Finding the Best In-House Counsel and Compliance Recruitment Firm

As the corporate legal landscape becomes increasingly complex, the role of in-house legal counsel is more important than ever. Recruiting the best legal talent who have the credentials, legal skills, and are best suited for your corporate culture can prove a daunting challenge. Most organizations do not have the time, resources, or expertise to conduct a thorough search themselves. Too often, business leaders are forced to select a finalist from a pool of unqualified candidates or fall short of closing an ideal candidate due to a competing offer or counteroffer.

More companies are discovering that outsourcing the search process to one of the top legal recruitment search firms for in-house counsel in the U.S. produces diverse slates of higher-quality talent who fall within the target range of compensation and excited about joining their company. It also helps avoid costly hiring mistakes that can have severe long-term implications. When evaluating legal and compliance executive search firms, it is important to understand what separates a recruiting firm from an executive search partner. Selecting a boutique firm, like BarkerGilmore, provides benefits that generalist recruiters cannot match.

Boutique Executive Search Consultant Differentiators

1. Higher Level of Service

Generalist search firms try to be jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none. They attempt to fill a large quantity of positions across organizations and industries, such that no client get the attention they deserve. A boutique search firm, like BarkerGilmore, specializes in an industry or practice and delivers a higher level of service to each client. When working with BarkerGilmore you will not feel like ‘one of many’ clients; our clients receive the time, attention, and dedication they deserve.

2. More Qualified Diverse Candidates

Thirty-two percent of BarkerGilmore’s placements are minorities and 57% are women. Overall, 72% of placements are women or minorities. We achieve these record metrics by intentionally recruiting passive women and minority candidates perfect for your organization and the opportunity. You will never see your company’s opportunities posted across the internet because we target the right candidates for your company, regardless of whether they’re actively seeking a new opportunity.

3. Longer Placement Stick Rate

BarkerGilmore’s three-year placement retention rate is 93%. Our placements stay at client companies and are promoted at a higher rate than their peers. The investment made in a BarkerGilmore placement will pay for itself in the retention and continuous contribution the candidate will make for years to come.

4. Sitting General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Experience

No other executive legal and compliance search firm has over 340 years of combined sitting General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer experience on their team. BarkerGilmore’s search advisors set us apart. Our Strategic Advisors and Coaches are retired Fortune 1000 GC and CCOs with the expertise to identify top-tier talent, assist in onboarding, and act as a strategic sounding board as needed.

Things to Look for in a Legal or Compliance Recruitment Firm

What should one look for in an in-house legal counsel or compliance officer recruitment firm? Several legal search firms claim to be the best, but not all deliver what is promised. Use the following metrics and tips to assist in selecting a trustworthy executive search firm:

1. References

The first tip for choosing the best recruiting firm is asking for references. The recruiter should be willing to give you references for someone who can validate their work. When speaking to a recruiter’s reference, ask the following questions:

• How proactive and responsive was the recruiter?
• Did the recruiter initiate most of the communication and follow up regularly?
• Did the recruiter understand your goals and recruit talent who could help achieve these goals?
• Was a diverse slate of candidates delivered?
• Did the firm maintain an acceptable timeline?
• In the end, did the outcome of the search exceed your expectations?

The experiences of previous clients will help establish expectations for working with a recruiter. Hearing from peers in the industry about how well an agency performed when filling a position will help determine whether a firm is right for your organization. References can also help determine how contracts may be upheld and how fees are handled.

Additionally, it may be prudent to network with other industry contacts to see which executive search firms they have used in the past. Ask questions about the efficiency of the process, overall satisfaction with the results, and whether they would recommend the firm to others.

2. Track Record

Determine how long the firm has been in business and their level of experience in conducting searches for similar talent in your industry. Look for valid, relevant statistics regarding placement and retention rates and the average length of conducting a search.

