With autumn at our doorstep, here at Brinen & Associates we are gearing up for the 2014 legal recruiting season. While the big New York firms are interviewing at Harvard and Yale and other elite law schools in the coming weeks to fill dozens of slots in the new first year class, we are likewise looking to add to our ranks with one or two new junior associates.

Recruiting is one area where it sometimes feels as if a small law firm operates at a disadvantage. It’s not always easy for us to get our story out and reach the right candidates. In my own case, the problem is compounded because, quite frankly, hiring is not exactly my strong suit.

I can do a lot of things very well – I can practice, I can teach, I can manage, but I am just no good at hiring the right people. So just like a person with poor eyesight develops his or her other senses, as a developmental crutch to protect me from my stupid self, our firm ends up devoting a lot of time and energy to recruiting in order to increase our chances of finding young lawyers who will be a good fit.

So if you are a graduate of the law school class of 2014 (or similar recent vintage) from any of the New York area law schools, please take a minute to read more about our practice. If you’re interested, our process starts by submitting a resume and cover letter, just like anywhere else. We’ll review your package to get a sense of the writing style, or to see if you have a style. If we like what we see we will invite you in.

I should also mention that all of the attorneys who work at the Firm have input into these decisions. As a small and closely-knit group, we’ve learned that it’s important to make hiring a collective process. You can also visit our recruiting page to learn more about the Firm’s hiring process.

For those of you just entering your second or third year, we start looking for summer associates in January.