Sonder Consultants’ Post

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬... 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with a new partner in a leading property team. Our discussion was great, touching on key clients in their sector and the team’s growth plans for the remainder of 2024 and beyond. The partner emphasised that candidates should be upfront about the specific areas of property law they enjoy and their current work distribution, rather than just aligning their answers with the role’s description. For the hiring team it is key to understand the candidates' genuine passions within property law. This partner’s property practice encompasses all aspects of real estate law—leasing, capital transactions, developments, acquisitions, disposals, and more. Given the breadth of the field, the team needs a lawyer who not only understands the nature of the work but is also enthusiastic about handling a diverse range of cases and being a generalist in the field. I value this approach because it prioritises authenticity and helps build a team where each member is truly enthusiastic about their work. After all, when you’re excited about the work you do, it’s reflected in your performance and contributes to the overall success of the team. #fridaythoughts #propertylaw #sydney #realestate

It's the question that's weighing on the mind of many an anxious attorney... 𝑰𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆/𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒘 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌?? First, I want to be clear that this is in reference to workflow in the #RealEstateLaw space, not the real estate market as a whole. Second, there's of course a ton of layers to this question and plenty of variables at play, so I'll take the coward's way out with a resounding(ly timid): 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦?... I don't want to jump the gun, but it's hard to not get excited as we see numerous positive signs in my old practice area after an unsettlingly quiet 18-24 months. The more apparent signs of life in the real estate space come from increased corporate Real Estate work and M&A support that coincides with the rebound of the overall corporate market. Slightly less apparent is the steadily increasing standalone commercial real estate work that is due in part to new innovative financing and investment structures tied to real estate assets, real estate fund entries/exits/restructurings, and a market for distressed assets that has some investors champing at the bit. And yet, the one thing that I've always believed to be a remarkably accurate indicator of general market outlook for a given practice area is something altogether different - I'm taking about 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. In the modern legal market, rainmaking Partners are tantamount to the legendary gunslingers of the Old West. So when you see the most reputable groups stacking their rosters with sharpshooters a la 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯, it makes sense to assume they see some action on the horizon. To that end, these are just a handful of the headlining Partner moves in the Real Estate space in the past few months: 🤠 Houston-based Douglas Yeager and Jeff Smith jumped from Winston & Strawn LLP to Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP 🤠 Real Estate ace and former chair at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Krystyna Blakeslee joined the star-studded roster at Gibson Dunn 🤠 Tom Henry also departed from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP to join Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as it's new practice Co-Head 🤠 Former iStar CLO Douglas Heitner joined the ranks of perennial Corporate Real Estate powerhouse Latham & Watkins 🤠 Kirkland & Ellis continued its quest for world domination by hiring away leading real estate finance partner Victoria Shusterman from Gibson Dunn 🤠 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP welcomed partner Avi Feinberg, who joined from Fried Frank to help build out Akin's transactional real estate practice 🤠 Richard Lyons joined McCarter & English, LLP from Armstrong Teasdale to help build out the firms Real Estate (and cannabis) group Are these signs of things to come in the Real Estate space? I'll leave you with another optimistic yet noncommittal response: 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 #BigLaw #RealEstate

In June, we saw a total of 34 moves by associates in Vancouver. This tells us that there is still some activity happening in the market, but we are starting to see the typical pattern of a slow summer. Here’s a snapshot: ♦ Litigation is still hot. Family law, labour & employment, and general commercial litigation practices remain busy. ♦ Bankruptcy and restructuring is starting to see an uptick. ♦ Financial services lawyers. You have a window to shop. Many of the national firms are looking to add, even at the junior level. If you’ve had a split practice or are interested in financial services generally, let’s chat. ♦ Corporate M&A and securities continue to be slow. However, there are a select few firms that are starting to get busier – we expect this area to pick up in September. ♦ In-house remains steady, mainly at the mid- and senior-levels. Summer months, like always, are slower. However, unique opportunities are still presenting. With an expected busy fall, summer is the perfect time to explore options and discuss what might be best for your practice. Connect with Trevin Sewell (trevin@smithlegalsearch.com) to discuss career opportunities in the Vancouver market. #LawyerMoves #VancouverLegalMoves #VancouverLawyers #LegalRecruitment cc: Warren Smith, Beth Mountford, Jeremiah Hunter, Lameck Kefela

