Macrae

Diverse teams are stronger. More creative. More innovative. Research has established this long ago - this Harvard Business Review article is just one example: https://lnkd.in/eP6Zen73 . At Macrae, we treat all law firm partner searches as diversity searches. That means we look for the best talent and the best fit - without assumptions about gender, race, or sexual orientation. It’s not about favouring certain groups to the detriment of straight white men. It’s about ensuring that everyone, including those historically overlooked, is given equal consideration. Women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ professionals face the same fundamental challenge in their careers: a credibility gap compared to their heterosexual male peers. Which woman hasn’t had this experience? In a meeting, she shares an idea - silence. A few minutes later, a man repeats it, and suddenly it’s met with enthusiasm. Hello? Was anyone listening? To be treated as equals, historically underrepresented professionals often have to work harder, prove themselves more, and go the extra mile at every stage. If your job involves hiring law firm partners, take a close look at these groups. They’re often not just excellent but exceptionally resilient - because they’ve had to be. The key to fair hiring is process. A strong, deliberate process is the best safeguard against bias. One well-known example? Symphonic orchestras that introduced blind auditions, allowing judges to focus solely on the music, not who was playing. The result: a dramatic increase in women being hired. (https://lnkd.in/eTivXW4W.) Some argue that even with diverse candidate pools, unconscious bias still affects hiring decisions. And it does. But process remains the best guardrail - ensuring rigorous, merit-based, assessments and accountability in decision-making. As a legal recruiter, I work in two ways: conducting searches for law firms and representing individual partners looking for the best new home for their practice. Since joining Macrae in 2019, I’ve worked with many partners, including: - 36% women - 4.5% openly LGBTQ+ - 12.5% people of colour - 24 nationalities And in case you were wondering - these diverse candidates weren’t just any partners. They were key hires for top firms launching new offices, leading new practices, and expanding teams. Because they’re exceptional lawyers, regardless of their gender, skin colour, or who they love.

With a surge of government attorneys entering the lateral market, law firms have more talent to choose from than ever. But as hiring slows and firms focus on long-term business planning, some candidates are finding it harder to secure the right opportunity - and the right compensation. As Lauren Drake, a partner in our Washington, D.C. office, notes in Abigail Adcox’s latest for The American Lawyer, law firms are taking a highly strategic approach: "There are all these terrific people on the market, and what we are hearing from firms is, ‘We'd love to be opportunistic and grab this person, but we don't have the business case for it.’" Some government attorneys are securing multi-million-dollar packages, while others face tougher negotiations. Compensation guarantees, once declining, are making a comeback - but their availability depends on the firm and the candidate. For lateral candidates, especially those coming from the public sector, working with a well-connected recruiter can help ensure a placement that not only aligns with long-term career goals but also secures the compensation they deserve. Read the full article here*: https://lnkd.in/ef9gKMPr *This article is behind a paywall, and a subscription may be required to access the full content.

The latest piece from Yeji Jesse Lee at Law360 explores a growing trend: federal healthcare attorneys are increasingly looking to transition into private practice amid significant uncertainty in government agencies. A combination of factors - including return-to-office mandates, buyout offers, and concerns over potential policy shifts - has driven a surge of government attorneys into the lateral market. But as Peggy Bennett, managing director in our Washington, D.C. office, points out, while demand exists, opportunities in private practice may not be as widespread as some hope: "If you are a lateral partner looking to move to another firm and you have a book of business, you'll have a lot of options. But for government lawyers who may have incredible legal credentials but don’t necessarily have firm transferable skills, making the move can be more challenging." With the legal market tightening, government attorneys considering a transition need to think strategically about how to position themselves for success - leveraging recruiters, professional networks, and other resources to navigate the competitive landscape. Read the full article here*: https://lnkd.in/euBgpWYC *This article is behind a paywall, and a subscription may be required to access the full content.

Siobhán Lewington, a partner in our London office, was featured in MD Communications’ latest white paper, What Lies Ahead 2025, which explores key trends shaping the legal industry in the year ahead. Siobhán shared her perspective on the evolving talent market: "The legal sector in 2025 will continue to be defined by intense competition for talent as US firms drive up compensation and reshape recruitment norms. A client-led value proposition will be at the heart of the most successful hiring by law firms." The report covers major themes, including: ✅ The role of AI in legal business development. ✅ Law firm culture and hybrid working trends. ✅ The future of the billable hour and compensation models. ✅ ESG expectations and ethical considerations. As firms navigate these shifts, understanding what’s ahead is key to staying competitive. Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eDsz5G-5

As federal attorneys navigate uncertainty - whether through layoffs, rescinded job offers, or voluntary exits - law firms are seeing an influx of government talent. But as Lauren Drake points out, “supply and demand will not match.” Firms are engaging in conversations, but opportunities remain limited. Read more on the shifting D.C. legal market in this piece from Abigail Adcox.

