Leading New England:
Bostonian Personnel And Attorney Placement Are Synonymous
by Liz O'Donnell
Approximately 2,400 attorneys enter Boston's legal marketplace each year. Some are
changing jobs, some are moving into town, some have just been admitted to the
Massachusetts Bar Association. All of them need employment.
That many people entering the legal work force, coupled with attorneys wishing to
make a career move, created the need for some type of organization that could
professionally and confidentially recruit and place attorneys.
RECOGNIZING THE NEED
Jim Perfetuo recognized that need back in the early 70s. "The supply of attorneys
in Boston is greater than the demand," Perfetuo says. "Although the recruiting
business started in New York in the 1960s there hadn't been much legal placement
in Massachusetts."
But Perfetuo didn't start legal recruitment in Boston right away. Instead he
started a general recruiting and placement firm on Cape Cod. "I didn't want to
learn a new business in a community where the business was new," he says. So he
learned the recruiting and placement business on the Cape until he, and Boston,
were ready for Bostonian Personnel.
Bostonian Personnel provides the opportunity for law firms and corporations to
meet and to engage qualified attorneys whose training and experience will
contribute to a mutually successful relationship. They offer a professional
alternative for capable, experienced attorneys to comfortably explore career
opportunities which are available to them. Bostonian Personnel also specializes
in relocating partners to other partnerships both in this country and abroad.
"We assist lawyers in moving an entire practice from one firm to another,"
says Perfetuo. "Recently we assisted five attorneys in moving a department
from one firm to another. Our firm can assist in transferring not only one
lawyer, but an entire legal capability."
THE NEED FOR A NEW PROFESSION
"Bostonian Personnel offers a safe, confidential way for clients and candidates to
explore one another. It can't be done any other way," says Perfetuo.
A candidate meets with one of the legal consultants and gives them a wish list. Clients,
which are corporations, law firms and non-profit organizations, give Bostonian Personnel
job descriptions. The team at Bostonian Personnel networks to find the right match
between client and candidate on paper. Then an interview is set up between a well-screened
candidate and a firm whose specialties and needs match the candidate's. Perfetuo stresses
that the entire process is strictly confidential. "We take extra steps to provide that
confidentiality," he says.
"We represent the business side of a career change." says Perfetuo. "I give full disclosure.
If a candidate does poorly on an interview, I find out why and offer to help the candidate.
For example, we arranged one interview and the candidate was focusing on the compensation
package which was in the $400,000 range, rather than on the position and his would be
partners. The position didn't work out for him, but with some counseling we were able to
assist him in finding a more suitable position."
"When everything is equal, everyone is happy," continues Perfetuo. "The lawyers have made
the career choices they wanted to and the clients have filled their needs."
The National Network
Jim's vision for the legal recruitment field extended far beyond Bostonian Personnel. He
was also a founding member of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. As a
result he has been elected president of the association by his peers.
Membership in the NALSC has provided a network for Bostonian Personnel that extends from
Boston to the West Coast. "Our network also grows because the young attorneys we placed
in the 70s are now the movers and shakers of the 90s," says Perfetuo. "They remember the
service we provided them and now they're calling us looking for attorneys to hire."
Click Here to continue.
|
"Jim is one of the nicest people in the business and I've been in this business
a little over 10 years. Jim works hard. He's very honest. You can count on him
to get the job done. Jim goes out of his way and as a result he has his own
business and is the president of the National Association of Legal Search
Consultants. He's probably the best president they've had."
"Jim and I work together across the country. He's sent us a lot of highly
qualified people."
Larry Cesare
Personnel Resources Organization,
Philadelphia, PA
"I have been working personally with Jim for the last two months. I chose
Bostonian Personnel because the firm is well-known and respected. Jim and his
colleagues always maintain a high level of confidence to both sides. He has
presented me with some outstanding candidates."
Kevin Donnelly
Nortek, Inc., Providence, RI
"I've worked with Jim on both sides. He placed me over 8 years ago and since then I've probably hired 6 to 10 attorneys from him. I have no problem giving Jim's name out."
"Jim tries very hard to go out of his way and to do what's right for everyone involved. That's not to say that other's in his field don't, but Jim makes a match rather than just fill a job. He does it with a lot of care."
"Jim recognizes that being an attorney is a career not just a job. Therefore he's easy to work with. I can't speak more highly of anyone."
Phillip Coolidge
Signature Financial Group
Boston, MA
"I have known Jim for over five years and have had the opportunity to work with him on both sides of the table. I used Bostonian Personnel at my previous law firm to hire lateral associates and partners. Jim also assisted with my own career move. Eighteen months ago, I decided to move to a larger law firm. Jim and I both realized that this was a delicate situation. The need to be discreet was paramount. Jim did an excellent job. He conducted the search professionally and confidentially. In my perspective, the quality of his skills and services is superb."
Bill Miller
Widette, Slater & Goldman
Boston, MA
|