Choosing between WilmerHale in Washington, DC and Munger, Tolles & Olson in Los Angeles? Currently weighing an options and would love to hear your insights and experiences with either of these firms. If you have worked at or had any interactions with WilmerHale or Munger Tolles, please share your thoughts on the work culture, opportunities for growth, work-life balance, and any other factors that might help in making this decision. Join the discussion and contribute your valuable opinions here: https://lnkd.in/guzswdMU #BigLaw #WilmerHale #MungerTolles #LegalCareers #LawStudents #CareerChoices #LawFirmLife #LegalCommunity

Greenberg Traurig’s Florida Real Estate Practice is featured in a Daily Business Review article highlighting the practice as a finalist in the “Real Estate Transactions” category as part of the publication’s Florida Legal Awards. 🔗 Click here to read the article: https://buff.ly/3IUQGth. #GTInTheNews #RealEstate #RealEstateTransactions #FloridaLegalAwards #LegalAwards #GTFlorida

Analyzing the latest Am Law 200 Financials, it’s intriguing to see how different firms are faring. As expected, Kirkland & Ellis put up some big numbers, surpassing the $7 billion mark in revenue. It was interesting to see that Fenwick & West's numbers were in the positives, which is surprising after the recent RIF that laid off 10% of attorneys and staff. I suspect I'm not the only one curious to see how they are navigating these difficult waters. This raises questions: How do such significant events shape a firm’s trajectory? What can we learn from their strategies and responses? And how does this affect lawyers like you in the market? I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Whether you’re assessing the market or considering your next career move, let’s chat. DM me here or email me at mahta@whistlerpartners.com. #whistlerpartners #happylawyersclub #AmLaw

Exciting Real Estate Growth in Florida 🌴🏠 ㅤㅤㅤ Am Law 100 firms in Florida are rapidly hiring real estate lawyers 📈 This trend highlights the growing importance of the real estate sector despite last year’s slowdown ⚡️ ㅤㅤㅤ Firms like Greenberg Traurig, Holland & Knight, and Akerman are leading the way in expanding their real estate divisions, showing a positive outlook for the industry’s future 🔥 ㅤㅤㅤ Stay updated with us for more insights and news on the evolving real estate market 🏡💼 ㅤㅤㅤ #RealEstateGrowth #FloridaLawFirms #PositiveTrends ㅤㅤㅤ

Great, great real estate industry pod conversation hosted by Chris Powers with Michael Fishman and Michael Baum of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Listen to the uncut version.

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿... Partner hires in private equity have hit record levels in recent months. This might come as a surprise to many as rising interest rates have resulted in a drop in deal activity this year, but the numbers don't lie. Law firms in the City are investing in their manpower. Law firms are positioning themselves for a market rebound. As a PE lawyer, why aren't you? If you've been considering a move, but the lack of opportunities this year has put you off like many others, this is the time to get the boring bits out of the way. Dust off your CV, update your deal sheet, and build a relationship with a good recruiter now (my inbox is always open!). Competition will be hot and future you will be very thankful when things do eventually pick up again. #privateequity #privateequityfirms

It has been a busy news cycle this week across the legal markets.  Below is a snap shot pulled together by our international team. With markets picking up it is a good time to be evaluating your options.  If you would like a confidential discussion please contact one of the team below who can advise you on the relevant market/s or point you in the right direction if you have multiple pathways to explore. A&O Profits Hit £1B in Run Up to the Merger: https://lnkd.in/exd_5KJN What are the Law Firms with the Most Women Partners, but Numbers Aren’t Improving: https://lnkd.in/ejcqzH7E Reed Smith increased NQ pay to £125,000: https://lnkd.in/e9CrJkYz Sheppard Mullin Add 2 Commercial Real Estate Partners in Houston: https://lnkd.in/e63WyUnR Clifford Chance Adapts Associate Bonus System in US-Style Shift: https://lnkd.in/ecr3_gbu Follow us at Marsden for regular updates on the global legal industry. #legalindustry #legalnews #legalrecruitment #marsden London Law firms: Michelle Mills Sally Gardner  Tim Andrews Alex Russell London interim: Amanda Chard London inhouse Karen Glass  Kate Bramwell  Sarita Rai  Megan Williams Australasia: Jonathan Walmsley  Daniel Hogan Ben Smith US: Nick Welsh David Nicol   Europe partners: Nick Paleocrassas ,Europe associates Steve Salem Middle East : Law firms Sonia Patel Middle East inhouse Aaron Faith