Who We Recruit For
At Shelton & Steele, our number one priority is protecting attorneys and their careers. In the entirety of our firm's 27-year history, we've only ever had four attorneys not be at the firm we placed them with after two years.
"As one of the first recruiting firms to truly understand new model law firms, Shelton & Steele is ideally suited to identify the right candidates for our firm. The recruiters respect our time - and the candidates' - by thoroughly educating prospects on our business model, culture, and vision before making an introduction. We are thrilled with the high caliber and collaborative lawyers they have placed with our firm.
We highly recommend Shelton & Steele."
MARLENE LARO
Chief Operations Officer, Partner
Potomac Law Group
The Attorney will Always be the #1 Priority
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The best interest of the attorney will always be our number one priority. This works out better for our clients in the long run.
The highly intelligent and educated professionals who entrust us with their careers (and in the case of mergers, firms) are sophisticated enough to know that. They don't want the sales pitch, they want authenticity.
So we will construct a Client Narrative that will cover everything. Do your attorneys bill a higher number of hours than average? For many attorneys, that’s fine. Those will be the only attorneys you see.
Do your attorneys get paid on a formula-based platform? The only attorneys you will see from us, will be those who do not ask about guaranteed salaries etc.
So, while our law firm and corporate clients pay our fee, we make clear the priority is the best fit for the attorney. We're happy to provide references who will verify this approach ensures one thing: The attorneys we place with you stay and flourish with your system.
Client Intake Process
BESPOKE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES
We've heard the horror stories of law firms growing just for the sake of growth. That is not our objective. We comb through our clients' infrastructure to ensure our recruitment strategies maintain their synergy and esprit de corps.
COMPREHENSIVE MARKET ANALYSIS
Our approach is a more consultative and data-driven approach to ensure we don't make those mistakes. We make sure everyone has all the facts before any decisions are made.
PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTS
Unlike typical recruiting firms we offer our clients the choice of a performance-based contract. This way we have skin in the game and are just as invested in an all our placed attorneys' success.
A Guide to Eliminate Unethical Legal Recruiting Practices
DEVELOPED BY FREDERICK SHELTON OF SHELTON & STEELE, LLC
​The NALSC Code of Ethics: How Legal Recruiters Screw Their Clients.
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The national trade organization for legal search consultants has a code of ethics which, when carefully read makes very clear the lack of ethics they abide by. If one reads their Code of Ethics states the following:
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1. After being paid a fee from you, they can immediately recruit your attorneys from all offices except the one in which they made the placement.
2. They can even recruit attorneys from that same office six months and one day later.
3. They can actually recruit attorneys from you while collecting fees from you, if they just pretend, they believe you would have no problem with that.
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That’s what our competitors call “Ethical”. We call it cannibalism.
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At Shelton & Steele, once a fee has been paid as agreed and assuming there have been no gross misrepresentations regarding what the firm offers), we offer a Five Year, Firm-Wide Recruiting Prohibition. That’s called ethics and better yet, loyalty.
​Data Privacy Addendum
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Shelton & Steele (hereinafter referred to as “S&S”) and (hereinafter referred to as “Client”) agree that the following additional terms and conditions apply to all candidates, groups, law or consulting firms (hereinafter referred to as “Candidates”) submitted by S&S to Client:
Candidate Confidentiality. Client agrees that all materials concerning candidates, groups or firms targeted for acquisition; including resumes, description of portable client base, hourly rates, financials, client lists etc. shall be held in confidence. Client further agrees that access to such information shall be restricted to only those personnel who are directly involved in the recruiting / acquisition process, with regard to that specific candidate, group or firm.
Due Diligence. Client agrees that no inquiries shall be made electronically, formally or informally about any candidate, group or firm submitted by S&S, unless electronic authorization to do so has been provided by candidate and / or S&S.
Identity Theft Preventative Measures. Client agrees that upon request from candidate(s) directly or through S&S, information regarding compensation, portable client base, hourly rates, financials, client lists and all other information not contained on candidate resumes, CV’s or bios shall be destroyed and / or deleted. This includes all paper copies and electronic data.
Resumes, links to bios etc. personal phone and email information may be retained for future communication.