After 25 years in the business, Avery Ellis has become one of the legal industry’s most trusted advisors in the ever-evolving market for elite lateral partners.
In today’s legal economy, talent is the currency that drives growth. At CenterPeak, Ellis leads a national practice identifying and placing the partners capable of reshaping law firms’ futures. His work frequently centers on the nation’s most competitive legal markets – California, Washington, D.C., and New York – where firms aggressively vie for the industry’s most sought-after lawyers.
Ellis did not begin his career in recruiting. He started as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division through the Attorney General’s Honors Program, gaining early courtroom experience representing the United States in federal courts across the country. After five years, however, he began looking for a path that would keep him close to the legal profession while offering a more entrepreneurial trajectory.
That search led him to Lynn Mestel, a pioneering figure in legal recruiting, who invited Ellis to open her firm’s Washington, D.C., office – a moment that would shape the rest of his career.
“Almost from day one, I knew I had found the right career,” Ellis says.
Today, Ellis works closely with law firm leadership to help shape long-term growth strategies and identify the partners capable of advancing them. The work, he says, demands both strategic vision and nimble execution.
“Recruiting elite partners requires a high degree of creativity and the ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently,” Ellis says.
His placements often involve entire practice groups moving together from one firm to another – high-stakes transitions that can reshape firms and markets alike.
Lawdragon: Can you describe for our readers the types of services you provide within the legal industry and to whom?
Avery Ellis: I lead a national practice recruiting elite-level partners on behalf of law firms. While my work is national in scope, the vast majority of my placements are concentrated in California (Los Angeles and the Bay Area), Washington, D.C., and New York.
My work almost always begins by spending time with our law firm clients, understanding their growth strategy and the type of talent they need at the partner level to achieve their goals. My placements almost always involve either groups of partners that are moving together from one firm to another or individual partners that are moving on their own.
Recruiting elite-level partners requires a high degree of creativity and the ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Every day presents a new challenge and the opportunity to grow and learn.
LD: How did you first become interested in this work?
AE: I started my career as a trial attorney for the Department of Justice in Washington. It was an incredible experience with many opportunities to appear in court and try cases. But after five years at the DOJ, I was ready to pivot. I wanted a career that would utilize my experience as a lawyer but take me in a more entrepreneurial direction.
It took me about a year to settle on a path and around that time I had the good fortune to meet Lynn Mestel, a leading recruiter and true icon in the industry. Her company was based in New York and she asked me to open her Washington, D.C. office. Almost from day one, I knew I had found the right career, and I have never looked back.
LD: What are some aspects about this work that you find professionally satisfying?
AE: Recruiting elite-level partners requires a high degree of creativity and the ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Every day presents a new challenge and the opportunity to grow and learn. After 25 years in this industry, I am still evolving and getting better.
That commitment to personal growth is what makes CenterPeak such an incredible company. We have attracted the best recruiters in the industry, and we work collaboratively to satisfy our clients' greatest needs. That is what makes this work incredibly satisfying.
LD: What trends are keeping you busy these days?
AE: The most overarching trend is that virtually every major law firm in the U.S. and globally is deeply engaged in the market for lateral partners. Firm leaders across the board have an imperative to grow and increase profits, and standing still means falling behind. This creates an incredibly fluid marketplace for lateral talent with increasing compensation for the most sought-after partners. We often see candidates receive eight-figure compensation packages in the most high-demand areas, such as private equity, private funds, energy infrastructure and data center development. Looking ahead, we expect to see continued demand in these areas as well as an increase in demand for commercial litigators as well as bankruptcy and restructuring talent.
LD: What can you tell us about your career path?
AE: Immediately after law school, I joined the Department of Justice, Tax Division, through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. It was an incredible opportunity that provided hands-on litigation experience. My first court appearance was the day after I was sworn into the bar. After five incredible years representing the United States in federal courts around the country, I concluded that I didn’t want to spend my entire career as a trial lawyer. That opened my mind to this alternative career path, which is still part of the legal industry, but does not involve practicing law.
LD: Is this the type of job you imagined yourself having as a younger person?
AE: I never imagined being involved in this type of work. Quite honestly, I don’t think many young people envision recruiting lateral partners for law firms as a career. It’s a somewhat under-the-radar profession with limited visibility outside of the legal community. My family is full of lawyers and I always thought that would be my career path as well.