To learn more about the firm’s track record, ask about their recent placements and the challenges faced along the way. Asking for recent placements and scope of national reach can confirm a firm’s reputation and/or market intelligence. If the firm reports placements only within a certain region and/or practice area, question whether the firm is a good fit for you.

3. Access to a Network of Available Talent

Choose a recruitment firm that has previous experience within your market of interest. A recruitment firm should have a national network of available talent, which they often develop through industry contacts and regular outreach. BarkerGilmore regularly stays in front of more than 100,000 of the top lawyers nationwide through the publication of content to guide legal and compliance professionals.

A recruitment firm should have relationships with lawyers and compliance officers on a local and national basis. The best in-house legal and compliance recruiters do not rely on recruiting candidates who are actively seeking a new position through advertisements. Instead, they use well-honed networking skills to develop a list of highly talented individuals who are not necessarily seeking a change but are willing to consider the right opportunity. These passive candidates are the top performers companies want to hire.

4. Candidate Assessment Process

The top legal recruiting firms have a carefully developed, time-tested methodology for recruiting and vetting in-house counsel candidates. They understand that a candidate’s soft skills – especially Emotional Intelligence – are equally important to those outlined on the resume. Their assessment will distinguish who is equipped to serve as a strategic business partner while being a good cultural fit for the organization, arguably the two most critical elements for successful placements.

At BarkerGilmore, we developed a proprietary assessment process tailored explicitly for corporate legal and compliance leaders to vet every candidate and deliver the most qualified candidate for the position.

5. Hands-Off List

One thing to be aware of when choosing an in-house counsel recruitment firm is a hands-off list. Most large search firms have an equally large “hands-off” policy that limits their ability to recruit executives from their existing client pool. Unfortunately, this can also significantly reduce the number of qualified candidates available for your position.

Instead, work with a recruitment firm that can offer access to as many qualified, top-level candidates as possible. If a firm is not providing the quality candidates your organization needs, then it may be time to seek another firm.

6. Contract Terms

Finally, review the contract terms when considering hiring a recruitment search firm. Take the time to read the contract before hiring any legal recruiting agency. Be sure to read the contract in its entirety, as this is where an organization can overpay or receive inadequate guarantees. BarkerGilmore’s pay-for-performance model ensures scheduled payments are only made when specific search milestones are reached. The language should be clear and concise, and it should provide a thorough understanding of the fee structure. A reputable legal search firm will offer a flexible fee arrangement based on performance and results. If there are any concerns you want to address, request that the contract be amended.

Choose BarkerGilmore as Your In-House Counsel or Compliance Officer Talent Acquisition Firm

BarkerGilmore is a boutique recruiting firm that specializes in finding the top legal counsel and compliance officer talent nationwide. Client satisfaction, placement retention, and diversity remain our proudest measures of success. We have a proven track record for getting results for our clients: 96% of all searches we’ve started in the past three years have led to successful placements, and 93% of the candidates we placed three years ago are still with the company where we placed them.

We Are Committed to Diversity

We also take pride in our ability to locate diverse candidates and are unparalleled in our record of diversity recruiting. For two decades, we have been recognized nationally for recruiting women and minorities for our clients’ leadership positions. In 2022, 72% of placements were women and/or minorities. Hiring diverse professionals helps build world-class, high-quality legal and compliance departments.

A team with a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and ways of thinking will ensure a vibrant, healthy organization. Your staff should be as diverse as the customers you serve, as you will be better equipped to understand and meet your customers’ needs.

In a recent audit of BarkerGilmore’s placements over the last three years, we found that 57% of the placements were women and 32% were minorities. When you are looking for top in-house legal recruiters, you can trust that BarkerGilmore will present you with a diverse selection of talent. Each candidate will be pre-qualified and thoroughly evaluated for the position. Searching for a diverse range of professionals is integral to our process.

Whatever legal issue you may be facing, we can help find the in-house counsel you need. If you’re interested in learning more about what makes BarkerGilmore the best in-house legal recruiters in the U.S., contact us today to learn more or request a consultation.