “advice to the living” a few years ago for the New York Times: Be a little deaf. “I have employed it as well in every workplace, including the Supreme Court. When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune […]
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Hot Practice Areas & Industries that Have Changed over 10 Years 

I’ve been recruiting in-house lawyers for over 10 years. The most requested practice area, then and now, is commercial, i.e., negotiating and drafting agreements. Companies always need deals to be closed, both inbound (licensing) and outbound (sales), so it’s easy to justify hiring commercial lawyers, in contrast to other legal needs that ebb and flow. […]
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3 Things that Haven’t Changed for In-House Lawyers over Last 10 Years

In my 10 years of recruiting in-house lawyers, I’ve seen a lot of changes. But what hasn’t changed that you think would have by now? Titles are still pretty consistent. From junior to senior the basic titles are: Associate Counsel (rare), Counsel, Senior Counsel, Assistant General Counsel (rare), Associate General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, General […]
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5 Changes in Legal Recruiting over the Last 10 Years

I’ve been recruiting lawyers for in-house jobs 10+ years. Some changes I’ve observed in recruiting: Employers increasingly give assessment tests as part of the interview process, e.g., a short contract or scenario for finalists to review and comment on. While the test can be painful for interviewees, it does make the hiring process fairer. Employers […]
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Addressing Common Problems in Your Resume: Gaps, Age, Job Hopping, Stagnation, Switch in Practice Areas

LinkedIn’s GetHired column recently discussed how to overcome stumbling blocks in resumes, like gaps between jobs, job hopping, perceived stagnation, ageism, and desire to change practice areas. Below are techniques I’ve seen successful in the legal world. Gaps. Employers can be understanding about gaps if they know the reason. You may want to add a line in the resume […]
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Easiest Way to Get a Response to a Cold Email 

I love this recent LinkedIn post by career guru Austin Belcak. He lays out the easiest thing to do for the best return when sending out a cold networking email. Simply give the person you are emailing an out versus thanking the person in advance or saying you look forward to their response (which is […]
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4 Essentials for Today’s Interviews

The New York Times recently covered the key techniques to succeed at video interviews. The most important points are distilled below: Research. The more you read about the company and the interviewer, the more prepared, calm, and on-point you will be. The New York Times suggests reading the website, news coverage, annual reports (especially Risk […]
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Great vs. Terrible Questions to Ask your Interviewer

You can impress your interviewer if you ask good questions. End the interview on a positive note by showing your research and interest! Plus, you can get dinged by failing to ask any questions or putting the interviewer on edge with critical ones. Forbes recently came up with a huge list of questions interviewees should […]
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Essential Trait for Job Search (& You Already Have It!)

What you need to succeed at work is something you already have: grit! My former Harvard classmate and now Penn professor/MacArthur grant winner Angela Duckworth has found that grit is a significant predictor of success. The ability to work hard and maintain focus for prolonged periods is key, even more so than pure intelligence. Why […]
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