Profitable Careers: High-Paying Legal Roles in Connecticut

The Legal Industry in Connecticut

Connecticut is no stranger to having a high demand for legal professionals thanks to its longstanding reputation as a hub for law firms and corporations. Boasting global heavyweight players such as Bridgewater Associates and Cigna, along with a wide array of small and medium-sized firms, the demand for adept commercial litigators, transactional lawyers, IP lawyers, and privacy & data protection attorneys continues to be on the rise. Additionally, the influx of international companies and the substantial investment in technology and healthcare firms have prompted a need for lawyers specializing in intellectual property (IP) and regulatory compliance.
The Connecticut legal landscape, however, is not without challenges. Economically, the state has witnessed a slight decline in employment opportunities. According to the Connecticut Department of Labor, the rate of unemployed persons in the state remains above the national average , indicating that while opportunities for legal professionals exist, the market is increasingly competitive. The most notable recent trend that has emerged within the legal job market in Connecticut is the growing talent exodus; many law students are opting to begin their careers in other states or cities. Consequently, it has become more challenging for larger firms to maintain their clientele, as clients are beginning to look to smaller firms or other states to fill their legal needs.
To be competitive in the current market, law firms and legal departments are looking for candidates who display a strong business acumen. This has led to an increase in the demand for attorneys with experience in the commercial, tax, and financial industries, and firms are willing to pay a premium for proven experience in these areas. In addition, there has also been an upswing in the need for professionals with portable business in the fields of trust and estate planning and administration.

Leading Legal Employers in the Connecticut Area

Connecticut is home to several well-respected law firms and legal employers, making it an attractive prospect for law firm attorneys looking for a new opportunity or in-house counsel seeking a change in scenery. The AmLaw 200 lists the top 4 law firms in Connecticut as Robinson+Cole, Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Susman Godfrey L.L.P., and Murtha Cullina LLP. These firms have a mixed bag of litigation and transactional practices, covering key practice areas like real estate, intellectual property, and litigation. TurnKey has seen demand by these firms and others for transactional partner-level attorneys with diversified practices – especially in intellectual property, employee benefits, and real estate. Additionally, these firms have been actively seeking junior and senior litigation hires as well. The high demand for corporate partner levels candidates extends across the region though, and Turnkey has placed candidates in similar scenarios in Massachusetts and New York. Another trend we’re noticing is firms’ interest in adding corporate M&A, private equity, and venture capital partners. In fact, we’ve been receiving calls to build teams in the latter two areas for anticipated growth. It’s a great time to be a middle market M&A attorney in CT. In addition to AmLaw firms, major in-house employers include GE, United Health Group, AETNA, Hartford Steam Boiler, and General Electric. TurnKey has made placements recently with GE in CT, including one at the Vice President level.

Trending Legal Fields

Staying current with the most in-demand specialties is key to standing out in the legal job market. In Connecticut, the following areas of expertise are among the most sought-after by companies and organizations:
Employment Law
Although there have been indications that the American Bar Association’s 2018 Employment Law Survey found a decrease in employment law claims, employers continue to hire attorneys with expertise in wage and hour claims, hiring issues, workplace safety, family medical leave and disability accommodation in the workplace.
Medical Malpractice
As practitioners are getting older and many are leaving the field, there is a particular need for younger attorneys who are well-versed in this area of the law.
Health Care Law
With increasing regulations and a greater emphasis on ethical lawyering, companies that deal with health care, whether as providers or manufacturers, need attorneys who specialize in health care law.
Estate Planning & Administration
Connecticut is one of the nation’s wealthiest states and individuals with financial security are increasingly turning to estate planning services to ensure the proper dispersal of assets after death.
Bankruptcy
Due to the recent tax reform bill, Connecticut bankruptcy attorneys specializing in real estate are in particular demand.
Immigration
Although difficult to track demand for immigration attorneys, the changing political environment has led to a large increase in requests from clients in need of assistance with immigration.
Tax Law
Taxation law is by nature a complicated area of the law. Because of changes in 2018 to the way individual income is taxed, attorneys who specialize in taxation law are in high demand.