Career transitions in the legal industry are rarely linear - so how do you navigate them strategically? At the recent American Bar Association Women’s Antitrust Roundtable, Justine Donahue, partner in our Washington, D.C. office and former antitrust lawyer, joined an esteemed panel to discuss the complexities of career movement across private practice, government, and in-house roles. In her latest article, she shares key insights from the conversation, including how to identify the right opportunities, leverage professional networks, and position yourself for long-term success. The Times in Transition panel also featured: ❇️ Eyitayo "Tee" St Matthew Daniel - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Moderator) ❇️ Portia Bamiduro - Amazon ❇️ Renata B. Hesse - Sullivan & Cromwell LLP ❇️ Leslie Overton - Axinn ❇️ Geralyn Trujillo - DiCello Levitt LLP For those considering a career shift - or simply looking to refine their approach to professional growth - this article offers valuable takeaways. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gn5jqVRt American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section

As more lateral partners transition from guaranteed compensation to their firms' standard pay structures, negotiations around post-guarantee earnings are becoming increasingly common. In his latest for The American Lawyer, Dan Roe explores how firms and partners navigate this crucial inflection point. While some partners may reenter the lateral market after a guarantee ends, the reality is that firms and partners often find a middle ground in compensation discussions. As Jon Truster, a partner in our New York office, explains: "I have seen situations where people have moved and they’ve had their compensation reduced slightly after the guarantee period, and the partners have understood and been fine with it because they felt bad because some of the stuff they thought was going to move with them didn’t.” With record levels of partner hiring in recent years, how firms handle these negotiations will shape the future of lateral movement in Big Law. Read the full article here*: https://lnkd.in/ePN3mfkA *This article is behind a paywall, and a subscription may be required to access the full content. 

Government attorneys are on the move. As the new administration takes shape, law firms are seeing an unprecedented wave of interest from federal lawyers exploring private practice opportunities. “We’ve never truly seen anything like this,” says Lauren Drake, a partner in our Washington, D.C., office, in a recent ABA Journal article by Anna Stolley Persky. Macrae has already placed double the number of government lawyers in private-sector roles compared to the last presidential transition. Many firms, particularly in D.C. and New York, are actively seeking top legal talent leaving the federal government. Senior attorneys with specialized expertise—such as national security, economic sanctions, and antitrust—are finding strong demand for their skill sets. However, with so many lawyers making a move, competition for top-tier firm positions is high. Read the full article here*: https://lnkd.in/gAJAS8yr *This article is behind a paywall, and a subscription may be required to access the full content.

"Life is made up of many different moments, and you have the opportunity to be a superstar in all of them. Every moment matters - whether at work or beyond - so don’t lose sight of the bigger picture." This was just one of many great insights shared during the “Times in Transition” panel at the American Bar Association 2025 Antitrust Women’s Roundtable, where Justine Donahue, a partner in our Washington, D.C. office, joined a thoughtful discussion on career transitions, leadership, and leveraging legal expertise in new ways. Moderated by Eyitayo "Tee" St Matthew Daniel (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP), the panel featured an accomplished group of speakers: Portia Bamiduro (Amazon), Renata B. Hesse (Sullivan & Cromwell LLP), Leslie Overton (Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP), Geralyn Trujillo (DiCello Levitt LLP Levitt), and of course, our very own, Justine Donahue. Thank you to the American Bar Association for bringing together such an impressive group of women for this insightful conversation.

Tomorrow, Justine Donahue, a partner in our Washington, D.C. office, will be speaking at the American Bar Association’s 2025 Antitrust Women’s Roundtable in New York. She’ll be joining the panel “Times in Transition” to share insights on navigating career changes, including moving between sectors, leveraging antitrust expertise in new ways, and stepping into leadership roles. The Roundtable will bring together women practitioners from across antitrust, consumer protection, and data privacy for discussions on key industry topics and career development. Learn more about the event here and let us know if you'll be attending: https://lnkd.in/gDMsA3N2