Need advice on how to recruit top grads for small firm Forum

[travelesq]

I need advice and comments on how to recruit top graduates that are interested in working in a small law firm in a non metropolitan city. the pay can be relatively competitive. The firm is very active in civil and criminal litigation ( including white collar). last year the firm argued a case before SCOTUS. New associate would be working on challenging legal principles, causes, and cases. The nuances make the law, and therefore the devil is in the details. This will present itself with a rare opportunity to work immedietly on cutting edge issues, and experience the courtroom.
Serious advice on the best way to break in would be greatly appreciated.

[prezidentv8]

For serious?

[reasonable_man]

If you are serious, you can send me a private message. I am a practicing attorney and have had some experience with recruiting prospective employees at my firm...

[Tobias Funke]

If you are serious, you can send me a private message. I am a practicing attorney and have had some experience with recruiting prospective employees at my firm...

Or you could just hire me.

[travelesq]

I am serious. This has not been an area that i have had experience in the past, but because of market conditions I find myself in need of greater talent. The location of our firm is not the most desirable, but it does offer a wide range of outdoor recreational activities with proximity to several major metro cities within a couple of hours. So any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[nealric]

I think as long as you make the opportunity known to the top students, you will find people easily in this economy. Contact the schools you are interested in to get the job posted on Symplicity. That alone should get you a good number of resumes.

The best strategy might depend on how you define top talent. Do you place a big emphasis on school, class rank, or other intangible factors?

The location desirability may or may not be a factor depending on the specifics of your location. It's not just about big cities, but whether the place is thought of as interesting/cool. If you are talking about Amarillo Texas, you probably will have trouble. If you are talking about Santa Fe, New Mexico, I don't think you will have a problem.

[Matthies]

I think as long as you make the opportunity known to the top students, you will find people easily in this economy. Contact the schools you are interested in to get the job posted on Symplicity. That alone should get you a good number of resumes.

Yea too many. Also see if your local bar assn. has a job listsever put an ad there. Ask people you know in the field if they can recoemnd anyone.

[legalese_retard]

Try contacting BBLP (http://www.betterlegalprofession.org) and see if they could either give you some advice or forward your job listing. It is a grass-roots group from Stanford Law emphasizing job quality over salary for top law grads. Not sure how active they have been in this economy, but I'm sure they would love to forward a job listing to its members if the work is prestigious and the quality of life/salary is on par for the firms they support.

[Anonymous User]

Making arrangements to do pre-screened interviews on campus at the top schools or going to the cities where they are located would be a start. You can do job postings through the schools' Symplicity sites and get a ton of resumes that way. But unless you are willing to pay for interview travel expenses or go to the schools to interview the students whose resumes you liked you may have trouble.

[solo_lawyer]

offer them a salary of zero dollars and zero cents:

.

[Papa Bear]

The advice given so far on where/how to post the jobs is good. I have some ideas on how to structure compensation and formulate your message to attract candidates with an entrepreneurial bent. If that's what you're looking for, let me know.

[Corsair]

..

[travelesq]

The responses have been very helpful. I will contact the schools directly, and I should set a time to travel to NY, and DC to do interviews. I think that those 2 cities can access a good applicant pool.
It seems that writing samples are not good indicators. Can anyone give me a few indicators on what not to overlook when interviewing. It has been a while, and I do not want to waste the applicants time.
Also, there have been several posts regarding the term "top student". Being old school, I have used the term as a student from a top tier school, that graduated in the top 10% , on law review. Based on that definition, has the term been redefined? Should it be expanded?
Are there grads that want to concentrate in the areas of criminal, appellate or general litigation?

[Corsair]

..

[travelesq]

Thanks Corsair.

[Jones, Dow]

$

aaaanaaand scene.

