Valuable perspective from seasoned legal professionals.
Over the years we've accumulated a library of useful advice that can help you chart a successful path. Take a look.
Andrea Hartwell, Mindy Baggish and Bram Schumer of Swan Legal Search talk to Chambers Associate about how a lateral move actually works: why associates move, when the timing is right, what firms look for, and the mistakes that cost candidates offers.
Read MoreCalifornia callin’? From its incredible shorelines to its status as the innovation hub of the world, we unpack what makes the state one of the biggest legal markets.
Read MoreThis month, Zsaleh Harivandi provides essential advice for navigating law firm interviews. Whether it’s your first screening or a multi-hour meeting with partners, this guide offers both insights and practical, day-of tips to ensure you make a confident impression at each step of the process.
Read MoreAre in-house jobs the promised land of the legal world, where the billable hour becomes a faint (unhappy) memory and you can make it to every one of your kid’s soccer games? Or are they career dead-ends, with low pay and no exit options? The answer, as with most things in both life and legal, is: it depends.
Read MoreOut with the Big, in with the mid (and small). Perhaps you joined BigLaw fresh out of law school, and you’re done. Maybe you’re in law school, and you’re not sure BigLaw is the place for you. Or maybe you’re not in private practice at all, and you’d like to dip your toe into law firm waters, but you read our last article about BigLaw and you’d like to know what else is out there.
Read MoreMaybe you’re moving to a new city. Maybe you’re in a toxic practice group. Maybe you’re being underpaid. Or underappreciated. Whatever the reason, it’s clear: you’re ready for a lateral move. But how to go about it? Read our reasons why we think that using a legal recruiter is a no-brainer decision, one with no down side and diverse benefits.
Read MoreI know that when you started working at the firm, the marketing department asked you to write a bio and you never did. Then, they wrote one for you based on your resume and something they overheard you say about your previous work; and now that’s the biography of your career life. Something someone who doesn’t know you or your experience wrote and put on a website. Probably four paragraphs or less, and most of it is about your undergrad and law school – two things that were most likely not the highlights of your career (at least I hope not).
Read MoreCreating and planning your career is simple, but it does take some quiet time and some concentration. This is not a process you want to rush. Like all great things in life, start with baby steps.
Read MoreInterested in working with a recruiter, but not sure where to start? Senior Recruiter Zsaleh Harivandi offers invaluable advice on how to source, select, and (most importantly) vet a legal recruiter that’s best for you. “You want a recruiter who wants to get you what you want.”
Read MoreIf you have a meeting with a prospective client, you know that the stakes are high and your anxiety level is even higher. It’s completely normal to be nervous, but you can do some things that help you overcome your fears and (hopefully) land the new client.
Read MoreYou know THAT nightmare you have sometimes? The one where you’re in school, or at your job, and you’re doing a fantastic job, you’re killing it - and then you discover that there was this one HUGE THING that you were supposed to be doing? But you didn’t know about it, or you forgot about it, and you didn’t do it? And now you’re cooked, because you failed to do that ONE THING you didn’t know you were supposed to do? (And then you wake up in a sweat?)
Read MoreWhat can an associate on the partner track actually expect? Drawing on a recent American Law Journal study, Delia Swan discusses how long partnership typically takes, why firms weigh revenue generation so heavily, and the ground women still have to make up.
Read MoreYou’ve known since you were a kid how important it is to have goals. So far, you’ve done a great job with achieving goals – law school, the bar and the practice of law aren’t easy tasks and you’ve done them brilliantly. Now, it may seem that you’re in a bit of a rut with your career goals. What’s next? Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly what your next goals should be – only you can decide that. However, I can give you a little advice as to how to make sure your goals “stick.”
Read MoreWe at Swan Legal Search are always talking about networking and getting out to meet people. It’s the best way to get new cases and it’s the best way to make a lateral move into another firm. So, in order to inspire you to get out and about, we’re posting a list of all of the legal events in California in September. So, no excuses! Time to get meet and greet and shake hands. You never know who you’ll meet…
Read MoreWhether in your first week or first months, integrating into a new firm, while exciting, can be an intimidating endeavor. In this blog post, we take some of the pressure off by suggesting your new priorities as a new hire. From first week needs (checklist provided), to getting ahead on planning for partnership, we've got you covered.
Read MoreAlthough billing is very time consuming, it’s imperative to make time each week to market yourself. Schedule one hour per day to do nothing but attempt to generate business. Look at it as an investment in your future at the firm and beyond. Even if you’ve never brought a case, you have a chance to bring great value to your firm. Here’s your schedule for the first week of rain-making.
Read MoreWriting a cover letter is one of the most challenging parts of finding a new legal position. Luckily, we’re here to help with a few tips that will make the process much simpler – we promise. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have an enviable cover letter in no time.
Read MoreKate Gillespie has practiced for years, and she has helped some wonderful clients and some not-so-wonderful clients. She gives us (and you) a little advice about how to handle those difficult clients.
Read MorePotential clients know that you’re smart. You’re a lawyer – you have to be smart! In order to make a potential client into a client, they need to know that you can offer more. Most notably, they need to trust you. More than anything, a trusting relationship takes time. However, there are a few things that may help you establish trust (and hopefully gain a client) in the meantime.
Read MoreAs former Director of Career Services at UC Davis School of Law, Mindy’s counseling experience is rich and extensive, offering associates a true edge when working with her. Following her sixth anniversary with SLS, we spoke with Mindy about how her professional experience informs her work with laterals across all experience levels.
