RMN'S Blog

Time to Work with Your Legal Recruiter! Associate Hiring Trends in the Atlanta Legal Market

Date: November 16, 2018

Now is an excellent time to partner with a recruiter to practice in Atlanta. Consider the following indicators:

Competition for legal talent is creating a lot of opportunity.

The BigLaw marketplace is becoming more competitive in Atlanta. Top firms that are headquartered in Atlanta are chasing after global work to create new opportunities and regional firms are moving in. In the past five years, seven firms opened offices in Atlanta (including Squire Patton Boggs and Polsinelli). Other firms beefed up their sizes (Baker Hostetler) or increased their presence in the AmLaw rankings (Smith Gambrell Russell and Arnall Golden Gregory). Atlanta’s legal market is growing.

Neighboring markets support Atlanta’s growth.

What is most attractive about Atlanta and its neighbors is that rates are not as high and the increasing amount of work. The legal market in Augusta (GA), Birmingham (AL), and Chattanooga (TN) are also supporting the growth of the Atlanta legal market. In Augusta, the second largest metropolitan area in Georgia, the median lawyer salary is $132,820. This reflects the increasing sophistication of the legal market in Richmond County, and its resilience from the recession where it fared better than the national average. It may surprise many that Birmingham has a median salary of $108,000 and Chattanooga has a median salary of $137,440. These southeastern markets have the additional bonus of being great cities in beautiful areas, with an easy quality of life for attorneys and their families.

Atlanta is (still) booming.

Atlanta continues to be one of the country’s fastest growing legal markets and has become one of the best lateral associate markets in the country. Atlanta claims to be the cultural and economic king of the south—and for good reason. It is fueled by highly-educated professionals, low costs of living and doing business, and the country’s busiest airport. It has also been named:

#2 Best Cities for Young Attorneys (National Jurist)

#2 America’s Most Tech-Friendly Cities (PC World)

#22 Best Places for Business and Careers (Forbes)

If you are interested exploring opportunities, call the RMN Agency.

All of these reasons make it a great time to work with a legal recruiter who knows the Atlanta market well and who is looking for an attorney with your skillset. We know how to navigate the different firms and work through the process effectively, efficiently, and ethically.

Many fantastic opportunities are “hidden.” Law firms seize opportunities to hire strong associates in practice areas that are in demand. Firms tend to know that an associate is never only looking at one firm, and a seasoned recruiter at the RMN agency knows the right rhythm to work through the whole process: from interview, to negotiating a compensation package.