In the first quarter of 2025, Los Angeles had more attorney hirings than any other market. The epicenter of a sprawling network of crucial industries, from entertainment to private equity to healthcare, L.A. has increasingly drawn national and international law firms to open up or expand offices on its sunny streets.
Law firms aren’t the only ones establishing a physical presence in the city; in March, transatlantic partner recruiting firm Macrae solidified its presence in L.A., bringing on Managing Director and L.A.-native Naomi Kaplan to lead its efforts locally.
Inspired by her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa, Kaplan pursued a career in law, motivated by a deep commitment to helping others. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “The Peace Corps was this open field of opportunity where I could be extremely creative and help people improve their lives in tangible, immediate ways. It was everything – it changed my life.”
She has continued to help transform lives as a legal recruiter. Kaplan has worked in the recruiting industry for over 20 years, creating synergistic matches between law firms and all levels of legal talent – from support staff to associates to high-profile partners. She even went internal for a while, leading a talent sourcing team inside The Walt Disney Company that included searches for legal, corporate strategy, HR, and other vital groups.
At Macrae, Kaplan joins the firm’s focus exclusively on leading law firm clients and high-profile partner candidates. Macrae’s approach has always been pinpointed – not just in who they serve, but where. Macrae dives deeply into the markets where its offices are located; until March, that was New York, D.C., London, Palo Alto and San Francisco. Every recruiter is an expert in the market in which they reside and shares that expertise with their colleagues in the other offices. Any addition to that carefully targeted office network is a significant event – and adding L.A. is not only a sign that Macrae is consistently prepared to meet the moment, but a true recognition of L.A.’s increasingly dominant role in the international legal playing field.
Further deepening this market intelligence is Macrae+, a proprietary platform launched in early 2025 that combines verified data and technology with the insights of Macrae’s recruiters to deliver comprehensive, real-time intelligence on top-ranked law firms and partners.
“It’s perfect timing,” Kaplan says. “It’s an exciting time to be in this role.”
Lawdragon: You made the switch from practicing law to being a legal recruiter early in your career. What did you find fulfilling about becoming a recruiter?
Naomi Kaplan: I certainly didn’t expect to become a recruiter when I was in law school, but I’ve been incredibly lucky – recruiting has turned out to be the perfect fit for my personality and natural skill set. I genuinely love meeting new people, taking the time to understand their perspectives and motivations, and helping them make meaningful connections. That’s what life is all about to me. I’m endlessly curious about people’s stories – whether it’s learning about a partner’s practice area, how they’ve built client relationships, or what their long-term goals are. I find it deeply rewarding to support others through major career transitions. I pride myself on helping candidates find law firms where they not only thrive today, but where they can envision building the rest of their careers.
LD: You’re in partner recruiting now, but what kinds of recruiting work were you doing at the beginning of your career?
NK: When I began my legal recruiting career, I focused on associate and staff placements, along with document review projects.
LD: And when did you come to partner recruiting?
NK: I began focusing exclusively on partner recruiting in 2020, which turned out to be ideal timing for many reasons – one of the biggest being that I had more time to build deep, lasting relationships with partners, many of whom I still consider dear friends today.
LD: Tell me about your work at Disney, as well. How does that inform your practice now?
NK: It was interesting to be on the internal side at Disney and see what the pressures are. I knew what I needed to deliver at Disney on a regular basis for my internal clients. And I think that's really informed my partner practice, where I have really strong relationships with law firm clients because internal recruiters know I'm going to consistently keep them updated about the work that I'm doing, and I'm not going to hide the ball or forget about them. It's helped me show up for my clients in a way that demonstrates credibility and promotes trust.
I’m endlessly curious about people’s stories.
LD: L.A. is obviously booming right now. Have you always been in Los Angeles?
NK: I grew up in Los Angeles and moved to the East Coast for college and law school. I spent a significant part of my early career in San Francisco, but L.A. has always felt like home. I was fortunate to return in 2012, and it’s been incredibly meaningful to reconnect with the city, both personally and professionally.
LD: Are there any trends you’re seeing in terms of practice areas in demand in L.A.?
NK: Los Angeles is such a vibrant and dynamic city with so much to offer the legal community it's hard to say any one practice area demand that's reshaping the L.A. market. That said, private equity remains white hot, while private credit continues to gain meaningful traction. And because it's L.A., commercial litigation, entertainment, real estate and strategic M&A are evergreen demands.
