Navigating the legal job market is complicated. The landscape can shift rapidly, competition is intense, and details about opportunities can be difficult to obtain. Succeeding typically requires having guidance from someone with expertise and insider information.
The Foster Group has provided that type of guidance to countless attorneys and firms over the past decade. It is a legal recruiting firm based in New York known for its unique approach to uncovering opportunities and ensuring they are the perfect fit for clients.
“We tend to ask not only specific questions pertaining to their ‘here and now,’ but also more nuanced ones, such as what the client’s long-term goals are,” explains Elaine Oh, a graduate of Cornell University and Senior Legal Recruiter at The Foster Group. “By asking the right questions, we can strategically guide them in their search and only present opportunities that align with their goals.”
Oh specializes in Lateral Partner and Associate recruiting at The Foster Group. Her work stretches across a variety of practice areas and geographies, with a particular focus on the tri-state area.
Oh is known for her ability to effortlessly build rapport with the clients she serves, creating an atmosphere of openness and trust. Her sharp intellect and engaging personality allow her to think critically and communicate effectively, which has helped her to be consistently successful in assisting partners in lateraling to a firm where they are able to significantly increase their practices and secure substantial compensation increases.
Cultivating a career counseling approach to recruiting
The Foster Group was launched in 2014 by Michelle Foster, a former litigator and top-performing recruiter who brought a unique perspective to the firm. Foster’s deep experience in the legal industry provided her with a valuable understanding of firm structures, lateral movement patterns, compensation benchmarks, and the trends driving market shifts.
Foster launched the firm with a vision of serving clients in a relational, rather than transactional, way. She wanted to invest the time needed to see her clients’ strengths, understand their goals, and guide them through the steps that would help them optimize their careers.
The firm describes its unique recruiting approach as “career counseling.” The approach provides clients with more than just a list of openings or potential candidates. By building relationships, Oh and the other recruiters at the Foster Group gain insights that allow them to present the right opportunities.
“I came to the Foster Group because I wanted to work with clients in a way that was less transactional,” Oh says. “The firm believes in crafting meaningful, long-term relationships that help us to understand our clients’ goals and guide them as they achieve them. We have gained a reputation for being thoughtful in our recruiting services, which has drawn both firms and attorneys to us.”
Leveraging an extensive network to gain valuable insights
When Foster launched the firm, she already had a deep network of connections in the legal field, which opened doors for her to gain valuable intel for her clients. Maintaining and strengthening those connections has enabled the firm to access exclusive opportunities and secure retained searches that are not available to the average candidate.
“The deep relationships we’ve cultivated with top law firms and corporations enable us to provide insights not readily available to attorneys considering a move,” shares Oh. “We regularly meet with key leadership in legal firms who share their growth plans and strategic priorities with us. As a result, we can understand better than most what is driving their hiring demands, giving us the information we need to guide our candidates towards opportunities for long-term success.”
The Foster Group helps clients not only know what jobs are available but also what is needed to secure them. Armed with insider information, it can better prepare its candidates for their interviews. As a result, those candidates stand out as the best prepared, which makes them more likely to receive a strong offer.
“We’re able to provide insights into firms that a candidate will typically not be aware of,” Oh says. “Whether it’s news about a succession opportunity, the demands of a leadership role, or insights into a firm’s culture, our clients know all the important details as they evaluate opportunities, apply, and show up for an interview.”
Providing each candidate with a team of expert recruiters
Foster felt that the competition she saw between recruiters in other firms didn’t best serve clients, so she designed her firm to be collaborative. Her team of recruiters shares her vision, working together to ensure clients always have the best information. It’s a culture that resonates with the firm’s clients and candidates.
“I’ve enjoyed the fact that we take a team-oriented approach,” Oh shares. “We believe in sharing knowledge and information so everyone excels, as opposed to adopting the more competitive approaches found at other recruiting firms.”
For attorneys seeking to elevate their careers or firms seeking to expand their practice, finding the right fit requires unique insights. The Foster Group provides those insights providing valuable guidance that leverages its wealth of connections, experience, and expertise.