A Look at the Chicago Legal Industry
On the southern shore of Lake Michigan, in the heart of the Midwest and at the confluence of multiple transportation and trade routes, Chicago and its surrounding suburban communities comprise one of the largest legal markets in the United States. Home to some of the tallest buildings, some of the wealthiest people, some of the most innovative companies, research institutions, and hospitals, Chicago draws professionals from around the world to experience its deeply urban character, active arts community, and storied cultural history.
Over the past two decades, Chicago’s legal market has seen the growth of various types of employers, including self-service firms, contract firms, and virtual firms, as well as a number of alternative providers of services in the legal sector . Indeed, Chicago has been the testing ground for some of the more innovative legal practices and some of the largest firms in the world. The legal industry is growing in Chicago, as evidenced by the recent hire of nearly 200 new attorneys at fabled mid-size powerhouse DLA Piper to grow its largest office – which is located on Chicago’s iconic Riverwalk – to almost 600 lawyers. Additionally, HUB International, a national insurance brokerage firm, acquired Kenyon & Kenyon, a 125-attorney Chicago-based IP firm which was set to expand into both San Francisco and New York later this year. Those are just two of the many examples of Chicago’s robust legal market and thriving legal industry.
This article discusses the types of employers, law firms, courts, and other areas that employ lawyers in Chicago with special emphasis on opportunities for recent law school graduates.
Sought-After Legal Positions
Corporate attorneys are among the highest-demand legal positions in Chicago. There are a number of Fortune 500 companies calling Chicago home, not to mention large privately held organizations. Those corporations have a need for corporate counsel to help them navigate the complex world of contracts, mergers/acquisitions, and intellectual property. Competition is stiff for these positions, and an advanced degree like an LL.M. can be helpful. Commonly requested qualifications in corporate jobs include a J.D. from an accredited law school as well as at least three to five years of relevant experience. Above-average public speaking and persuasive speaking skills are also a must in this field.
Chicago has a number of large commercial litigation firms that take the lion’s share of litigation legal work, so it’s no surprise that litigation attorneys are in demand and thanks to a number of court systems and other related agencies, courtroom experience is also a plus. The legal industry in Chicago also tends to hire former judges, embers of the U.S. Attorney’s office, and government prosecutors. Those with at least one year of commercial litigation experience are among the most sought-after candidates. Experience with trials, arbitrations, mediation, and other forms of dispute resolution are also a big plus. A J.D. from a Northern Illinois, Loyola, or Chicago Kent School of Law is preferred among most firms, but again, an advanced legal degree (LL.M.) may suffice, though it won’t likely offer candidates much of a leg up on the competition.
The public defender’s office in Chicago is a high-demand place for realistic candidates that can withstand the rigors of the job. Public defender attorneys often pull long hours and are constantly working. Cases may involve multiple court appearances in one day, and often run just like the cases they see on television. The work can be stressful and add to the responsibilities of already challenged public defenders. A J.D. from an area school is required. Many public defenders have started out interning at the public defender’s office during law school, especially those with experience related to court systems, the legal system, and other related fields. Candidates should also be prepared to take a pay cut to join the ranks of the public defenders to be.
Skills and Expertise Required of Lawyers in Chicago
When pursuing legal careers opportunities, having the right blend of skills and education will make you more competitive. Even though there are top legal employers with specialized requirements in Chicago, there is a base set of skills that all legal professionals should have. Lawyers must have a J.D. from an accredited law school or equivalent legal training, as well as a license to practice law in the state of Illinois. After completing their formal education and receiving their license, lawyers may need practical work experience, such as in the form of a clerkship. Those who work as judges or attorneys representing the state may need different licensure, education, or skill sets, depending on the requirements put forth by the state of Illinois. Any other legal professionals, such as paralegals and legal assistants would likely benefit from a paralegal diploma or certification, but once again, this can depend on who your employer is. Beyond academic training, there are certain skills – hard and soft – that can help you to serve your employer effectively in the fields of federal government, state government, or private practice. • Communication (both verbal and written): Lawyers must be able to present their cases in court, as well as verbally express them to clients and opposing parties. Clear writing is imperative, as most of the job involves doing research and drafting documents. • Negotiation: Whether you are representing the interests of your client in court, or dealing with a pending settlement, negotiation skills are essential. • Legal Research: Being able to properly research laws, cases, and precedents is vital, whether for casework or for the development of new legislation. • Analytical Thinking and Reasoning: Lawyers need to be able to analyze information and think logically in order to solve complex problems that arise in the field. • Active Listening/Interpersonal Skills: Day-to-day, lawyers interact with clients and the general public, requiring strong interpersonal skills. Being able to communicate appropriately and actively listen to all parties is imperative. • Critical Thinking: Gaining new clients and winning new cases often hinges on good critical thinking and sound judgement. Lawyers must also have the ability to analyze and identify problems.
