Jennifer Moss has spent more than a decade establishing herself as one of Boston’s most accomplished and in-demand partner recruiters – deeply embedded in the fabric of one of the nation’s most competitive and sophisticated legal markets. Now, she brings that Boston-honed expertise to a broader stage.
As a Senior Partner and the Managing Partner of the newly formed Boston office at CenterPeak – the world’s premier partner search firm – Moss anchors the firm’s expansion in the region, positioning Boston as a critical gateway to an exceptional bench of firms and top-tier talent across the globe with a particular focus on New York, Washington D.C., Boston and London. With a reputation built in a market known for its rigor, intellect and elite institutions, she serves as a trusted connector at the highest levels of the legal profession.
Before launching her career in legal recruiting, Moss was certain she would become a doctor. But while pursuing a master’s degree in French, an international law course altered her trajectory – revealing a path that would allow her to fuse language, global perspective and complex problem-solving in a way few professions could.
That decision led her to Coudert Brothers, one of the first truly international law firms, where Moss began her legal career working between New York and Paris. The experience placed her at the intersection of global finance and cross-border practice – setting the ideal foundation for a career advising sophisticated financial clients.
Over the years that followed, Moss built a practice representing hedge funds and private equity clients at firms including Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault and Choate Hall & Stewart. Eventually, however, another opportunity emerged – one that would allow her to use the strategic instincts she had developed as a transactional lawyer in a different way.
Prior to joining CenterPeak, Moss served as a Managing Director in the Partner Practice Group at Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she was a top recruiter and built one of the region’s most respected lateral partner recruiting practices. She has facilitated multiple law firm office openings in Boston and made significant placements across major markets.
Today at CenterPeak, Moss helps leading law firms execute strategic growth. She specializes in exclusive search engagements for high-end partners and groups, advising firms on initiatives ranging from office openings to major team acquisitions across markets such as New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and London.
“The legal landscape in Boston is evolving at a rapid pace, with firms building sophisticated, industry-leading practices that demand a level of precision and discretion few can deliver,” says Moss. “CenterPeak enables me to operate at that level – connecting Boston’s legal community to an exceptional, global bench of firms and talent, and ensuring the city remains at the forefront of the profession.”
The work combines two things Moss loves: the strategic puzzle of putting together a deal and the deeply personal process of helping lawyers make career-defining decisions.
“Finding the right fit for candidates and clients is all about putting the right pieces together,” she says. “It satisfies the ‘deal junkie’ in me.”
It also reflects an instinct that has guided her career from the beginning – a willingness to pursue the unfamiliar. Whether counseling candidates through pivotal moves or hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park with her children, Moss says she tries to keep one principle in mind: Keep doing things that challenge you.
Lawdragon: Can you describe for our readers the types of services you provide within the legal industry, and tell us about your clients?
Jen Moss: I specialize in exclusive search engagements for leading law firms, including critical strategic initiatives like group acquisitions and office openings. As a Senior Partner and the Managing Partner of the Boston office at CenterPeak, I leverage their global platform to serve firms and partners across key markets, including Boston, New York, London and Washington, D.C. I also work with high-end individual partners and groups across a variety of practice areas and have done significant work in private equity, finance, private and registered investment funds, and life sciences. My practice spans all these markets, allowing me to connect local market expertise with a truly international reach – placing partners and firms at the highest level, wherever the opportunity demands.
My practice spans all these markets, allowing me to connect local market expertise with a truly international reach.
LD: What do you find most rewarding about this work?
JM: As a former M&A lawyer, I have always loved putting together all the different pieces to get a deal done. Recruiting and finding the right fit for candidates and clients is similar in enough ways that it satisfies the ‘deal junkie’ in me. But what I love most about it is the human element. I love constantly meeting new people, being able to build trust and strong relationships, and counseling candidates through one of the biggest decisions of their lives. It is extremely rewarding to see candidates become happier, reenergized and more successful after making a move.
LD: Are there any trends you are seeing in terms of the types of matters keeping you busy these days?
JM: Our clients’ strategic initiatives are driven by the larger economic trends. For example, as we are seeing asset managers rapidly diversifying into new asset classes, clients are looking for expertise to handle this work. So, a lot of what’s keeping me busy these days touches asset management in one way or another. In keeping up with the increased demand for registered funds, I recently facilitated a group move of registered funds lawyers. I am doing a great deal of work in private credit, as this remains a hot area for sponsors. I also recently facilitated a significant sponsor finance placement as PE M&A transactions gain momentum.
LD: Tell us a bit about your career path.
JM: I began my legal career in the New York and Paris offices of Coudert Brothers, first as a legal assistant before law school, and then as an associate. I specialized in hedge funds, representing them in all areas from launch to tax-efficient derivatives structures to ongoing compliance issues. When I moved to Boston, I worked at both Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, and then Choate Hall & Stewart, transitioning to specialize in PE/M&A. Practicing at three different firms really gave me a sense of how different law firm cultures can be, and how being at a firm that’s the right fit can be life-changing. That perspective is something I carry in every search I facilitate – it informs how I counsel partners through some of the most significant decisions of their careers. Most recently, I served as a Managing Director in the Partner Practice Group at Major, Lindsey & Africa, where I built one of Boston’s most respected lateral partner recruiting practices and facilitated multiple law firm office openings in the market.
LD: Did any experience from your undergraduate work push you towards this type of career?
JM: I majored in pre-med during undergrad and was 1,000 percent sure I was going to become a doctor, which had been my lifelong dream. I also majored in French and decided to take a year to pursue a master’s in French before medical school. That led me to take an International Law class as part of that program, which then inspired me to pursue a career where I could use my fluency in French as part of my work. I ended up working at Coudert Brothers, the first true international law firm founded by French-American brothers. I loved my time and the work I did there.
LD: You have a variety of advanced degrees. How was that factored into your career?
JM: Yes, I have a M.A. in French Language & Civilization from Middlebury College, a J.D. from Boston College Law School, and an M.B.A. from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. That combination – legal training, business strategy, and a deep understanding of both the Boston market and larger global legal market – is something I bring to every placement at CenterPeak. I believe strongly in lifelong learning and strive to remain curious. I’m constantly embracing new challenges.
LD: What do you do for fun when you’re outside the office?
JM: I love adventures, including traveling. Some of my favorite recent travels include a Backroads trip hiking and biking across Switzerland with family, and a trip to explore National Parks in Utah with my kids, where we rock-climbed and hiked The Narrows at Zion. I’m also committed to staying active and trying new things that scare and challenge me.