Read MoreZsaleh Harivandi is one of our senior recruiters with Swan Legal Search. As a former law clerk to two federal judges and Big Law associate - no matter which direction a candidate is interested in taking their career, her multifaceted background and rich experience gives candidates an edge when working with her. We spoke with Zsaleh about her time clerking and her advice to associates interested in pursuing a clerkship (spoiler: go for it!), making the switch from Big Law to recruiter, and what she enjoys most about working with associates.
Read MoreSenior Recruiter Andrea Hartwell understands the challenges attorneys face firsthand when seeking to lateral. As such, she is impeccable at placing candidates at firms best suited for their success and wellbeing. We spoke with Andrea about her faceted experience in law, her beautiful family life, and the joy in working with her fellow recruiters at Swan Legal Search.
Read MoreCARLA KHALIFÉ is one of our senior recruiters with Swan Legal Search. With her experience as a former practicing attorney with an AmLaw 50 firm, in-house counsel, and a recruiter in tech, Carla’s insights are multifaceted and dynamic - much to the success of her candidates. We spoke with Carla about her experience working outside the US, and her approach to counseling associates across professional experience and specialties.
Read MoreSenior Recruiter Lorraine Connally is a distinguished legal professional, having led legal recruitment for top AmLaw 100 & 200 firms for over 25 years. Her extensive experience on the law firm side of talent acquisition provides candidates with expert intel and unmatched professional guidance. We ask Lorraine what advice she offers interviewing associates, the benefits of partnering with a recruiter, and what she enjoys most about working on the search firm side of legal recruiting.
Read MoreBeing an attorney at a BigLaw firm is dynamic and arrives with perks and drawbacks. Working at a BigLaw firm offers lucrative salaries and abundant perks, robust resources, and a prestige inherent with longtime heritage and reputation. Equally however, are drawbacks, which include high billable-hour requirements, intense competition for partnership, and limited opportunities to bring in business, especially for smaller clients. So - is BigLaw right for you? BigLaw veteran and Senior Recruiter Zsaleh Harivandi breaks down the fundamentals of BigLaw, and suggests considerations when deciding on a potential career move, emphasizing the importance of thorough research and exploration of alternative options.
Read MoreYou know you’re ready for a new legal opportunity. The firm you’re currently in just isn’t working, and you need to think strategically about a lateral move. Congratulations! We’re happy that you’ve made the decision, but now comes the hard part: creating the strategy. In order to make a successful and fulfilling move, you must get a few things together before you officially start the “job search.”
Read MoreAs you know, simply checking websites and job posting sites isn’t enough to get the job of your dreams. Think about it – everyone answers those ads. The competition is fierce. So, why not start your search in less obvious places and get a leg-up on the competition. Here are our top eight ideas to get your legal job search off to a great start this summer.
Read MoreHere are several tips that are sure to help you reach your goal — a second interview!
Read MoreIt’s true. Not every attorney “gets” marketing and self-promotion. Those attorneys who do are usually not thrilled about putting them into action. It isn’t why you signed up to be a lawyer, but it needs to be done. So, how do you get started when you know it must be done and the other partners are reluctant (or downright refuse) to help and support you? Great question!
Read MoreBuilding a book of business and generating revenue for the firm is incredibly important to you as a lawyer. No matter what your experience level, no matter what your practice area, no matter where you are located – it’s crucial. So how do you build a book of business? Generating revenue is not easy, but it’s possible with a lot of tenacity and patience.
Read MoreWorking with a legal recruiter streamlines this taxing process, often relieving you from a number of these steps. They give you a competitive edge – getting your resume in front of top firms, removing the stress of the job hunt, and finding you exclusive opportunities to elevate your legal career.
Read MoreThis is an interesting situation, and the legal community is certainly becoming more international. We are no longer limited to the city in which we practice. The best thing to do is to find some attorneys who are active in shipping law (whether in your country or internationally) and speak with them directly. There are several ways to go about this.
Read MoreYou’ve worked hard for weeks on generating revenue for the firm. It’s certainly difficult balancing your regular work and bringing business, but you’ve managed to find the balance. If you can keep up this work in the future, you will see all of your hard work pay off. You now have all of the tools you need to continue on your journey.
Read More5 interviewing tips that will dramatically help your chances with landing the perfect job.
Read MoreDeveloping a book of business is not the reason most of us attended law school; and it’s certainly nothing that we’ve been taught. At times, lawyers can find this process to be overwhelming. Therefore, we at Swan Legal Search have broken down the process into a few simple tips that are sure to help you grow your book of business.
Read MoreHow much will the California tech lay-offs affect law firms? Delia Swan gives her take.
Read MoreYour resume is often the first impression potential firms have of you as an attorney, and a well-crafted resume is your passport to a first meeting. In this blog post, we'll share tips to help you craft a compelling resume, one that will open doors to exciting career opportunities and secure the position that aligns with your professional aspirations
Read MoreWe sat down with our Founder Delia Swan for a fireside chat discussing legal market trends, the early days of SLS, succession and family. Our conversation arrives in three cozy parts for the holidays, with our first diving into the origin story of Swan Legal: from Attorney, to Mom, to California's top Legal Recruiter.
Read MoreOur three part series with our Founder Delia Swan continues, where we discuss Swan Legal’s edge in the California market, and learnings from economic peaks and valleys.
Read MoreOur fireside chat concludes with our final conversation with Swan Legal Search's Founder, Delia Swan. We’re looking ahead and discussing Swan Legal’s future with Jenny Swan Meyer, and Delia’s next adventure.
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