Pay Rates for Legal Professionals

So what do these jobs pay? While average salaries can be hard to come by, here are some statistics that can provide you a good idea:

• An attorney at a private law practice earned an average base salary of nearly $120,000 in 2014.
• For the general counsel of a public company, that figure increased to $187,800.
• In-house counsel for a private company earned an average base salary of $133,000.
• An attorney in a government job made $114,200.
• Those practicing general law made an average of $100,000.
• An employment attorney earned $115,000.
• A family law attorney made an average salary of $90,000.
• A paralegal earned an average salary of $69,800.
• Corporate counsels made $132,000.
• Law office administrators earned $74,000.
• Court clerks made an average of $51,000.

Education for Legal Professions

While educational pathways can differ greatly from profession to profession, there are some that are well established across the board. For example, top careers in the legal field generally require a J.D. (juris doctorate) degree from a recognized and accredited law school (usually four years of a bachelor’s degree, then three years of a juris doctorate), and the passing of the bar exam. Law school is far more challenging than any other graduate program, and requires students to display considerable research, writing, and analytical skills, as well as an aptitude for problem solving.
Law students typically select specific practice areas that they want to pursue, such as criminal law, real estate law, or business law. This empowers them to work within a more limited but often more lucrative field.
Lawyers in Connecticut also have to satisfy Connecticut’s minimum education , experience and exam requirements. Most aspiring lawyers work as judicial law clerks (often for one or two years) immediately following law school graduation, which provides valuable experience and is often a springboard to private practice.
In addition to preparing to take the bar exam during the final year of law school, to practice in Connecticut lawyers must take a multi-state professional responsibility examination designed to evaluate their overall competence in legal and ethical principles such as candor, confidentiality and client privilege. When this test is passed, new Connecticut lawyers must then start off working under the guidance and supervision of other lawyers or judges before being cleared to legally practice as associate attorneys in the private sector, or to gain employment in the public sector.

Professional Associations and Networks

Networking and Professional Associations are a vital part of securing an attorney position in Connecticut. One method of building connections is by joining a professional association. What is the purpose of a professional association? The primary goal of a professional association is to work for the advancement of a particular profession or industry.
Within these professional associations, you will typically find groups focused on helping members increase their career search knowledge through educational programming, networking opportunities and access to exclusive members-only resources.
Associations such as the Connecticut chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), the Hartford County Bar Association (HCBA) and the Fairfield County Bar Association (FCBA) offer great resources for finding open positions. These groups often have job boards, frequently post positions in newsletters and/or have sections that deal with job searches or postings.
One thing I encourage job seekers to do is join LinkedIn, which is essentially a networking site that connects you with former colleagues and business associates. It also allows members to join groups. I recommend researching groups related to your profession or industry and asking to join. This also means connecting with recruiting professionals on these sites, especially if they regularly work with legal professionals.

Law Career Search Advice

As you begin your quest to find the lucrative legal position you’ve long desired, take time to revise and revamp your resume. It may be a good idea to hire a professional resume writer to help present yourself in the most effective way. Both resumes and cover letters are not just a listing of past experience and education, they are mini-marketing efforts. Essentially, they should be advertisements promoting you as the ideal candidate for the job. So take care to follow all the job application requirements closely; if they ask for a CV, don’t send your resume. If you were looking for a product and the ad didn’t have the right dimensions you would venture to another advertiser, wouldn’t you?
Once your resume is perfected, it is time to start networking, and who better to network with than those close to you. Talk to former supervisors and co-workers to see if there might be a need at their current place of employment. The attorneys in Connecticut are a tight-knit community and many of them will be more than willing to help you. You can also search Craig’s List, Monster, Indeed, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn and other sites for available openings. Use your judgment , however, as there are still a lot of scams to be found on these boards.
If you are called in for an interview, prepare for it thoroughly. You must be able to effectively sell yourself without appearing too anxious, OR too confident. The key to this is preparation; research the firm and their target clients to better understand how you can help them succeed. Try to think both inside and outside the box to present your multi-faceted abilities and knowledge. The attorney hiring managers are looking for candidates who will bring the firm forward in their expertise. Review commonly asked interview questions and create a list of questions for them to ask. This shows how interested you are in the position and the firm. Stay positive throughout the interview, even in response to difficult or uncomfortable questions. Inappropriate questions could include age, weight, religion, marital status, or other variables. Be able to acknowledge the question without directly answering it if you feel it crosses the line. Remember to also give feedback after the interview; thank you notes can go a long way and keep your name fresh in the mind of the hiring manager.