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Episode 28

From Law Partner to Top Recruiter: Richard Hsu, Managing Director at Major, Lindsey & Africa

Episode summary

Introduction: 1:15

  • Introducing Richard Hsu, managing director at Major, Lindsey & Africa as well as the host and producer of the Hsu Untied podcast.
  • Chatting about special places in the Bay Area.

Finding your path to becoming a law firm partner: 4:07

  • Choosing a surprise career in law after studying engineering.

Dealing with the stress of a big law partnership: 6:46

  • Feeling daily pressure from clients and bills.
  • Surviving a difficult role by loving what you do.
  • Considering alternative, smaller, or virtual law practices with less stress.

Making the transition from law firm partner to executive recruiter: 8:45

  • Recognizing the depth of knowledge required to recruit for a law firm.
  • Underestimating the size and scale of your personal network.

Unpacking the responsibilities of an executive recruiter: 12:26

  • Explaining the retained search model and the sports agency model.
  • Advice for candidates on the best way to position themselves for executive roles.
  • Comparing recruiting to the real estate market.

Tactical tips for legal career searchers: 16:14

  • Making the first ninety seconds of every answer count.
  • Setting the tone and looking out for body language.
  • Finding responses that resonate and reusing them whenever you can.

Interviewing legal leaders like Mark Cuban on the Hsu Untied podcast: 18:33

  • Pursuing a dream to be a radio interviewer and growing a series with more than 300 episodes.
  • Attracting big-name guests like Tony Robbins by reaching out until they respond.
  • Episode recommendation: Sesame Street puppeteer Caroll Spinney.

Helping your professional development by making a podcast: 24:15

  • Becoming comfortable with rejection as a recruiter by experiencing constant rejection booking podcast guests.
  • Drawing connections between recruiting, podcasting, and traditional sales roles.

Advice to lawyers who want to start a podcast: 26:57

  • Focusing on the interview and the act of interviewing.
  • Sustaining a podcast with an engaged audience.
  • Understanding the difference between a good and bad interview by doing a lot of them.

Book recommendations: 29:59

  • Magic Words by Jonah Berger.

What you wish you’d known as a starting lawyer: 32:31

  • Understanding legal is a client service business that requires a desire to help others.
  • Knowing that if you aren’t happy serving others, you won’t enjoy your work.

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Host
Tyler Finn
Head of Community & Growth, SpotDraft
Guest
Richard Hsu
Managing Director, Major, Lindsey & Africa

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