This week, Ed Tomchin, a paralegal in Golden Valley, AZ, tells LawCrossing how he got his job:
"For most of my legal career, I worked freelance for any number of attorneys. I'd prepare a small three-fold brochure, which I'd copy a few hundred times and mail to all the sole practitioners and small firms in whatever area I happened to be living at the time. I reasoned that the larger firms would want staff employees rather than a freelancer, and my experience bore this out. I'd also get a lot of assignments via word of mouth."
"I wanted to experience the law in a different jurisdiction in a different part of the country, so I moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I've always been partial to the Southwest. I'm a desert rat by nature. The Phoenix law community didn't know much about what a paralegal was, how to use one, or what they cost. It was difficult finding work—small jobs here and there but nothing to really bite my teeth into for a long while. [I] worked up some PI cases for a couple of attorneys, summarized surveillance notes for a private detective for a while; then I was hired by a big local firm to work on a large water case doing general gopher work like assisting yearlings [with] conduct[ing] document inspections and organizing the documents, but it was water law, which is really unique in Arizona and a very few other desert states. Most places have riparian rights, but in Arizona, water is distributed according to right of first appropriation."
"If you think that doesn't result in some bizarre issues, think again. This case was a big local developer suing the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant, which hadn't opened yet—this was still 1983-84—over its acquisition of a tri-city's conjoined affluent for cooling the plant. The developer was asserting that the right of the cities to sell their affluent to the power plant was in violation of a preexisting right of first appropriation. I have no idea what the outcome of that suit was."
"I moved back to California after spending one summer in Phoenix. I decided I wanted to live in another capitol and moved to Sacramento, where, after making a few phone calls, I picked up an assignment summarizing daily trial transcripts. It was the greatest pressure I'd ever worked under. I'd get the trial transcript about 8:00 p.m. and work through the night to prepare the summary for counsel the next day. I didn't have a computer at this point and worked by notes and a typewriter with 512 bytes of memory. I learned to edit on a one-line monitor before committing to print."
"This was the first major legal depression I'd ever experienced. The case settled after about 11 days, just prior to closing arguments, and it took every bit of the wind out of my sails. I felt like I'd lost everything, that all my work was for nothing. I made it through only to find it was but the first in a long history of such experiences—hazard of the profession."
"I didn't get much respite, either. Within a week, another local attorney heard of my work on the trial transcripts and called asking if I would come in and discuss computerizing a large piece of construction-defect litigation. How he'd made the connection between summarizing trial transcripts [and] computerizing evidence was a mystery, but I wasn't complaining. I'd be working for a consortium of six law firms, representing a slew of defendant builders to computerize all the deposition and discovery evidence so it would be available to each firm chronologically by subject, by keyword, by issue, and by a number of other factors that were determined in numerous conferences. The building was at issue since it collapsed—fortunately a week before opening."
"I said I could provide what they wanted, except I didn't have a computer. They took this in stride and advanced me $6k to purchase my first system: a Compaq Deskpro with 640k RAM, two 20mg HDs, eight megs of extended RAM, and a professional database-management system (Microrim's rBase). The depositions and discovery documents began pouring in, and for the next 11 months, it was 12 to 14 hours a day summarizing it all into the database I'd created. I chose rBase over the popular dBase because it was better at handling text, which was the majority of the data I needed to store and access."
"Eventually, I settled into working for two particular sole practitioners in Las Vegas that would give me the sort of work I enjoyed until I finally retired and moved to Arizona."
Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!
updated Jul 28, 2022
By Harrison Barnes, CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search 
About Harrison Barnes
No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.
A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter
Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:
- Immigration law
- Workers’ compensation
- Insurance defense
- Family law
- Trusts & estates
- Municipal law
- And many more...
This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.
Proven Success at All Levels
With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:
- Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
- Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
- Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
- Growing firms in small and rural markets
He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.
Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search
Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.
The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys
Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.
- His articles on BCG Search alone are read by over 150,000 attorneys per month, making his guidance the most sought-after in the legal field. Read his latest insights here.
- He has conducted hundreds of hours of career development webinars, available here: Harrison Barnes Webinar Replays.
- His placement success is unmatched—see examples here: Harrison Barnes' Attorney Placements.
- He has created numerous comprehensive career development courses, including BigLaw Breakthrough, designed to help attorneys land positions at elite law firms.
Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes
If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.
Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.
With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.
A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success
Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.
Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:
- Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
- Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
- Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.
This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.
A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives
Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.
He has worked with:
- Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
- Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
- Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
- Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.
For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.
Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation
If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.
? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.
Alternative Summary
Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.
More about Harrison
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