Reasons for Working in Legal in Dallas
The opportunities for legal careers in Dallas have been on the rise as the city has attracted more large law firms and other employers. Studies of growth by The Chicago Tribune have shown that Dallas has added more law firms than any other major U.S. city since 2009, totaling 63.
The increase can be attributed to businesses and large firms setting up shop in Dallas, combined with the fragile economic environment in some other regions of the country. Being home to a premier legal market, Dallas offers a growing pool of opportunities for job seekers.
Lateraled hiring has increased in Dallas in recent years after the economic downturn meant the legal industry was cutting costs instead of adding workers. And although large firms have increased their hiring activities, Dallas is also seeing a rise in jobs at smaller firms.
More than 90 firms operate within the Texas city, with seven of the largest in the country operating there. Additionally, regional and boutique firms are scattered throughout the area, with plenty of opportunities in litigation. These firms present a great opportunity for lateral hires with law firms in areas such as securities and corporate law.
The area’s strong economic growth is one of the primary reasons for the swelling number of job opportunities. The rise of the metropolitan area as a business hub has created a robust demand for services, including legal representation. Big firms already in Dallas, such as Baker Botts, Carrington Coleman and Fish & Richardson are continuing to expand.
Dallas has very recently become a target for large firm expansion with the announcement of Holland & Knight opening an office there . Industry leaders are beginning to see the benefits of Austin and Dallas and their newer focus on the cities represents an exciting opportunity for firms to explore.
Dallas was also named one of the top large "Law Firm Markets" in 2014 in the National Law Journal’ annual survey. Firms in the area have added more than 600 lawyers in recent years.
Corporations are also moving in areas near Dallas. Two oil companies made the move to North Texas this year. Devon Energy and Williams Companies both moved their headquarters to Dallas or the surrounding area as part of cost-cutting measures.
Growth is a key factor for businesses making office relocations. In addition to the increase of large firms, smaller firms are getting in on the act as well. Dallas-based firm Carrington, Colemen, Sloman & Blumenthal was the seventh-fastest growing in the country. Twenty-eight firms in the area were named as being outgrowing their peers nationally.
EagleBank is another example of how the city is attracting well-established businesses. The DC-based commercial bank opened an office in Dallas in September 2014. The city will be host to its 95th Starbucks location, which expects to open by the end of the year. This outlet will be one of only two in the world to feature a "Reserve Coffee Bar," which include rare and limited edition coffees.
The economy is booming in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which means the job market is heating up. Many law firms are opening offices in the region, and it is apparent that the city will continue to be one of the top cities for legal employment opportunities.
How Dallas Legal Recruiters Operate
There are two different types of legal recruiters: search firms and staffing agencies. Legal headhunters and search firms are used by law firms and corporations to find top-level attorneys, such as partners or senior-level lawyers, often in the $300,000+ range. Staffing agencies or temporary firms recruit for more junior-level lawyers.
Attorneys looking for a new job work with recruiters at both types of firms. The recruiters get to know their candidates, understanding what their candidates are looking for and even which law firms might not be a good fit for them. Law firms tend to prefer working with a recruiter like this, as they can give a firm confidence that the candidate is not going to take another offer while the firm is making its decision.
Since legal headhunters are paid by the companies they work with, the service is entirely free for candidates. It’s common for a recruiter to place someone in a new job for a company they had previously worked with. It’s even common for a recruiter to help candidates secure a job with a firm from which they were once rejected. Legal recruiters may be stricter with their clients, refusing to allow them to interview someone they have previously rejected.
Headhunters for Dallas legal positions work on a contingency basis. They do not charge a fee to the job seeker or the company that the job seeker seeks employment from.
As is the case with other recruiting firms, candidates start by meeting with a headhunter to discuss their employment needs. This is an opportunity for the recruiter to review the candidate’s resume or CV, perform a short interview, and get to know the candidate and their employment history.
Recruiters will also schedule interviews for candidates. This usually involves having a conversation with both the candidate and its contact person, whether that’s an HR director or partner, to schedule the meeting. For top candidates, specific interview tips may also be provided.
Characteristics of Elite Legal Recruiters
Successful legal recruiters in Dallas come to the table with a range of key characteristics and abilities that make their legal placement efforts successful. First and foremost, they must have extensive industry knowledge. Dallas is a large metropolitan area with a vast array of firms and corporations. Recruiters must be knowledgeable about the workings of the various types of firms and companies that they represent. The types of law that each firm or company specializes in, the areas of the country where they’re looking to expand, the salaries that they are paying and the hours they expect their legal professionals to work all can vary significantly. Recruiters must be highly adept at matching up candidates with the right kind of employer.
