The market for privacy attorneys has surged in recent years, according to a Tru Staffing Partners study. The increase in regulation for data privacy and increase in concerns from adoption of artificial intelligence, may be contributing to the increase in recruitment for privacy lawyers, said Anna Gorodestky of Major, Lindsey & Africa. “The regulatory landscape is trying to keep up with technological advancements,” she said. “As a result, there will be an increase in the demand for lawyers with expertise in AI-adjacent spaces like privacy, intellectual property and regulatory affairs.” Gore ..read more

Attorneys with a practice focused on artificial intelligence remain in demand as large tech companies Amazon, ByteDance, OpenAI, Meta and Nvidia seek to recruit more employees to help them navigate the new regulations and risks that artificial intelligence brings to the legal world.   Many job postings describe a need for artificial intelligence product counsel who can collaborate with the company’s product, marketing and engineering teams on AI issues. Julie Brush, founder and CEO of Silicon Valley-based legal search firm Solutus Legal, said in a law.com article that she expects art ..read more

Tracy LaLonde provides law firm leaders with a common sense approach to improving relationships with her more than 30 years of training, consulting and professional development. She emphasizes the role that trust has in a client-attorney relationship, and how cultivating trust daily might make an attorney the “trusted advisor” for a client. However, LaLonde also cautions that firm leaders also need to cultivate trust at internal settings within the firm. Building trust with colleagues and younger employees at the firm will help contribute to a stronger bottom line.  LaLonde breaks down th ..read more

Lee Rudy, partner at Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, has been seeing a clear generational shift in the way younger lawyers think about careers in the legal profession. Law school graduates are saying they are seeking a sense of purpose in their work, driven by social awareness and a desire to make a difference in the world. This next generation of attorneys is going over to plaintiff-side work instead of jobs in corporate law firms. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check primarily represents investors and consumers harmed by corporate malfeasance. Rudy has seen this trend of more recent law scho ..read more

Big Law recruiters Johnson Downie and Lippman Jungers have merged. These search firms jointly announced in early March, combining recruiting networks in New York, California and Texas for a 20-recruiter national outfit that seeks to become the Am Law 20’s top headhunter. “With or without Johnson Downie and Lippman Jungers, the Am Law 50 will become the Am Law 15 over the next decade or two, with the world’s strongest firms getting stronger,” said Johnson Downie founder Clint Johnson. “Our hope is that we’re picking the winners in Big Law.” All recruiters and staff from each firm have stayed on ..read more

It is not uncommon for junior transactional attorneys to often feel lost when they first land at a firm. Kenneth Ling is a transactional attorney at Greenberg Traurig, and is the first lawyer in his family. He writes that his previous understanding of the legal profession was shaped by law school, summer internships and television shows like “Law and Order.” The culture shock of his first firm job was a difficult transition since it felt so different from law school. Through trial and error, Ling found his footing as a transactional attorney. He provides his “Cliff Notes” version of lessons he ..read more

In the midst of corporate layoffs at profitable companies such as Citigroup, Amazon, and Google, Mike Evers of Evers Legal offers some advice for attorneys navigating their careers in this current landscape. Evers recruits attorneys for corporations across the country, and sees that layoffs are no longer associated with struggling companies. It’s now considered best practice to adjusting staffing needs to coincide with business needs and technological advances, which can boost a company’s bottom line. To dodge being the sacrificial lamb in these layoffs, Evers suggests that attorneys play offe ..read more

Young attorneys starting out in the legal industry receive warnings about long hours, stressful work environments, and strict deadlines. Regardless of whether an attorney starts their career as a law firm associate, in-house counsel, as a government lawyer or in the public interest sector, the expectations and pressure to succeed in each environment remains high. Young attorneys struggling to juggle personal and professional responsibilities may wonder if they can “do it all” like the senior attorneys at their job seem to be able to do. The Young Lawyer Editorial Board, composed of 21 attorney ..read more

Despite recent spikes in compensation and reduced billable hours, a recent International Bar Association survey reveals that 54% of lawyers under 40 consider leaving their jobs within five years, and 20% consider leaving the legal industry. Junior attorneys historically have reported job burnout and dissatisfaction and law firms have worked in recent years to improve work culture with more training and mentorship opportunities. But how does an attorney just starting their career react to modern challenges of working at a private practice?  Jay Harrington, author of “The Essential Associat ..read more

This article is for litigators who went to law school with a strong desire to represent clients in their legal disputes equipped with the expertise and experience to solve their problems. Daniel Brown, pro bono partner at Sheppard Mullin, advises that pro bono work experience helps litigators write and deliver persuasive arguments, negotiate with opposing counsel, reach favorable settlements and prevail at trial.  Brown writes that pro bono work is a “gateway to litigation expertise and professional success” and provides early and invaluable skills development. After taking on a pro bono ..read more