LD: To that end, there have been a number of law firm office openings in L.A. in recent years. How would you describe the atmosphere surrounding these new offices?
NK: They've got this really infectious entrepreneurial energy to them with the full backing of these incredibly established international law firms. It’s the best of all worlds.
LD: Are the placements you’re seeing more often individual placements or group hires right now?
NK: We’ve been seeing a healthy mix of both group and individual moves. It’s common for one partner to come on board and then organically build into a group move over time. While firms are always excited about the opportunity to bring on a group, some – especially those newer to the L.A. market – are being very deliberate about each hire. For these firms, cultural and strategic fit is critical, particularly because they’re still in the early stages of building out their presence. So ultimately, it really depends on where the firm is in its Los Angeles growth cycle.
LD: And what brought you to Macrae?
NK: What drew me to Macrae was their exclusive focus on elite partner placements, combined with the robust structural support they’ve built into every stage of the process. That infrastructure allows me to provide a higher level of service and a more seamless experience for the partners and clients I work with.
LD: What have you enjoyed about working with Macrae these last few months?
NK: The people here are the absolute best—both in terms of their recruiting acumen and who they are as individuals. Going to meetings with them and watching them approach thorny issues in different ways has been an incredible learning experience. And with the enormous amount of unbelievably good and pertinent information available in Macrae+ I sometimes feel as though I’ve been drinking from a firehose.
LD: What kind of working relationship do you have with the Bay Area office and the other offices nationwide?
NK: I’m working on projects with every single one of our offices right now. I have an especially close relationship with our Bay Area office, especially with my colleagues in San Francisco, where I spent a significant part of my earlier career. We work closely together on a range of partner placements and regional initiatives. At the same time, I also work on a transatlantic basis with our teams in London and New York, particularly as part of our private credit initiative. That cross-office collaboration is one of the things I value most about Macrae – it allows us to bring a truly integrated, global perspective to the work we do for our clients and candidates.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all market. Different firms have vastly different strategies here, and practice areas can vary widely in terms of demand and client base.
LD: What are the key characteristics of a Macrae recruiter?
NK: I’ve found everyone to be incredibly genuine and forthcoming. There’s a true spirit of collaboration – the people here are not only world-class recruiters, they’re also deeply invested in supporting one another’s success.
LD: What’s keeping you busy lately – and what do you see on the horizon?
NK: I’m actively working on quite a few targeted searches in Los Angeles and getting to know more of the heavy hitters. It’s always helpful when you’re meeting with a client to be able to suggest someone that you’ve known for years.
LD: You mentioned how nice it’s been to connect with your hometown – tell me about what that’s been like.
NK: There’s just a different rhythm to how people communicate in California – I sometimes joke that we speak our own language. As I work on local searches, I’m connecting with people who are from the same generation and often grew up in the same neighborhoods, so there’s this natural ease and shared understanding that makes those conversations feel effortless.
LD: What advice would you give to a candidate who's considering a move into the L.A. market?
NK: My biggest piece of advice for anyone considering a move into the L.A. legal market is to take the time to really understand the nuances of the region. Los Angeles is incredibly dynamic and diverse – not just culturally, but also in terms of its legal landscape. It’s not a one-size-fits-all market. Different firms have vastly different strategies here, and practice areas can vary widely in terms of demand and client base.
It’s also important to think about long-term fit. LA is a relationship-driven market, and firms are often looking for people who are committed to building something here. I encourage candidates thinking about moving to be thoughtful about how their practice aligns with the local market and where they see themselves growing. And of course, talk to people – whether it’s a trusted recruiter, colleagues, or friends – who know the market well. Those conversations can be incredibly valuable in helping you make a confident, informed move.
LD: What's most important to you when you're approaching clients or candidates? How would you describe your style?
NK: It’s really all about building relationships and fostering trust. I will never overpromise anything. I think it's really important to be candid, consistent, and clear about every bit of information that I have access to. It's so important to be an honest broker when you're there to facilitate what could, frankly, be a once in a lifetime transition. Helping both my candidates and clients figure out how to navigate sensitive issues takes empathy, strategy, and creativity, and it's also a lot of fun.
LD: And what do you enjoy doing outside of your practice?
NK: We have three kids – currently in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade – so there’s never a dull moment at home! When I get some free time, I love swimming past the breakers in Santa Monica or Malibu, discovering new restaurants, catching live shows, and I’m always up for a good stand-up comedy set.
