BigLaw Seeks ‘Globally Minded’ Attorneys

When Natasha Hsieh sought a summer associate position at DLA Piper, she found that her experience growing up in Taiwan, as well as California, was a big advantage for her in applying to the major international law firm.

"They specifically were looking for people willing to go abroad, especially Asia, so this is how I entered the firm," the Boston College Law School third-year tells the National Law Journal in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.). This past summer, she split her time between DLA Piper's offices in Palo Alto, Calif., and Hong Kong, and she plans to work in the firm's Palo Alto office for several years after graduating, before she returns to Hong Kong.

Increasingly, BigLaw firms seeking associates value candidates who are not only willing to work abroad but excited about doing so, the legal publication reports.

Foreign language skills and experience in other cultures are also major plus factors for lawyers looking for work, says Kristina Gajewicz, the North American recruiting director for Baker & McKenzie. The international megafirm wants to hire "globally minded" attorneys who have experience outside their home jurisdiction, she says.

A willingness to relocate can be more important in some practice areas than others, notes Timm Whitney, the director of attorney recruitment and professional development at White & Case. "In certain situations, we encourage people to do this," he says, for-instancing the benefit of having banking associates work both in New York and in London, the world's two major financial centers.