u/AashiSyed

Hi all,

I’m a recruiter at an agency that recently shifted focus into legal hiring over the past few months, and I’ve been running into a consistent issue I didn’t expect at this level.

Even when:

• The job posts clearly include salary ranges
• The roles are with reputable firms
• I’m reaching out directly to candidates (headhunting with tailored messages)

…I’m still getting very low response rates from attorneys and paralegals as well.

I understand lawyers are extremely busy and likely get a high volume of outreach, but I was expecting at least moderate engagement given the transparency and relevance of the roles.

For those of you in the legal field (or other recruiters in this space):

• What actually makes you respond to a recruiter message?
• Are there specific red flags that cause you to ignore outreach immediately?
• Is it more about firm prestige, type of work, comp structure, or something else entirely?
• Any tips on how to stand out or improve response rates?

Appreciate any insight — trying to adapt quickly as we grow in this space.

Thanks in advance.