You can talk to a legal recruiter before you decide to leave your job. You might want to know what else is out there, or just talk through something happening at work. We can start there. No firm receives your materials unless you've approved it.
Anyone is welcome to reach out to Mosaic for general advice. Our placement work focuses on attorneys with strong backgrounds considering leading law firms. If that's not where you're headed, you can still ask us a question.
When should you reach out to a legal recruiter?
Whenever there's something you want to figure out. Maybe you're ready to leave. Maybe you like your job but wonder what you should be learning now to have more options later.
You don't need to update your resume first. Tell me about the work you'd like to do, a city you're considering, or what's been bothering you about your group. That's enough to start a useful conversation.
Useful reasons to talk include:
- You want to understand whether other groups would offer different work, responsibility, or mentorship.
- You’re considering a new market or practice direction and want to understand the options.
- Something has changed in your team, and you want to think through what it means for you.
- You have an offer or a deadline and need help organizing the decisions ahead.
- You want to know what experience would strengthen your options over time.
If you're not sure how to frame the question, that's fine too. Tell me what's going on.
Can you speak with a recruiter if you’re not ready to move?
Yes. You can have an exploratory conversation with Mosaic without starting a job search. Just let me know you're exploring and what might make you consider a move.
You might have a partner who invests in you and work you want to keep doing. I think that deserves serious weight. Sometimes it makes more sense to ask for a change within your firm before looking elsewhere.
And sometimes you realize that the thing bothering you is unlikely to change where you are. We can talk through that too.
A conversation does not authorize a submission. We need your approval for each firm before we send anything. If you only want advice for now, let us know.
Who can reach out, and who does Mosaic represent?
You're welcome to contact us even if you're unsure whether a recruiter can help with the kind of move you have in mind. We can figure that out together.
We recruit attorneys with strong backgrounds for leading law firms and elite boutiques. Which opportunities make sense depends on your experience and what you want to do next. We'll discuss the specifics privately.
For some moves, a direct application or an introduction from someone at the firm will do more for you than a recruiter can. If I think that's the case, I'll tell you.
If you are a law student, start with our free student resources and the Mosaic Scholars program. Student advising and recruiting for an experienced attorney are different processes.
Does it cost anything to work with Mosaic?
Candidates pay nothing for Mosaic's lateral recruiting service or an introductory conversation. When a law firm hires a candidate through Mosaic, the hiring firm pays the placement fee.
Candidly, that gives recruiters a reason to want you to move. Ask how they handle that incentive. Would they tell you to wait if the timing were wrong? Would they advise you to stay in a good role?
I'd rather you come back to me with your next career question than take a job you regret. If the move doesn't make sense for you, we should pass.
What happens in the first conversation?
I want to hear what your work is actually like. Two associates with the same title can have very different jobs. What matters are you handling? How much responsibility do you have? Who do you learn from?
Tell me what's working and what you'd change, including where you want to live. And let me know early if there's an offer deadline or you're already talking to firms.
Then we can talk about what to look into and whether it makes sense to start a search. You should be getting a feel for me too. Ask what I know about your practice and how I'd approach your search.
What should you prepare before reaching out?
A few sentences about your situation are enough to start. Send the resume you have, if useful. It doesn't have to be ready for a firm yet.
It helps to have these things in mind:
- Your current role, practice, and approximate level of experience.
- The work you want to keep doing and what you would like to change.
- Your preferred markets and any practical constraints.
- Your timing, including whether you are only exploring.
- Firms you’ve already approached, directly or through someone else.
If we decide to start looking, we'll go through the materials together. Usually we start with your resume and transcript, then work on how to explain your experience. Some roles call for additional materials.
How do confidentiality and permission to submit work?
Mosaic treats the initial conversation as confidential and requires your written approval for each firm before submitting your materials. Sending us your resume doesn't give us permission to send it on.
Before you approve a firm, ask which opportunity is being discussed and what the recruiter plans to share. Put your approval in writing and keep a copy. I'd avoid giving anyone blanket permission to send your resume around.
Let us know which firms to leave out and anything we need to be careful about. Something you tell me about a difficult partner, for example, may help me advise you. That doesn't mean it belongs in your introduction to another firm.
Ask these questions of any recruiter you consider. You should know how your information will be used before you share it.
How should you choose a legal recruiter?
Talk to a few recruiters if that helps you decide. You can learn a lot from a short conversation: do they know your practice, do they answer your questions, and do you like how they think?
I would ask:
- What do you know about the group beyond the firm's public description?
- What would make you advise me to pass on an opportunity?
- What preparation will I receive before an interview?
- How do you obtain my approval before contacting a firm?
- What happens if I change my mind or decide to stay?
I'd listen for specific answers and a willingness to say, "I don't know yet." You're welcome to ask me all of these questions!
What if you’ve already applied or spoken with another recruiter?
Tell us before any new submission. Share the firm, approximate date, role or office, and whether you applied directly, through a referral, or through another recruiter.
If two recruiters send you to the same firm, it can create a dispute over who introduced you. A previous direct application can matter too. Each firm handles this differently, so let's check the history before we contact anyone.
If you’re using more than one recruiter, make clear who is handling each firm. You should be able to look at your own list and know where your materials have gone.
What happens if you decide to start a search?
We look into the firms and groups that could suit what you've described, then send you a list to consider. You choose which ones to pursue. Once you've approved them, we prepare your submissions and handle the firm conversations with you.
Interview preparation is also a chance to work out what you need to learn about the group. Who would you work with? What would they expect you to handle? What should you ask them? Our interview preparation page shows the structure of a Mosaic packet using a fictional example.
If you get an offer, we'll go through the terms and discuss what to negotiate. We'll also check in on any other interviews you're waiting on. We can push for what matters to you, though the firm decides what it will offer.
You can read the ten steps of a Mosaic lateral search for the full sequence, or how Mosaic works for the advising behind it. Candidates can also follow their firms and stages through the Candidate Portal.
How long does a lateral search take?
It depends on the openings and the firms involved, as well as how much time you have for interviews. Some searches move quickly. Others involve waiting for a suitable role or a firm's decision.
Tell us about any deadline at the start. We can ask firms about their timing and keep the processes moving, but we can't make a hiring committee meet sooner or guarantee an answer by a particular day.
Can you pause the search or decide to stay?
Yes. Tell us if your priorities change or you decide to stay where you are. We'll let any firms already involved know where things stand.
I want you to feel comfortable with the decision you make. If something changes later, get back in touch. And if you've moved and want to talk through how it's going, I'm glad to do that too.
How do you start a conversation with Mosaic?
Email Bryson@MosaicSearchPartners.com or contact me on LinkedIn. Tell me a little about your work and the question you are weighing. If you are not ready to move, include that.
Something like this is plenty:
Hi Bryson, I’m an associate working in [practice] in [city]. I’m not actively looking right now, but I’d like to understand my options for [the question you have]. Would it make sense to talk? I can send my resume if useful.
That's plenty to get us started. I'm glad to hear from you, even if a move is a long way off.