When law firms make a hire, they make a meaningful investment. Consequently, the right hiring advice is crucial and something that is best drawn from a deep well of experience and industry knowledge. The Foster Group provides that type of advice, drawing on a quarter century of recruiting experience to ensure legal hires are optimal for both firms and attorneys.
“The insights we give our clients come not just from data, but from decades-long relationships and trusted access to hiring partners, practice group chairs, and firm leadership nationwide,” shares Michelle Foster, Managing Partner at The Foster Group. “The deep relationships we’ve cultivated during the past 25 years give us a real-time understanding of what firms truly need and the strategic growth initiatives they have underway. Law firm websites or public job postings that attorneys find online often tell only part of the story. We know where compensation is moving, which groups are strategically expanding, and how candidates are being evaluated in a competitive market.”
Michelle is a former litigation partner and a veteran legal recruiter with over 25 years of experience helping law firms and corporations identify the best attorneys for their hiring needs. Before starting her own firm, she worked for Major Lindsey & Africa, where she was a Partner and consistently ranked as a top recruiter globally for over a decade. Michelle has placed over 600 attorneys throughout the course of her career and has provided advice and counsel to countless others.
“In addition to having valuable insights on strategic priorities and initiatives within firms, we also understand the attorney side of the equation,” says Drew Foster, Managing Director of The Foster Group. “We have the unique insights lawyers need to strategically position themselves for leadership opportunities, stronger compensation, client and practice growth, and succession opportunities. Our mission is not to simply fill roles, but to act as long-term career advisors and advocates for the attorneys we work with.”
Drew is a Managing Director with over 12 years of experience navigating the legal market and specializing in the placement of Partners and Associate-level attorneys. As a “full cycle recruiter,” Drew understands how to effectively manage the recruitment process from both the candidate and client perspectives.
The Foster Group says law firms that want to recruit top talent need to build strong relationships
In the age of AI, data-driven hiring can appear to be a tempting alternative to traditional methods. But the Fosters warn that while AI-powered platforms may provide a list of candidates, they won’t necessarily help law firms recruit them.
“One of the top lessons we’ve learned from the past 25 years of recruiting is that relationships matter,” Michelle shares. “And in an age when AI is making the hiring process impersonal, relationships matter more than ever. Firms that build authentic relationships with candidates rather than approaching recruiting as a transactional process will see the strongest recruiting outcomes. Top attorneys have options, and they want to feel genuinely wanted, understood, and valued.”
One way to foster strong relationships with candidates is to assign one or two people at a firm to lead the charge and stay in touch with the candidate to build a personal bond. It is also helpful to have those same attorneys walk through the numbers with the candidate, rather than having a long list of partners grill them. The goal is to show candidates their talents are recognized and appreciated, not just their book of business. The best interview processes are those in which the firm clearly and consistently communicates the need for the candidate and their fit with the firm.
Over the past few years, the Fosters have seen the legal market become far more candidate-driven and strategic. While compensation remains important, candidates are also carefully considering client and industry synergies and alignment, as well as rate structures and arrangements.
“Today’s candidates want to know whether a firm is truly invested in their long-term success,” Drew says. “They are considering factors such as client and industry alignment, leadership opportunities, and business development support. They also want to know whether the firm will provide the flexibility needed to assist them in substantially expanding their practice while maintaining a collegial environment.
The Foster Group says speed and decisiveness in hiring are critical for securing top talent
Working with an experienced legal recruiter helps both attorneys and firms avoid pitfalls that can derail the hiring process. One of the key pitfalls the Fosters see in today’s legal market is underestimating how fierce the competition is for strong talent.
“Many firms wrongly assume highly qualified attorneys will remain available indefinitely,” Michelle says. “Firms can stay competitive by ensuring the person leading their recruitment efforts stays in touch with top talent and communicates that the process is moving forward. Encountering a slow, cumbersome, and disorganized process is a turnoff.”
In today’s market, top attorneys are evaluating firms strategically. If they feel they aren’t seeing a clearly articulated value proposition, they’ll move on to more proactive firms.
“We help firms understand what they need to be clearly communicating to interested attorneys,” Drew explains. “In today’s market, that includes elements like platform strength, leadership access, institutional support, and long-term growth potential. Firms that don’t reassure attorneys they’ll have those elements risk losing them to competing firms that do.”
The Fosters have found that attorneys want to know how they fit in with a firm and what coming on board means for their future. To stay competitive, firms must show how an attorney will help contribute to their long-term strategic plan. Communicating this well — and reaffirming it often throughout the process — gives firms a significant competitive advantage.
To make the process even more impactful, the Fosters say firms should communicate to the recruiter why and how a candidate fits into their strategic goals. Firms do best when they tell their recruiters what the value prop is for the candidate and why joining the firm makes sense for them. When the messaging from both the recruiter and firm is aligned, it helps create an environment of trust.
“For many firms, partnering with the right recruiting firm can provide tremendous value — particularly in a highly competitive and relationship-driven market,” Michelle offers. “That said, not all recruiting firms operate at the same level. The best recruiter relationships are true partnerships built on trust, discretion, credibility, and deep industry knowledge. That’s what you’ll find at The Foster Group — a strategic advisor who can provide access, insight, and opportunities that would otherwise be difficult to uncover.”