Recruiter Sees ‘Uptick’ in Chicago Hiring, Expects More Firms to Open There
Legal recruiter Gary D’Alessio is bullish about Chicago’s legal market.
D’Alessio, president of Chicago Legal Search, tells the National Law Journal that law firms in the city are hiring more associates and lateral partners. He says the firms acted after thousands of layoffs last year that left them short-handed.
“I’ve been recruiting now for nearly 25 years and I can assure you, it was the worst,” D’Alessio told the NLJ. “So many firms cut to the bone … and when you have gutted an entire class, your hand is forced.”
“There’s definitely been an uptick in the market,” he added. “And thank God.”
Undaunted by the recession, 20 out-of-state law firms opened offices in Chicago in the last two years, D’Alessio said. He expects at least 10 more firms to open offices in the city in the next couple of years.
One Chicago law firm that is hiring is Kirkland & Ellis. Partner Linda Myers told the NLJ that incoming associate classes are bigger, and the start dates are not being delayed. “This year, we’ll start people earlier because we’re really busy,” she said. “It’s a much more joyful time.”
She added that the markets are stabilizing and capital is available again, bringing back deal-making and the legal work that goes with it. “We’re going gangbusters,” she told the legal newspaper. “We need people. We’re hiring.”
