As a Dallas-based attorney you should know that partnering with a legal recruiter in Dallas on your next job transition can greatly improve the job search process, and prospects. Not only can a legal headhunter in Dallas work proactively to speak with legal employers in the area about upcoming opportunities, but they can also help to streamline the entire interview and hiring process.
Dallas Area Legal Recruiting Firms
Momentum Search Partners is a Texas legal recruiting and executive search firm specializing in attorney and compliance placements for companies and select law firms.
Everyone at Momentum is a consummate professional, and I would truly recommend them if you're looking for a new opportunity. They were extremely supportive and thorough throughout the entire process, and very knowledgeable about the firm and position they were presenting. My first experience using a legal recruiter could not have gone any better, and for that I owe a big THANK YOU to Momentum.
Opportunities and Prospects for Lawyers in Dallas
For lawyers considering a move to the Lone Star State, Dallas Texas, offers myriad career-advancement opportunities. Located in North Central Texas, this fast-paced cosmopolitan city of over 1.3 million residents is now the 9th most populous in the U.S. With its thriving economy and business-friendly atmosphere, Dallas is now positioned as a true global commercial force.
That rapid growth has unleashed new career possibilities for the city’s over 10,000 attorneys, including those that practice at one of Dallas’ over 500 law firms. The average base salary for a lawyer in the greater metro area is $122,778, many of whom practice for, or provide legal support to, the 21 Fortune 500 companies that call Dallas home.
While practicing in the Dallas area, lawyers can take advantage of countless professional career-enrichment opportunities by joining one of these legal organizations:
- State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association
- North Dallas Bar Association
- Denton County Bar Association
- Dallas Asian American Bar Association
For attorneys interested in teaching law or taking additional coursework, there’s also Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law.
Requirements for Practicing Law in Dallas
To be admitted to the Texas bar, you must have a law degree from an ABA-accredited law school in the U.S. In addition, all attorneys who want to practice in the state of Texas must:
- Pass the Texas Bar Exam
- Pay a bar exam fee. For in-state law students it’s $300, out-of-state law students pay $490, and the fee for attorneys already licensed in another state is $1,040.
- Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) with a scaled score of 85 or above
- Once all those requirements have been met, be sworn in at an official swearing-in ceremony scheduled by the Texas Bar Examiners’ Office.
To keep your law license in Texas, newly licensed attorneys must complete 15 hours of continuing legal education (MCLE) within their first two years. After being licensed for two years, lawyers must then complete 15 more MCLE hours on an annual basis, including 3 hours in legal professional responsibility or legal ethics. All earned MCLE credits must also be reported yearly to the Texas Bar Examiners’ office.
Living in Dallas as an Attorney
Filled with high rise office buildings, designer shops and award-winning restaurants, downtown Dallas has still managed to retain its Southern feel. The city’s vibrant economy is driven by sectors in defense, financial services, telecommunications, transportation and information technologies. Fortune 500 companies based in the area include ExxonMobil, American Airlines, Tenet Healthcare, AT&T, Energy Transfer Equity, Southwest Airlines and Kimberly-Clark.
With all Dallas has to offer, it’s cost-of-living still runs below the national average thanks to housing, food and transportation. The city’s bustling Legal District is located downtown just south of I-30 where I-45 and Cesar Chavez Boulevard converge. Public transportation choices abound thanks to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system’s many bus routes, rail lines, streetcars, shuttles and park-and-ride services.
Some of the better neighborhoods in the Dallas area include Highland Park, Oak Lawn, North Dallas, University Park, Far North, the Main Street District and Bluffview. In addition to its many miles of biking and hiking trails, public parks and plentiful golf courses, other major area attractions include the Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District & Museum, five professional sports franchises, Reunion Tower, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum.
Dallas’ climate is another one of its strong suits, as residents on average enjoy 234 days of sunshine. It rains in this part of Texas about 78 days per year, and an occasional light wintertime snowfall is possible. Average summer highs run in the high 80s Fahrenheit, with July being the hottest month. Winter lows average in the 40 degree range, with January serving as the coldest month when the average day sees lows around 36 degrees.
Dallas Legal Recruiters Have Premier Access to the Area’s Top Law Firms and Legal Employers
In addition to keeping tabs on job opportunities at law firms across the metropolitan area, Dallas’ legal recruiters are also constantly striving to meet local lawyers and legal support staff, no matter their urgency in the job search process. Reaching out the local Dallas legal recruiters, even if you’re perfectly happy in your current position, is never a bad idea as it can help you kick-start the search process when you’re ready to make the transition. Additionally, establishing a solid relationship with a local legal staffing firm in Dallas can help you stay abreast of potential firms, positions and salaries that will be waiting for when you decide to make a career change.
Dallas Legal Recruiters Can Increase Your Exposure in the Local Market
In addition to simplifying the job search process, attorney headhunters can introduce you to firms and positions that you would never have found on your own or heard about through the grapevine. Their wealth of existing industry relationships is one of the top benefits of partnering with a legal recruitment firm as they’re always in the know about available positions and firm news, and are therefore poised to share your credentials with the area’s leading legal employers. When you’re ready to consider moving to a new law firm, think about getting in touch with a local Dallas legal recruitment firm.
All the information on this website is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. The Legal Recruiter Directory does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of the information found on this website or that of the linked sites.