Another key component of success as a legal recruiter is networking. A strong recruitment professional will have leaders in the fields of law in their network. These leaders may include managing partners in large firms, general counsels in major corporations, judges and influential members of the legal community. This network is essential because the recruiter often helps to build up the firms by continuously adding strong candidates. Without having a network in place, a recruiter would be far less effective.
Communication also is key. Strong legal recruiters are able to communicate very clearly with their clients about what they want and with candidates about what is expected of them and what the position will entail. The recruiter should also have a keen understanding of leadership and should be able to help candidates gain the necessary skills to become executives and inside counsel. Finally, it is always important to have a passion for the profession. Legal recruiters have to care about the people that they’re helping to place in firms and companies. Without this passion, it isn’t likely that they’ll ever be successful.
Questions to Pose to a Legal Recruiter
You need to find top Dallas legal recruiters or headhunters who will give you an edge in a tough hiring market. First, you will want to meet with these headhunters or recruiters one-on-one, and ask them questions that you really want to know the answers to. You need to know what experience they have, and whether they have placed lawyers with the clients that you really want to go to, and which type of firm is going to be the best fit for your background and practice. Here are some key questions you need to ask a top legal recruiter:
(1) How long have you been recruiting in this area? You need to get the inside line on the recruiter’s experience. Do they have good contacts with the firms or companies where you want to go? Do they know the kind of firm that will fit your practice and your experience level? Do they have success in placing other lawyers like you?
(2) Have you placed lawyers in my practice area and at my level? This fifth question is important to ask. Lawyers in real estate, tax, securities, corporate and other business areas are sometimes misled by recruiters who say they can successfully place lawyers in their practice area.
For example , if you are a mid-level securities partner at the AmLaw 100 firm and are laterally hiring in New York or Houston, you probably don’t want to go to an immigration firm.
Also, are there other lawyers at your level or practice area?
- (3) How many candidates have you placed with my firm or company? Do you have successful placements? Are there partners available?
- (4) What firms or companies do you work with? You want a recruiter with the "inside scoop" about firms and companies where you might be placed.
- (5) Who are your clients? Big firms may not take your call but your recruiter may be the firm’s outside counsel and may know the decision-makers there.
- (6) What has been your success rate at other law firms? Have you had any clients leave the firm?
- (7) What resources do you have to locate candidates and how do you attract candidates? Do you have a research department?
- (8) Do you have a marketing department? (9) Does your recruiter go to legal conferences? You want an active recruiter who has extremely good contacts and is making contacts constantly.
Hints for Working with Legal Recruiters
You have more control over your job search if you are working with competing recruiters, but you need to coordinate the efforts of the various recruiters you are using (and yourself). Be as clear as you can (without tipping your hand) about what types of opportunities you are looking for, and listen carefully when the search firm representative presents a position to you to see if you are genuinely interested. Be sure to respond quickly when presented with an opportunity; otherwise, you may lose it to someone who is quicker to make a decision. A well-connected recruiter can be a good source of information about compensation trends, what firms will consider, bonus structure and other topics that you might find difficult to address with firm hiring partners. Be sure to tap into a recruiter’s knowledge so you are fully informed before you make a decision.
Career Development with Dallas Legal Recruiters
You may not yet know that there are legal recruiters in Dallas who can help further your career. Recruiting experts give insights on how they can work with you to find a hidden niche.
Hard work will take you a long way in advancing your career, but if you’re a legal professional in Dallas, it can sometimes feel like you’re running on a treadmill: the same job with the same compensation year after year. A qualified and successful Dallas legal recruiter will determine what changes you want to make, find the places you’d like to go, and do all the legwork. That’s the definition of added value.
From corporate jobs to nonprofit contracts or government positions, a area like Dallas is large enough to have plenty of opportunities for those in the legal profession. But if it’s just you against the onslaught of websites, job boards and career fairs, you’re at a disadvantage . Recruiters in Dallas speak employers’ "language." They know in interview what the boss wants and how candidates should present themselves for success. They will accompany you to interviews, tell you how to present yourself properly, and negotiate stipulations.
The recruiter will keep the job secret while you’re considering your next steps. After everything’s set, you’ll be notified and given the chance to accept or decline the offer without damage done to your professional reputation.
When talking to fit’s with this Dallas recruitment firm, let us learn more about you. We want to know what you want to do, in what field, and where. Be candid and put your interests forward. We’ll talk to you about your skill-set and accomplishments, and also work with you to develop an ideal résumé that fits you. After all, even the legal profession has applicants who don’t know how to write a résumé properly.