[Unadilla Kayaker]

Craigslist is an idea. Going to certain schools to recruit is another. However, depending on where you are you may not want to hit the NYC or DC schools. Being from a small town and watching my father run a 2-3 partner practice, I think fit is key. First, people who would self-select not being in a city and be HAPPIER doing so is vital. You don't want to invest in someone who will leave your firm (even if they do make you money in the short time they are there). Your firm is probably very relationship based (in a smaller market) and having a revolving door (or even a semi-revolving door) of lawyers isn't gonna be good.

I'd check out grads at schools like UVA, Cornell, and other schools far from cities. If people go through 3 years in the sticks and are willing to seriously interview for jobs in the sticks, they'll probably stay. Those who are really itching to get to a city won't be that interested.

Again, I think fit is going to be more important than degree pedigree. Of course you want someone who is going to do excellent work, but I'd say any school in the top 100 CAN produce graduates who will do excellent work. Plus, many of the lower ranked schools try to incorporate clinics and and experience into legal education. Not saying the top schools do not, but at top schools there is also an emphasis on academic knowledge of the law. You want someone who you don't have to monitor, who doesn't need a support system, and who can ask for help when they are in over their head.

Your search will depend on how much time and effort you are willing to put in. I'd also consult other lawyers in your area who either have hired young associates or young associates who have been hired and ask their stories.

My $.02. Good luck!

[XxSpyKEx]

Part 3: There are plenty of jobless recent grads. Try this experiment. Put an ad on Craigslist promising $40k a year for 60 hour work weeks. See how many responses you get within 72 hours. You'll get inundated, I assure you.

Hell just tell them that it is an unpaid position for experience for a year and then the pay will be $30K if you decide they are worth it. You will probably still get your email box flooded with resumes. However, it won't be with students at t14 schools.

[Corsair]

..

[Matthies]

I would chekc with the schools, some school charge you to be part of OCI, some do not. It may not be worth the charge if your only looking for 1-2 people. Laso ask about symplicty

[blue16]

Is it just me, or does it seem to all of you that hiring a recent top law school grad for a job that pays competitively, if that means anywhere north of say 110k, at a small firm with instant access to litigation experience that you normally have to wait years for in a location far away from the rat race wouldn't be that difficult?????

[Matthies]

Is it just me, or does it seem to all of you that hiring a recent top law school grad for a job that pays competitively, if that means anywhere north of say 110k, at a small firm with instant access to litigation experience that you normally have to wait years for in a location far away from the rat race wouldn't be that difficult?????

Maybe, not saying the OP is one of these people, but I know of some local firms that pay pretty good, teach you to do a lot of stuff, yet have a real hard time keeping talent and getting talent. The partners have a real rep of being a-holes, I know several like that and students know not to apply there. Not saying this is the case here, but it happens.

[XxSpyKEx]

However, it won't be with students at t14 schools.

Considering he wants top grads, that isn't as useful of an experiment.

True, but I doubt many t14 students would be willing to work 60 hours a week for $40K a year (it isn't that bad out there yet). Although if he does manage to pull in some t14 resumes he should definitely out those people by full name here

[Corsair]

..

[06072010]

The responses have been very helpful. I will contact the schools directly, and I should set a time to travel to NY, and DC to do interviews. I think that those 2 cities can access a good applicant pool.
It seems that writing samples are not good indicators. Can anyone give me a few indicators on what not to overlook when interviewing. It has been a while, and I do not want to waste the applicants time.
Also, there have been several posts regarding the term "top student". Being old school, I have used the term as a student from a top tier school, that graduated in the top 10% , on law review. Based on that definition, has the term been redefined? Should it be expanded?
Are there grads that want to concentrate in the areas of criminal, appellate or general litigation?

I think writing samples are excellent indicators of talent. I've seen so much bad writing in law school I'd certainly review them. It can't hurt to ask. Contacting the schools directly even for a resume drop will get you bombed with resumes, and there are certainly top performing students willing to go to secondary markets for more substantial experience early on.

What types of lawyers do you think are successful in your firm? Those with pure smarts? Those who have a passion for you area? If you had to choose between either, which would you choose?