The best lateral moves can look seamless from the outside. A partner joins a new firm. A practice expands. A market shifts. A press release goes out.
Sara Zahoryin knows how much strategy, judgment and trust it takes to make something so complex appear smooth from the outside.
As a partner in CenterPeak’s Houston office, Zahoryin advises law firms and partners through decisions that are strategic, competitive and often deeply personal. Behind every successful move is a set of questions that can reshape careers, client relationships and entire practices. Firms are looking for talent that can deepen existing strengths, serve clients in new ways and open doors the firm could not have opened on its own. Partners are looking for the platform, culture and strategic fit that will allow them to grow their books, serve clients more effectively and build the next chapter of their careers with confidence.
“In many ways, law firm partners run their own businesses within a business,” Zahoryin says. “They need both the innate ambition and the right infrastructure to compete at the highest level. Helping them find that alignment is deeply rewarding.”
Zahoryin’s role is to help both sides see clearly. She cuts through assumptions, translates priorities and helps firms and partners understand what they might be capable of together. That work requires market knowledge, discretion and a rare kind of candor – the ability to show clients what is possible, what is realistic and what is actually right for them.
A member of the Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Strategy & Consulting, her approach is rooted in honesty, transparency and a belief that clients know when an advisor is genuinely invested in their success.
“At CenterPeak, what truly sets us apart is the depth of our relationships, both with firm clients and with the individual partners who make up those firms,” Zahoryin says. “That dual perspective is something you simply can't manufacture.”
For Zahoryin, the work comes down to trust: the kind built over years, tested in high-stakes moments and essential to helping firms and partners cut through complexity, recognize the right move and make it possible.
Lawdragon: Can you describe for our readers the types of services you provide within the legal industry and to whom?
Sara Zahoryin: We are trusted advisors to law firms and to law firm partners. Our charge is to attract and secure the best legal talent in the market for our clients – assessing needs, identifying the right fit, and connecting top partners with the right firms. The desired outcome is always a win/win for both the firm and the partner.
LD: What are some aspects about this work that you find professionally satisfying?
SZ: This one is easy to answer. There is nothing quite like improving the trajectory of someone's career and, by extension, their life. The individuals who make up the large law firms we serve are remarkable. They carry exceptional intellect, an entrepreneurial drive, and real family responsibilities. In many ways, law firm partners run their own businesses within a business. They need both the innate ambition and the right infrastructure to compete at the highest level. Helping them find that alignment is deeply rewarding.
LD: What trends are you seeing in the market right now?
SZ: The lateral market is more active than ever. With the explosion of lateral moves across the industry, the competition for the best and brightest candidates has never been more intense, and that keeps us very busy.
LD: What are the key challenges in guiding a lateral move to a successful outcome?
SZ: The challenges most often come down to preconceived notions on both sides. When you're working to bring two parties together, each comes in with assumptions about what the other wants or values. Our job is to cut through that noise: to clearly convey the practical perspectives and goals of each party and then make the case for what a combined force can achieve together.
Our job is to cut through that noise: to clearly convey the practical perspectives and goals of each party and then make the case for what a combined force can achieve together.
LD: Was there an early experience or mentor who really helped shape the course of your professional life?
SZ: My mother, Janet Downie, was one of the founders of Johnson Downie, which is now part of CenterPeak. I grew up around the service business because of her, and so much of what I know today, I learned by watching her. She had a tireless work ethic, and she carried it all with integrity, grace, and a smile.
LD: How has legal recruiting changed since the early part of your career?
SZ: Like the world-class firms we serve and the exceptional partners we place, the competition has grown considerably. We respond to that the only way we know how: by committing to being the best we can be, every single day.
LD: What characteristics does it take to thrive in your work?
SZ: Honesty and transparency. Clients can sense when someone is genuinely invested in their success versus just moving a deal forward. Leading with real intention makes all the difference.
LD: What advice would you give potential clients in terms of how to most productively work with an outside advisor?
SZ: Just use us – every time. Everything will be okay.
LD: Easy!
SZ: Truly. You’ve got to find a firm you genuinely trust, one that shares your values, and invest in building a real relationship with them. When that foundation is there, great things can happen.
LD: How do you think about leadership in this stage of the firm’s growth?
SZ: One of the real challenges in leadership is knowing when to step back from the corporate targets, meet people where they are, and focus on what actually moves the needle. We accomplish extraordinary things when we're aligned and pulling in the same direction.
LD: What distinguishes CenterPeak’s approach in a competitive legal recruiting market?
SZ: At CenterPeak, what truly sets us apart is the depth of our relationships, both with firm clients and with the individual partners who make up those firms. We have spent decades building genuine understanding on both sides of the equation: the pressures law firms face at an institutional level and the very personal, high-stakes decisions that partners navigate in their own careers. That dual perspective is something you simply can't manufacture.
LD: Is there a cause or community commitment that is especially meaningful to you?
SZ: I'm involved with several organizations focused on pediatric cancer research and support. Our son is a cancer survivor, so this cause is as close to our hearts as anything can be. It's not something I take lightly. It's personal in every sense of the word.
