Meredith Frank, co-managing partner of the Southeast at legal search firm CenterPeak, leads with intention and with humanity at the core of every interaction. “I've always been driven by human connection – by the energy of building relationships and creating meaningful outcomes for others,” Frank explains.
To do her job, Frank brings a precise, intentional approach to every engagement, whether placing law firm partners and groups at elite law firms or guiding clients through strategic growth.
Frank began her career as a complex commercial litigator in Philadelphia, earning her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law before spending several years in practice.
But she soon realized her mission extended beyond the courtroom, to serve not just corporate clients, but the legal community at large. In the two decades since, Frank has guided elite partners across a range of practice areas through high-impact lateral moves to the world's leading law firms, spanning multiple major markets.
She has also worked alongside senior leadership teams as a strategic partner, advising on key acquisitions, merger strategy and market expansion.
Frank served as Managing Partner in Major, Lindsey & Africa's partner practice group for over a decade before joining CenterPeak in 2024.
The ultimate goal for Frank as a Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting member is “building lasting partnerships defined by synergy, shared values and sustained competitive advantage.”
Now living in Parkland, Fla., with her husband, Eric, and their sons, Brady and Cooper, Frank remains an avid Philadelphia sports fan. She is also a travel enthusiast and a passionate foodie.
Lawdragon: Can you tell us what you do?
Meredith Frank: As a law firm partner recruiter, I operate at the intersection of talent and strategy – representing, advising and guiding elite partners through some of the most consequential career decisions of their professional lives. At the same time, I serve as a strategic partner to law firm leadership, helping firms build for the future through lateral acquisitions that reshape practices and markets.
The work is inherently nuanced. Effectively serving all sides of the market – high-value partners and groups seeking the right platform, and firm leaders seeking the right talent – requires more than market knowledge. It demands a genuine understanding of the underlying dynamics, long-term goals, culture and strategic vision that drive each party. My effectiveness depends entirely on the depth of those relationships. It is that foundation of trust that enables the kind of lasting, often transformational outcomes my clients and candidates strive for.
Time and again, I've watched partners make that leap and emerge not just professionally elevated, but with renewed energy, sharper focus and a deeper sense of self.
LD: How did you first become interested in this line of work?
MF: The law has always been part of my DNA. My grandfather was a lawyer. My father was a lawyer. And from a young age, I watched as friends and family turned to my father for guidance on some of the most important decisions of their lives. That left a deep impression on me – the idea that a trusted advisor could have a profound and lasting impact on the people they serve.
Practicing law fulfilled part of that calling. But I've always been driven by human connection, by the energy of building relationships and creating meaningful outcomes for others. Over time, I felt a growing pull toward something different – a desire to make a broader, more lasting impact on the legal community as a whole. A family member in the legal recruiting industry suggested I consider the profession, and it turned out to be the perfect answer. It allows me to combine my legal foundation with my passion for people and to play a meaningful role in shaping the careers of exceptional lawyers and the trajectories of the world's leading law firms.
LD: What advice do you have now for current students or young professionals who wish to have a similar type of career?
MF: Don't be afraid of change.
For most people, identity and community are deeply intertwined with the professional path they've chosen, making change feel overwhelming and destabilizing. But in my experience, it is also one of the most powerful catalysts for growth – forcing clarity, building resilience and revealing possibilities that would otherwise remain out of view.
Much of what I do is help extraordinarily accomplished partners work through the psychological weight of a lateral move, which is often far more challenging than the logistics. Time and again, I've watched partners make that leap and emerge not just professionally elevated, but with renewed energy, sharper focus and a deeper sense of self.
Lean into change rather than away from it. The willingness to evolve is not a sign of instability; it's a sign of growth and wisdom. And often, moving on is exactly what it takes to move up.
LD: What advice would you give potential clients in terms of how to work most productively with an outside advisor?
MF: Help us help you! We want to be your strategic partners. Not just a vendor you call when a need arises, but a trusted extension of your leadership team, helping you execute on your most mission-critical growth strategies and realize your long-term vision. That kind of partnership only works when clients are willing to bring us inside and share the full picture of where the firm is headed, what's working, what isn't and what success truly looks like.
On the other end, be open to feedback and perspective. One of our greatest value propositions is our access to a wealth of real-time market intelligence – what candidates are hearing across the street, how your firm is perceived in the market, where the talent is moving and why. That kind of nuanced, ground-level insight can help you sharpen your strategy and give you a meaningful competitive edge in the war for talent.
The willingness to evolve is not a sign of instability – it's a sign of growth and wisdom. And often, moving on is exactly what it takes to move up.
LD: What do you do for fun when you’re outside the office?
MF: I spend a significant portion of my weekends on soccer fields watching my two boys chase their dreams of becoming the next Messi while I chase my coffee. Otherwise, you'll find me on long walk therapy sessions with my best friend, hosting epic game nights or deep in a Netflix spiral with my husband. Both of us are fully committed to "just one more episode" at 1 a.m. Our two dogs are constant companions and a never-ending source of joy and chaos.
And if you really want to know what keeps me busy between all of that, I'm perpetually redecorating every room in our home on a rolling three- to five-year cycle. There are mood boards everywhere, capturing my ever-evolving design visions. My family has learned to just embrace it.
