Samantha Jacqueline Fischer

I attribute my success to my ambitious qualities: putting 150% into my work and being willing to do whatever it takes to create the most seamless application process for candidates. My goal is to ensure candidates feel they are making the decision that is best for them, because in my experience, when a candidate makes a decision they feel confident in, it's not only beneficial to their career, but also to the firm's long-term growth. By bringing in a leader of a practice area who is confident in their decision, I believe this also opens the door for them to bring over other lawyers who are just as passionate as they are. This leads to positive, tangible results not only in higher recruiting numbers for the firm, but also in the longevity of the attorneys who stay. I feel rewarded by the work I do, so I'm eager to put in the hours and time because I believe it's important. Many people's lives change because of career moves that they make. I felt very rewarded after a two-hour conversation earlier in my career with a law student candidate who was very conflicted about which summer associate program to join. We unpacked her career goals, how they would fit into the firm, and, especially on the law student side, her nerves about the process. To this day, we still keep in touch because of the impact she said I made on her process. I've dived into this field in a way that has best exploited my talent for connecting with people, and I've seen a lot of success in candidate placements at varying levels, from junior to senior, that I've been able to assist law firms in bringing over.

The best career advice I've ever received is to be genuine, ambitious, collaborative, extremely responsive, and to form strong connections with people who are your teammates. Put yourself out there, whether that's going to more networking events, getting to know more people, or really taking that time with candidates you work with. Personally, I am passionate about going above and beyond for the candidates I work with. I have had two-hour conversations with candidates to talk through their career goals and how they would fit into the firm. Another piece of positive career advice I have received is to always be a team player. I have had many professional experiences where, even when I think I have a great idea, talking it through with my team members leads to a much better game plan. In competitive, fast-paced fields like the legal industry, it can be hard to do that at times, but my advice is to take a beat and remember the importance of camaraderie.

To younger women entering this industry, I would recommend remembering that legal recruiting is a people-focused job. There are beyond important administrative components that define the process. However, the people component should not be underestimated. Sometimes you're the face the candidate sees at the beginning of every call or meeting, and they can be more nervous than you realize. You are, in a way, a comfort person for the candidate, and your role also gives you a chance to get to know them and see if they would be a good fit for your team and firm. Don't underestimate the value of in-person interactions. I know things often move very quickly, and there are countless applicants for a wide range of practice groups and departments. The job teaches you high-level organizational skills at a junior level, which I'm very thankful for. I've learned to juggle many tasks because of the challenges this job has presented, but I always prioritize in-person interaction. Some of the best feedback I've received is that I was instrumental in a candidate's application process at a firm because I did a good job of keeping them informed every day and checking in to see how they were feeling. I continued to receive positive feedback from this candidate after they joined the firm, which was extremely rewarding, especially given my junior point in my career.

There are many different areas in my field, and I have been fortunate to see work in law student, lateral associate, and partner recruiting. On the law student side, I do think there are many challenges with the application process for summer associate programs at BigLaw firms, especially since the application deadlines have been pushed much earlier. The way the process looks now is quite different from how it was run before, which has presented a challenge not only for law students but also for law firms and career services teams, who do tremendous work to help guide their law students year after year. When I started in the field, applications were accepted around April for the following year. In contrast, students now apply to summer associate programs during their first semester of law school. This is before they have a clear understanding of which type of law firm is best for them. Even though I no longer work on the law student side, I still have great connections with summer associates I've personally recruited who are now growing through their associate years in BigLaw. I helped them navigate this somewhat difficult process, and I still coach law students who reach out to me for advice and guidance, a helping hand, or comforting words.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are ambition, teamwork, and helping others succeed. I'm a driven, career-oriented person who genuinely loves my work and knows it will always be a huge part of my life.  I'm deeply passionate about promoting women's success, particularly women in law, and helping more women get into the legal field. This has been a focus since I started working with law students in summer associate programs. Seeing more women being drawn to law schools and getting promoted to Partner is very empowering for me. I also care deeply about women's reproductive rights and Jewish rights, which are causes that have always been important to me.

Additionally, being open-minded is an essential value to me. Growing up in a family with a lawyer mother and a photographer father opened my eyes at a young age to vastly different career and industry interests. That combination is playing an essential role in shaping my career today.