A legal search firm for law firms and corporate legal departments.
We partner with firms from mid-size practices through the AM Law 100, placing associate attorneys, of counsel, and partners. Searches are confidential.
Attorney placement is the center of the firm.
Ninety percent of our work is legal: associate attorneys, of counsel, and partners for firms from mid-size practices through the AM Law 100, and in-house counsel at Fortune 500 companies. Our recruiters know lateral compensation, book portability, and the difference between a firm where a lateral thrives and one where they leave in two years.
- 01Associate Attorneys
- 02Senior Associates
- 03Of Counsel
- 04Partners
- 05In-House Counsel
- 06Paralegals
The firms we recruit for and associates we represent
ITG recruits for Am Law 100 and Am Law 200 firms. We represent associates, including associates from Am Law 100 and 200 firms.
- Am Law 100
- firms we recruit for, several in the top half
- Am Law 200
- firms we recruit for as well
- 14,000+
- lawyers at the firms we recruit for
- 45 states
- where the attorneys we represent practice
Mid-size and regional associates report medians of about $130,000 at 3 to 4 years and $150,000 at 5 to 7 years, with commercial litigation and corporate/M&A reporting more than insurance defense. At Big Law firms, the published scale runs $235,000 for first-years to $455,000 for eighth-years.
Whether you are hiring or thinking about a move.
- Partners
A confidential read on what your practice is worth and the firms that fit it.
- Associates
Market pay by class year, and whether a move is actually a step up.
- Big Law
A lateral to a stronger firm, or in-house and boutique when that fits.
- Break Into Big Law
For attorneys at mid-size and regional firms who want to move into Big Law for the first time.
- Hire associate attorneys
Vetted shortlists in days, with current salary ranges by practice area and years of experience.
- Legal recruiting
Associates, of counsel, and partners for mid-size firms through the AM Law 100.
- Associate pay by practice area, 2026
What mid-size and regional firms pay, by practice area and years of experience.
Culture and skillset are equally important for long-term success.
These apply to every search we run, whether it’s a law firm lateral or a hire in one of our other practices.
We're selective about the searches we take on.
When the compensation, timeline, or candidate market can't support a credible search, we say so before either side invests time. Our team regularly declines engagements where a firm's requirements don't align with current market demand.
We interview more attorneys than we present.
Every attorney we present has already been interviewed on practice depth, book portability, and cultural fit. Clients meet a short list, not a long one.
We stay through offer and the first ninety days.
Lateral moves fail in the weeks after an offer is extended, not before. We work through counter-offers, start-date logistics, and onboarding, because the alternative costs significantly more than any search fee.
You are the best agency I've worked with in my career.
Beyond legal, we recruit across adjacent industries.
Same standards as the legal practice: a named recruiter who knows the sector, a short list of qualified candidates, and no search taken on unless we can close it.
Physicians, advanced practice providers, and allied health for hospitals, systems, and private practice.
Project managers, superintendents, professional engineers, and field leadership for GCs, subcontractors, and developers.
Salaried operations, quality, engineering, and commercial talent for food and beverage manufacturers.
Engineering, operations, and project development talent for oil and gas, solar, and emerging energy sectors.
Investment professionals, operating partners, and finance leadership for VC, PE, and corporate finance.
Plant leadership, production, quality, supply chain, and engineering for manufacturing operations.
Senior-leadership and specialty searches outside our core verticals, on request.
Perspectives on legal recruiting
Insurance Coverage Attorney Salary (2026): Associate Pay by Year and Market
Base pay from real law firm coverage searches, by experience and market, and how it compares with insurance defense.
What associate attorneys earn by practice area at mid-size and regional firms
ITG's 2026 first-party data on what mid-size and regional firms pay associates, broken out by practice area and years of experience. Ranges show the middle half of the market, and typical is the median.
Chapter 11 filings ran 37 percent ahead through Q1. Restructuring is the one practice with a steady 2026 hiring story.
Real estate, consumer goods, and energy drove 80 percent of last year's Chapter 11 docket. The mid-market restructuring desk turned into one of the few groups hiring at every level.
What does Ideal Talent Group do?
Do you work with firms outside Florida?
How does your fee work?
How long does a search take?
Are conversations confidential?
Begin an engagement.
A confidential conversation on the scope of your search, the candidate market for the role, and whether our firm is the right partner.
- No presentation. A real conversation about the search, the market, and whether we're the right firm.
- Confidential from the first call, including that you reached out.
- The same recruiter who takes your call runs the search.
- No placement, no fee.