Lateral hires are in a seller’s market!

I’ve just talked with two legal industry "executive search" recruiters. They have never been busier in the last 5 years! And quality laterals are being sought!

That tells me that the economy is in recovery mode; that lateral partners are still being pruned from large law firms; that partners are getting tired of the politics in larger law firms where they see no rational basis for decisions being made that may very well impact their economic future; and that most law firms have yet to act as enterprises rather than as hotels for sole practitioners. Laterals with good books of business can just as easily move to another firm that will provide them with a larger umbrella and greater opportunity … or even start their own boutique law firm.

This further suggests that while the economy has forced changes in law firms, the sea change some discuss hasn’t yet taken place … and may never. As I’ve said before, we’re in an evolutionary, not revolutionary, mode. Write me with your thoughts and experiences on this.

Categorized in: Management, Marketing