Kevin Cohn’s Post

Are you interested in entering the field of #legalops or in the midst of the process but feel stuck? Consider it similar to playing the waterfall ring toss game: You need to master it! As you may all know, the objective of this game is to toss rings from a distance in an attempt to loop them around the pegs. The challenge lies in accurately gauging the distance, angle, and force needed to successfully land the ring on the peg. This parallels the complexity of entering the legal operations job market. Look at all the "throws" you'll need to successfully loop the rings onto the pegs: ⭕ Why you think legal ops is the right fit and move for you ⭕ What you can bring to the legal ops space from your past experience, skill set, mindset... ⭕ What legal ops practice area is best for you given the above? ⭕ Where legal ops positions with your preferred practice areas are located: Do they exist in your region? Overseas? Will you need to relocate? Can you work from home? ⭕ Do you need to upskill to maximize your chances? Where to search for legal ops jobs? ⭕ How to target the right legal ops position? ⭕ Starting the job search and targeting the right position ⭕ Crafting an ideal candidate resume once identified ⭕ Ensuring your resume gets into the company's internal systems ⭕ Successfully completing the HR interview ⭕ Successfully completing the interview with the hiring manager ⭕ Successfully completing the panel interview ⭕ If applicable, successfully completing the executive interview YES! These are actually all the throws you need to successfully make in order to get an offer, accept it, and finally secure a legal ops position in this almost inaccessible job market. This is your opportunity to showcase your resilience and determination. Each "throw" brings you closer to mastering the game of entering the #legalops field! And you, what "throw" do you find is the most difficult? Please share with me your insights in comments 💬 or via DM 📩

Don't wait for more legal ops jobs to pop-up; get ready now for when they do! When talking to legal professionals looking to break into legal ops, I frequently hear: - "Not many legal ops jobs around here."  - "No legal ops job market in my region." Some even consider relocating to get a legal ops role, while others settle for a job they don't love. Before landing my first legal ops job, I had never seen a posting for one. This opportunity was in a different province, and despite my former employer's preference for hybrid work, I applied. The job had been open for over five months. I knew I had a better chance of securing the job than they did of finding the right candidate. As a result, I got the job. Fully remote. It took us 15 days to seal the deal. Before my next legal ops job, there weren't many listings either. I still applied to a few to test the waters. I knew I had a good chance of advancing to a higher role, so I needed to be patient. When the opportunity came, I was ready enough to know that it's the best one. It took us 21 days to seal the deal. Just because there aren't many legal ops opportunities available around you doesn't mean you can't pursue that career path. If this scenario sounds familiar to you, I opened 5 new discovery calls to discuss how you can secure a legal ops job in a challenging market. Use this link to book your spot now: https://bit.ly/4ang4D5 #legaloperations #inhouselegal #careertransition #careerdevelopment #legalcareer

The in-house legal market is warming up! Over the past 12 months, we saw a slow down in hiring. But, it seems that the market is starting to gain strength. Talking with GCs at VCs, it sounds like their workload is picking up and we're seeing the knock on effect with hiring in the tech space. Businesses focusing on profitability have increased the sizes of their sales teams and the demand for commercial counsels is high. I'm hiring for a few roles currently that are worth mentioning: - Head of Commercial Law (Berlin) - Commercial Counsel (Berlin or remote) - Legal Counsel - Commercial, IP, IT, Privacy (Berlin) DM for more info. #Legal #LegalJobs #InHouseCounsel

Here is my fresh take on the legal hiring market after being out on leave: 1. Specialized legal leaders (GC, DGC, AGC) are taking longer to make their next move. If you're senior and specialized, start putting your feelers out to your network now if you're looking to make a move in the next 4 to 6 months. 2. Seed to early stage GC / Head of Legal hiring is happening! Surprisingly a lot of it. There are GC roles out there at fast-growing, well-backed tech startups. This market seems far more robust than the public company legal leadership market. 3. Is a compensation increase the reason you're looking? If this is your main motivator, it might be time to rethink your why. You're not necessarily going to make more money in your next move. We're not seeing a huge upward trend in compensation given the amount of candidates on the market. Want to chat about this wonky market? Always happy to connect with lawyers looking to make a move!

