Stephanie Ankus’ Post

It pays to be nice to ex-employees. Latham & Watkins and Kirkland & Ellis, with robust alumni programs, have the most former attorneys from their firms in the top 100 paying corporate in-house leader roles. And these firms have often landed on new matters after their lawyers arrived in-house. “While a lawyer moving from a firm to a private or public company doesn't guarantee new business to the law firm, it often results in firms benefiting from a referral network. In placing an alum at a business, a law firm will strengthen its relationship and can ensure the firm is top of mind for that company when they do seek outside counsel.” To learn why law firms might be smiling as their lawyers walk out the door, read: https://buff.ly/4fDr3vb Does your firm have a strong alumni program? #nalsc #lawjobs #legaljobs #legalrecruiting #lawfirmalumni

Alumni from Big Law are often the legal department chiefs and general counsel of the largest corporations in the U.S. While these connections help a firm's current and future lawyers in career development, they also further cement relationships between the largest firms and GCs, leading to more business for the law firms. But to ask GCs? They will tell you that they put the work in the hands of specific lawyers, not law firms.

📉 New Partner Class Sizes Shrink Again—Time to Rethink Your Path to Partnership? For the second year in a row, major law firms are reducing the size of their new partner classes, as reported by The American Lawyer. Economic pressures, strategic realignments, and shifting client demands are making the road to partnership even steeper. For talented associates aiming for partnership, this trend raises a critical question: Are you at the right firm to achieve your career goals? If your current firm’s trajectory or priorities seem misaligned with your aspirations, it may be time to explore opportunities at firms with a stronger track record of advancing talent in your practice area. Here at Astral Legal, we work with candidates to navigate these shifts and identify firms where they can thrive and achieve their long-term goals. Partnership isn’t just about tenure—it’s about finding the right platform to showcase your value. If you’re reconsidering your path or just want to explore the market, let’s connect. #BigLaw #Partnership #LegalCareers #CareerStrategy #TheAmericanLawyer https://lnkd.in/e-4ddWQr

The formula for a superstar global law firm? Step one: Either start with a big US based law firm or merge with a big US based law firm Step two: hire as many BIG NAME STARS as you possibly can Step three: replace your current comp system with one that rewards the superstars! Step four: re-evaluate and plot out Step Five

Please check out the excellent article by Amanda O'Brien in today's Legal Intelligencer where I discussed with her Partner compensation at Philadelphia area law firms. As always, please feel free to reach out at any time if you are a partner at a firm in the Philadelphia area and would like to confidentially discuss compensation, or hear about the lateral recruitment market.

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton announced Thursday it elected 10 lawyers to its partnership beginning Jan. 1 with a majority in two cities and reflecting an emphasis on its core practices and West Coast focus on China brands and Native American affairs. All but one of the 2025 partners are women, and they practice in the areas of trademark and patent litigation, complex commercial litigation and technology transactions. Four are located in the firm's largest office in Atlanta and three in Seattle, with rest in Denver, New York and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.   . . . #lawfirmgrowth #lateralhiring #jobsearch #revenue #iplaw #law #technology #trademarklaw #transactionallaw #patentlaw #litigation #flexibility #lawfirms #atlantalawyer #legalrecruiting #AtlantaLegalRecruiters #theRMNagency #legalrecruitingfirm #legalrecruiter #legalrecruiters #legalsearch #atlantalegalrecruiters #atlantalawfirms #biglaw #smalllawfirm #inhousecounsel #associate #partner

Our Co-founder and Partner Scott Yaccarino tells The American Lawyer why top law firms are being more transparent about business expectations for their equity partners, a development which he considers a natural evolution of the broader legal services market. "We are seeing a trend of firm management being more transparent when it comes to expectations at the equity partner level, whether that relates to an hours target or whether it relates to originations targets . . . It's the firms' way of basically saying, 'If you are not actively participating in the growth that the firm is experiencing, you're not going to share in that in the same way you might have historically.'" #lawfirms #lawfirmleadership #lawfirmlife #biglaw #legalindustry #legalcareers #lawcareers #legalrecruitment Andrew Maloney

Interesting Lateral Partner Integration approach Feel free to reach out for a confidential discussion of current lateral opportunities - partner , group or merger options .

Are Sign-On Bonuses Making a Comeback? In a recent The American Lawyer Law.com article, our legal recruiter Jesse P. Hyde weighed in on the evolving landscape of Big Law bonuses. Jesse noted the return to customary “true-up” bonuses, where firms guarantee year-end bonuses at the New York market level. While traditional sign-on bonuses remain rare, they're starting to reappear in high-demand practices. With an M&A rebound expected in 2025, these trends could reshape the lateral market. Check out the article for more insights: https://lnkd.in/gyK7RpbR #BigLaw #AttorneyRecruiting #SignOnBonuses #LateralLink

Clifford Chance, the U.K.'s largest law firm by revenue, has become the latest major legal institution to soften its lockstep, as law firms continue to refine remuneration processes in order to best retain senior talent. #LegalNews #LondonLawFirms #SalaryInsight