The winds of change have shifted in the legal industry and particularly the New York legal market, according to industry consultants and recruiters. Smaller law firms like Kramer Levin increasingly find keeping up with larger competitors a challenge when it comes to the contests for both clients and talent, they say.

Rainmakers - the attorneys who bring clients, business, and money to their firms - are viewed as a valuable commodity in the legal industry. Because they are top financial producers, they typically reap the most rewards, gaining leadership roles, recognition, and financial benefits. Rainmakers are also the most marketable should they choose to switch firms.

Legal recruiters are sought by attorneys and law firms alike because they add significant value to the hiring process. For attorneys, recruiters act as advocates who identify worthwhile opportunities. For law firms and other organizations that employ attorneys, recruiters facilitate connections with candidates who can contribute to further growth.

When Michelle Foster launched The Foster Group, she was already an expert at connecting lawyers with law firms. For more than a decade, she had been a preeminent recruiter at the world’s largest legal search firm, earning accolades as a top performer. However, Michelle was seeking something more for her clients - she wanted to go beyond simply getting them their next job.

The outstanding work done by Michelle Foster in law and legal recruiting during the past two decades was recently honored by Marquis Who’s Who, which has included Michelle’s biographical profile in an upcoming edition of their globally recognized publication.

Michelle J. Foster, Doctor of Jurisprudence, is the celebrated founder and managing partner of The Foster Group Legal Search, established in 2014 in New York City. Throughout her storied career, Ms. Foster has steadily built her hard-earned, trusted status and network by demonstrating her prowess in the law, career counseling, and recruitment in the legal profession.

Much like a ship suddenly forced to sail through strange waters, the legal field has been working to find its bearings since the COVID-19 pandemic. The unexpected demands of Covid forced law firms - like many other businesses - to stay afloat by going remote, and once the pandemic passed, getting attorneys to return to the office proved to be a formidable challenge.

Michelle J. Foster has been recognized for excellence in legal recruiting and search services: “Michelle has been highly sought out by clients and candidates alike, who are eager to partner with Michelle and benefit from her extensive legal network and connections.”

The Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans made a case for the power of change when she said, “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” In today’s world, Evans’s words can serve as powerful advice for attorneys who find themselves stuck in positions that are not professionally or financially satisfying.

Complex. Intimidating. Time consuming. The job search process in today’s legal industry is all of those things for both attorneys seeking positions and firms seeking to bring on new talent. But those who choose to embrace the process will find that the rewards for both sides have never been higher. For lawyers, making the right move to a new firm promises considerable increases in compensation, significant opportunities for practice growth and development, and advancements into leadership positions.

Attaining the title of “partner” is a milestone that brings a higher level of professional prestige, authority, and compensation. It is also a milestone that, until recently, was typically accessible only to men.

In response to recent raises to associate base salaries, midsize firms that can’t match will reinforce the message that their associates have an accessible and meaningful career path, write Pro Mid Market columnists at recruiting firm The Foster Group.

The legal world is shifting in unprecedented ways, putting attorneys and law firms alike in need of a guide capable of understanding and navigating the new landscape of legal recruiting. The Foster Group, which takes a unique long-term career mentoring approach to recruiting, is the perfect recruiting firm to serve as that guide.

A paradigm shift is occurring in the legal world. Just like professionals in other industries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, attorneys are looking for more flexibility in their work schedules, and law firms - in what would have seemed unimaginable a few years ago - are providing it.

Lengthy, multiyear guarantees could be becoming a thing of the past. Michelle Foster, of The Foster Group Legal Search, said she “commonly” sees guarantees for specific amounts of money - but they depend on a partner’s level of originations, plus things like their billing rates, projections and track record.

“Attorneys whose careers have focused on the pure practice of law may not be the ‘go-to’ profile for a succession opportunity,” write recruiters at search firm The Foster Group. “Rather, the ideal candidate will also be entrepreneurial and client-facing — they will have shown an aptitude for, and an interest in, client development and management.”

Halfway through 2023, Mid-Law firms have made some major moves, from welcoming groups of attorneys changing firms to snapping up attorneys leaving government service to instituting notable changes on the business side. “For these middle-market and Mid-law firms that have been doing well financially and been successful the last few years, they’re well-positioned to take advantage,” said Elaine Oh, a New York-based recruiter who focuses on middle-market firms.

For firms seeking to recruit top talent, the preference to work remotely among a large segment of young lawyers is a new reality of work. “Firms that want to attract and retain top talent should be ready to address the issue and, when not offering hybrid work, have a meaningful alternative,” write columnists Drew and Michelle Foster.

While a number of factors can play a role in a firm’s financial performance, a thoughtful growth strategy seemed to be important in 2022, according to legal recruiters and Pro Mid-Market columnists Michelle Foster and Drew Foster.

As some attorneys make career decisions based on remote work options, recruiters say Mid-Law firms may be able to use the situation to pick off high-quality talent from the bigger players - if these firms are willing to offer the flexibility candidates are looking for.