In the first installment of his The American Lawyer series, "Dear Dan - Demystifying Legal Recruiter," (see PDF) Garrison partner Dan Binstock dove into the tricky world of legal recruiter solicitations to lateral partners, and how to tell when they're truly legitimate. A copy of the PDF is now available to all readers.
The Real Deal vs. Red Flags
While many legal recruiters do legitimately reach out to partners because a law firm has expressed interest, there's a subset of recruiters that rely on vague, deceptive language to create a false sense of urgency or demand. The true hallmark of a reputable recruiter is their ability to provide concrete details about the firm’s needs and an understanding of your specific background. By contrast, the less credible ones often use generic and broad phrases like "growth opportunities" or "leadership potential" to cast a wide net and could apply to any partner in any practice area.
Common Tactics to Watch Out For
Dan also highlights some common tactics employed by less scrupulous recruiters. These include making statements like "a partner at an Am Law firm with extremely high profits-per-partner wants to speak with you" to grab your attention. Once they have you on the phone, they might pivot the conversation to ask about your practice details and then shop your profile to other firms—often without your consent.
Questions to Ask to Protect Yourself
Dan suggests some straightforward questions to ask if you’re skeptical about a recruiter's intentions:
"Who specifically asked you to contact me?" or
"What was it about my background that caught their interest?"
Asking these basic but important questions can quickly help you gauge whether the outreach is genuine or simply a tactic to get your attention.
Maintaining Control
If you're unsure of a legal recruiter's credibility, don't share too much about your practice. Make it known that you are not authorizing them to present you to any firm unless you explicitly decide to move forward. As explained in the attached article, this approach allows you to stay in control and engage with recruiters on your own terms.
If you have any questions, please contact Dan Binstock confidentially at 202-559-0472 or dbinstock@g-s.com.