Chicago’s Prominent Law Firms
Chicago, the third largest city in the United States by population and a major hub for both business and finance, is home to three Fortune 100 companies and more than 1,500 multinational corporations. With more than 100 law schools in the vicinity, the city has a large pool of legal talent to draw from. The leading survey of law firms, Vault, reports that a quarter of the top 100 firms in the country have offices in the Windy City, including the well-known Kirkland & Ellis, King & Spalding , and Sidley. King & Spalding is a private Atlanta firm with revenue of $1.113 billion in 2017. It is the fifth-largest firm in the nation according to the American Lawyer. Kirkland & Ellis is a private firm known worldwide that employs almost 1,700 attorneys. It is also the largest Illinois-based law firm and the highest-grossing law firm in the world. Sidley is a private firm specializing in SEC regulations for publicly traded companies with 1,800 lawyers worldwide. It has led the world in the number of representation and warranty deals across M&A transactions for three straight years. These three firms are the largest employers of legal talent in the city.
Professional Networking and Career Growth
With a vast number of legal employers and like-minded professionals, from other law schools around the country, Chicago offers a variety of opportunities for mottos like "place your resume on every desk and go talk to a bunch of other students from other schools who are already doing what you want to do." Although this may sound like an over-simplified approach, it is important to have your feelers out and build connections with Chicago attorneys, both to hear about jobs and to start building basic connections with attorneys that you want to be in touch with for years to come.
Law school professors, practicing attorneys, law school career services staff, law school alums, your law school’s Chicago Club, alumni of other law schools, and other networking contacts can provide you with several things: job leads, information about what it is like to practice within a specific firm, or life in a particular geographic area, and advocacy experience as a lawyer on the inside. This is invaluable to law students who want to know "what life is like" once they pass the bar exam, and to practicing attorneys who have personally hired Chicago law grads, as professors have to take on real-world challenges, including those presented by different geographic and cultural differences. Put bluntly, your professors and career services staff are for you to keep in contact with and to reach out to if you have questions or concerns. Put even more bluntly, they work for you, and if you just want to ask questions without an active job search, fire away.
If you are actively looking for a job, a current or recent vacation in Chicago is a good chance to strengthen your contacts and audition your resume. You could send a resume to all of your contacts in the city, but this is a certain way to turn off even former law school professors. So, you may want to think about avoiding the cold-call resume submissions, albeit, in some cases, it is an inevitable evil. One alternative strategy is to use your visit to line up brief individual face-to-face meetings with those in your network. This way, you get the advantage of face time with the people you want to reach out to and they will have the sack of grain you need to plant the seeds of your success.
For instance, you could contact an employer to offer to buy the primary partner lunch (in late July or August, after the firm’s summer associate program is done) and to spend twenty minutes with the partner and/or managing partner to talk about your goals and to hear about their firm’s hiring plans. If you get to lunch, it’s a victory, and you may leave that meeting with the next few months’ worth of research on your future career and to-climb-the-hierarchy map for your rungs.
Places to meet include area coffee shops, restaurants for lunch or after work drinks, alumni houses, other universities, or even your hotel lobby bar. Chicago has a very open and social atmosphere, and the general rule of thumb is that one should at least suggest a meeting when in Chicago and should follow through, unless you get a "no," which doesn’t hurt your chances with them in the future. There are, however, some insurmountable causes, e.g., your former professors will be upset if you do not reach out to them when in town, so send them an email before you set foot in Chicago so that they hear about your plans before you come. It’s a small gesture, but one that will pay dividends in years to come, especially when they remember you didn’t contact them while in town.
The best way to grow professionally and get the inside scoop on your future career is to hear it directly from those in the trenches.
Legal Career Websites and Platforms
All top legal employment sites have search capabilities that let you narrow your results to the area where you want to work. For example, Simplyhired lets you limit your search to the Chicago metro area. You should find listings for both small and large firms as well as up-and-coming solo practitioners. Most listings focus on attorney and legal assistant jobs, but many recruit for clerical, office management and support positions, too.
Other good sites include:
LawCrossing – Lots of Chicago opportunities and many jobs not listed on other sites, all compiled and published by a professional journalism staff; lots of general practice opportunities. LawCrossing is typically the most comprehensive source of legal jobs on the Internet.
Martindale-Hubbell Career Center – Comprehensive site with a strong concentration on large and midsize firms. Covers legal support and administration jobs as well.
LawJobs.com – A very large job site that includes law firm jobs , litigation and administrative opportunities. Note: Though this site does its best to list only legitimate employment opportunities, you can also find a fair number of scams here.
Legal Career Web – Employer database organized by region, practice area, and law school. Covers private firms, non-limited firms, and corporations, offering a good cross-section of opportunities.
NALP – The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) offers a wealth of resources for legal employment. It also includes data on salaries, hours, billable hours and hours worked by region, employer type, practice area and size.