Staffwell National: The budget was $175K–$220K. The hire came in lower.

A California firm came to us with a niche litigation need and a $175K–$220K budget.

The role was in office.
They initially wanted 5+ years.
And the practice area was specialized.

The first challenge was not compensation.

It was commute.

An initially relevant candidate did not want to take on 1+ hour of travel.

So the search stayed open.
The firm remained flexible.

Rather than over-narrowing the brief, they stayed open to adjacent litigation backgrounds.

That mattered.

We presented a 4-year insurance defense attorney.
Not the exact niche on paper.

But the fundamentals were there:

• solid litigation foundation

• strong interest in growth

• willingness to be in office

• desire for more responsibility

• desire for mentorship

The firm interviewed the first candidate we presented.

They hired the first candidate we presented.

MSA signed: March 16
Hire made: March 26

The takeaway:

The best legal hire is not always the most obvious paper match.

Sometimes the better outcome comes from staying clear on what actually matters:

• litigation ability

• coachability

• motivation to move

• alignment with the structure of the role

If your firm expects to hire in the next 90 days, feel free to reply.
If easier, you can also submit your role here.

Staffwell | Legal Recruitment
Staffwell.ca | (929) 560-0868