More Info
| Consulting services you provide: |
| Sidebar Legal Recruiting, Inc. is an attorney search and placement company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. We service two types of clients - 1) attorney candidates and 2) law firm and in-house clients.
Attorney Candidate Services start with an in-person meeting to discover exactly what each individual candidate both wants and requires in a new position. After we’ve met, I am able to strategize how best to present this candidate and identify the opportunities that will best fulfill their needs.
My recruiting services always include resume revision and the crafting of detailed cover letters. In my more than 10 years in this business, I have developed an expertise in structuring resumes, especially by creatively and succinctly conveying a candidate’s core strengths and professional experience. Sometimes the smallest details, (such as the placement of a particular work responsibility) can make an enormous difference. Once the resume has been finalized, I compose customized cover letters. Each cover letter highlights who the attorney is professionally and personally, as well as what it is like to work with them.
Throughout the process, I constantly provide candidates with detailed information about available positions, salaries, billable requirements, firm culture and co-worker personalities. I am also vigilant in contacting law firms that may not have an open position, if I’ve determined that a particular candidate would complement the firm or a specific practice group. I’ve made quite a few successful placements this way, simply by contacting a managing partner and letting them know that I’ve come across a candidate whom they ought to meet.
I also assist in arranging interviews and ensure that candidates are properly prepared for these meetings. This is accomplished through providing them with as much information as possible about the firm/company, the structure of the interview, questions they might be asked, and often even personality details on the individuals who will be interviewing them. Then, after the interview, we debrief to get their post interview perceptions and ascertain their interest in moving forward. Plus, I always provide as much feedback as possible to my candidates.
When an offer is made, I am available to help my candidates weigh the pros and cons. I do this without pressure to ensure that they have all the information they need to make the decision that is right for them. When warranted, I’m also happy to assist in salary negotiations.
Client Services begin with in-depth conversations, where I pose detailed questions to fully identify the qualities and qualifications that would make an attorney an ideal candidate for an open position. All candidates are thoroughly screened, and only those attorneys who are appropriate for a position will be submitted for consideration. Once I have authorization from the client and candidate, I submit a comprehensive cover letter and resume, as well as any other required materials. I’ll then coordinate interviews with the client and candidate.
After an interview, just as I provide feedback to the attorney, I provide feedback to the client. This gives my clients an inside look into what candidates think about a position and/or the actual interview process. I also share the level of interest in a particular position that a candidate has expressed. Again, when the client is ready to make an offer, I’ll work hand in hand with them to help them craft an attractive offer, resulting in the best chance of acceptance.
I’ve found time and again that by doing the extra work up front, and thoughtfully connecting attorneys with law firms, the odds that the placement will be successful and lasting are excellent. |
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| How did you come to hold your present position (specifically, what led you to become a legal recruiter, marketing consultant, etc.)? |
| I’ve always had a natural aptitude for connecting people.
But, my initial draw to the legal recruiting field was prompted by my desire for a career which allowed me to be creative, perceptive, and that would allow me to use my natural ability for connecting people. I started asking friends and family if such a job existed. Before I knew it I found myself sitting in the conference room of a prestigious Chicago legal recruiter. From there I went on to work for two established and reputable recruiting companies in Chicago, where I was fortunate to receive exceptional training.
In 2003, my family relocated to Los Angeles. Upon my arrival, I joined a small recruiting company to help them develop their niche in attorney recruiting. But a few years later, just after my son was born, I had an epiphany. Frankly, I realized that there were some things that I had seen in this industry that made me think “I can do this better.” Perhaps it was because as a new mother I was determined to do everything the best I could for my son, and it parlayed into wanting to do better for my clients and my candidates as well.
My vision was to combine the best practical applications I’d been taught by my mentors, with my own ethical beliefs to create a legal recruiting company that would serve as the antithesis to some of the unfavorable reputations that are often attributed to recruiters.
In 2006, I took a proverbial leap of faith and launched Sidebar Legal Recruiting. Since then, I’ve never looked back. Aside my son, creating my own company is the achievement I’m most proud of, and it brings me a great deal of joy. Every day I work with smart, dynamic attorneys and recruiters. I help people find better jobs and companies find amazing employees. I get to do all of the things I love: to strategize, be creative and connect people. Not to mention, I’ve made some incredible friends as a result. |
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| What is the best thing about working with lawyers? |
| The best thing about working with lawyers is the face time I get with them. So much of the law industry (and particularly the legal recruiting sector) is impersonal. I find this unfortunate and that it can lead to misrepresentation. Instead, I insist on getting to know each attorney personally. This helps to ensure that I am the right recruiter for them, and they are a candidate for whom I can fight.
Each candidate is more than their resume, and I make sure that I can represent them fully and fiercely. I am invested in every single attorney candidate, and I take my core responsibilities (helping them to identify opportunities that can really make their lives better) to heart.
The results of this are always rewarding. I love helping my candidates to realize that it is possible to be an attorney, to be valued by your firm, to make a positive contribution to the world and have a happy work place. It just takes time and the right recruiter. |
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| What is the worst thing about working with lawyers? |
| Is there something wrong with working with lawyers? I know the stereotype that this question implies. However, I just don’t view my job as working with the title of “lawyer.” I work with individuals. Every candidate that I represent offers something genuine, personable and unique. The “lawyer” label is really secondary. |
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| What has been the most satisfying moment of your career thus far? |
| The most satisfying moment of my career was my first placement after launching Sidebar. In that moment, I realized that I had created something special - that I could make a difference and cultivate a career that would be rewarding each and every day. |
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| What are your favorite activities outside the law? |
| I love spending time with my friends and family and being a mother to my 2 ½ year old son, Henry. I am also a big fan of the arts, especially live theatre and attend play readings and productions whenever I can. I sing in a choir and am at rehearsal almost every Thursday night. |
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