Our Approach
Our discerning, hands-on approach, decades of experience on both sides of the industry, and seasoned intuition are what truly set us apart.
At Sage, we provide a hands-on, individualistic approach to help our clients find the best legal talent for their teams and to support our candidates as they build their careers. With decades of experience as recruiters and practicing lawyers, we focus exclusively on legal placement, bringing clarity and ease to the process for employers and job seekers alike. If you are looking for a search firm that genuinely understands all sides of the legal market and diligently works to find the right attorney for the right opportunity, Sage is for you.
Project Spotlight
Rebuilding a Department
After a failed merger of a Fortune 200 food service company, the General Counsel retained Sage to help restructure and rebuild the law department. We successfully placed nine attorneys (over half of the department) in just six months, several into newly created roles. With so many moving parts, the challenge was not just finding fit and great talent across a range of practice areas, it was making sure the pieces all came together to create a harmonious department.
Vetting a Major Succession
When the long-time General Counsel of an iconic public consumer products company retired, the business trusted Sage to assess potential successors. Drawing on our long-standing relationship with the company and its legal department, we were retained to help identify the best attorney in terms of skills and management experience as well as vision and culture.
A Flexible Approach for a Fortune 50 Company
Working with a restricted recruiting budget, an Assistant General Counsel of one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies hired Sage to consult on a legal search that drew hundreds of applicants. With defined involvement, we brought focus to the field and saved our client significant time weeding through their applicants to identify a shortlist of the most suitable candidates.
Defining and Filling Roles
When a national real estate developer decided it was time to employ a Chief Legal Officer, and when a global leader in super-premium luxury brands hired its first Legal Counsel for North America, they turned to Sage. With our deep in-house experience, we worked with the companies to define the parameters for the new roles and then found the right matches in terms of both hard skills and the ever-important cultural intangibles.
From Placement to Partnership
We have worked closely with a premier boutique law firm on numerous occasions and successfully placed several junior and mid-level associates over the years. Thus far, four of our candidates have been promoted; they now comprise over 15% of the partnership.
Fifteen Years of Placements for a Fortune 500 Company
Lending credence to our commitment to long-term relationships with clients, we filled every open legal position (17 attorneys) for a Fortune 500 consumer products company over the last decade and a half. Some of the roles filled include: Advertising and Marketing Counsels, Senior Food Counsel, Regulatory Counsel, Litigation Counsels, Trademark Counsel, Patent Counsel, Chief Trademark Counsel, Strategic Commercial Transaction Counsels, Corporate Secretary, Assistant Corporate Secretary, Senior Counsel ERISA, Labor and Employment Counsel, and International Counsel. Earning this repeat business and loyalty, Sage helped the company build its legal team into the highly respected department it is today.
Search Options
Retained or Exclusive Contingency
Many of our in-house clients recognize the value of either a retained search or exclusive contingency search. Under a retained agreement, we are engaged exclusively and receive periodic payments as specified search milestones are met. Under an exclusive contingency contract, we are the only recruiter, or one of a few select recruiters, engaged for a definite or indefinite period of time.
Such arrangements enable us to partner more closely with the client, focusing and refocusing the search in response to detailed feedback. Under this approach, we can be more discriminating when we present candidates, judiciously vetting submissions for substantive qualifications and cultural fit.
Standard Contingency
Under this arrangement, we primarily source candidates by identifying and recruiting applicants, conducting preliminary screenings and presenting appropriate resumes. We also assist in scheduling interviews and are involved throughout the hiring process as needed.
Flexible Arrangements
As a boutique search firm, we are able to provide a personalized approach and tailor our services to suit specific requirements and budget. We have been hired under a flat fee for defined services, for example, for clients under a restricted budget. And, for clients with multiple searches, especially when performed for similar positions, flat fee or sliding scale agreements are other options. At Sage, we understand that no two searches or organizations are exactly alike. We can work with clients to form true partnerships and to customize our services to benefit all parties involved.
Contact Sage Tel: 212-867-6322 | Fax: 212-937-1915 | info@sagelegalsearch.com