If you're on the hunt for a #legalops position but struggle with dissecting job descriptions, here are 🚩7 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬 🚩𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. I have a genuine passion for meticulously analyzing job descriptions, and even after venturing into legal operations, I continue to stay deeply engaged with the global #legalops job market, consistently seeking insights and staying attuned to industry developments. This is why I wanted to share with you the 7 killer warning signs to keep in mind while scrolling through a #legalops job description: (in no particular order) 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Such as a Legal Operations Lawyer (👀) 2️⃣ 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Such as mandatory law degree, licence to practice law, extensive years of experience in legal operations... 3️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡-𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞: Responsibilities going beyond the 'commonly known' legal operations sphere. 4️⃣ 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Lacking coherence and harmony between the job description different sections. 5️⃣ 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: Outside of legal leadership (CFO, COO, CIT...) 6️⃣ 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡: A #legalops job opening appearing, disappearing, and then resurfacing after a few months is not a good sign. 7️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: A legal ops job opening with a job scope outside of legal ops? Steer clear! You might assume that these red flags are applicable across various roles or industries, but in the #legalops space, the intricacies intensify. The ongoing evolution of job scope and functions within #legalops adds an extra layer of complexity. The dynamic nature of the #legalops field makes it crucial to scrutinize job descriptions carefully, ensuring alignment with the evolving landscape of responsibilities in this specialized domain 😉 Spot any red flags in your job search? Share your thoughts or add your warning signs below!👇

LinkedIn News has identified the 'Legal Operations Director' role as one of the 25 rapidly growing jobs in the US in 2024. And here is the crucial skillset you'll need to showcase if you are eyeing to transition into #legalops: These 25 listed jobs are more than just titles; they represent overlapping skill sets that transcend specific roles. A common thread among all the roles identified is that they involve aspects of the same skills and competencies. All of them often require individuals to contribute to the overall success and growth of their respective organizations. A legal operations role is no exception: 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Defining an organization's direction, allocating resources, and setting long-term goals. 2️⃣ 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: Guiding and inspiring individuals to achieve common goals within an organization. 3️⃣ 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: Ongoing process of choosing between options to address challenges or achieve objectives. 4️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩/𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Shaping the organization's strategy and exerting influence to achieve desired outcomes. In the current landscape, legal is more about business than about legal. As legal operations continue to rise, it's crucial to position yourself at the forefront of this dynamic intersection between legal expertise and strategic business acumen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, there! I am Sara Ajmi, Legal Ops & Technology Manager. Passionate about job search and career development strategies, I'm seamlessly integrating these interests with my professional experience to offer valuable support in your career journey. 🔔𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞, 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm often asked for a sample job description for a head of legal operations, so I've worked with some friends from Fortune 100 companies to crowdsource and create this ideal one. Scoping and positioning this role for success is critical and not easy to do. This isn't meant to be perfect, but I hope you find this document to be a useful starting point for your organization to edit as appropriate. Note that this was drafted with a large corporate setting in mind, specifically for roles involving team management or future managerial responsibilities. #jobs #legaloperations #legalops #jobdescription

If you want to transition to #legalops but believe you need to have a specific background, think again! The more I talk to folks like you interested in making the move to legal ops, the more I learn that the #1 blocker you all have is the belief that you are not capable of doing it because, for instance, they have a law firm/e-discovery background and fear the hiring employer will reject their application since they've never worked in-house. Of course this is just not true! To prove it, I researched the background of over 100 legal ops professionals globally and summarized the results of my findings in this map. The truth is, "All roads lead to R̶o̶m̶e̶ Legal Ops" because there isn't a traditional career path to legal ops. The diversity of backgrounds, profiles, and skills of legal ops professionals is exactly what makes the legal ops industry and community powerful, vibrant, and rich: Also, keep in mind that what might be a strict requirement for one hiring employer could be considered an additional bonus or extra qualification by another. It all depends on the specific needs and preferences of each organization. So, don’t: ❌ Look too far. ❌ Think you need a specific route. ❌ Underestimate the value you bring. Instead: ✅ Embrace your skills and strengths. ✅ Be open-minded and patient. ✅ Target the right opportunities that value your unique experience and background. Your unique background could be exactly what a hiring team is looking for to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table. Do you have a story to tell me about this? I'm all ears👂Please feel free to drop a comment or leave me a DM!

🌟 Benefits of Hiring Entry-Level Paralegals 🌟 With 20 years in legal recruitment, I've seen the immense value entry-level paralegals bring to law firms. Here's why hiring fresh talent is a game-changer. Firstly, they're motivated and eager to prove themselves. 🚀 Their enthusiasm boosts productivity, brings innovative ideas, and creates a dynamic work environment. Secondly, they offer fresh perspectives and are tech-savvy, staying up-to-date with the latest legal tech trends. 💡 This can streamline operations and drive new efficiencies. Lastly, hiring them is cost-effective. It allows strategic allocation of resources, investing in their growth while reducing overheads. 🏦 This fosters loyalty and a culture of continuous improvement. Law firms in Birmingham, Manchester, or Leeds should tap into the potential of entry-level paralegals. Engage with this talent pool for a positive impact on your team and bottom line. #LegalRecruitment #Paralegals #LawFirmGrowth

Embarking on a transformative journey through the legal hiring landscape in a post-pandemic world! Join us at PS Companies for key insights and best practices that will guide you to career excellence. Your pathway to professional growth awaits – let's navigate it together! #LegalInsights #CareerAdvancement #PSCompanies