Lateral Link

Patent & IP litigation · AmLaw + elite boutiques

A recruiter who actually litigated patents.Most never have.

I was a patent litigator at Weil and Finnegan before I recruited.

I place patent and IP litigation associates, counsel, and partners at AmLaw firms and the technical boutiques that win the biggest cases. Every conversation is confidential, and I only move when the move is right for you.

Book a Confidential Call

15 minutes. Completely confidential. Firms pay my fee, never you.

Steven Rushing, legal recruiter for attorneys at AmLaw 100 firms and elite boutiques
1,459
IP lateral moves in 2025
+4.2%
Patent litigation demand growth
$0
What you ever pay
Weil · Finnegan
Where I litigated

Who I work with

Patent litigation is one of the strongest corners of the lateral market. IP saw nearly 1,500 lateral moves in 2025, the semiconductor and 5G patent wars remain active, and a new wave of disputes over AI and copyright is driving fresh demand for litigators with technical depth.

Associates

Roughly 2 to 7 years

The sweet spot is 4 to 7 years, but AmLaw 50 firms also chase strong junior associates. If you're past doc review and into real case work, firms want to talk to you.

Counsel & senior associates

Litigators ready for trial

Weighing a better platform, a clearer partnership track, or a firm with more rate flexibility for IP work? I'll give you an honest read on your options.

Partners & groups

Including team moves

Group moves are reshaping the practice, with whole teams changing firms together. Origination, conflicts, and rate posture all get negotiated.

If you litigate patents at an AmLaw firm or a technical IP boutique, whether you're an associate, counsel, or partner, you're exactly who I work with.

Most recruiters have never done your job. I have.

Before I recruited attorneys, I was one. I was a patent litigator at Weil Gotshal and Finnegan Henderson, so I know what a 2,200 hour year feels like, how firms think about fit, and what it’s actually like to sit on your side of this decision.

That’s the difference between a recruiter who forwards your resume and one who advocates for your career.

  • I know real patent litigation experience from support work

    Six years litigating patents means I can tell a real Markman and trial record from endless doc review, and frame yours so you're evaluated instead of filtered.

  • I know which firms actually want the practice

    Some Am Law 25 firms are stepping back from IP litigation over conflicts and rate pressure; others are aggressively building. I know who's who, so you don't waste a move.

  • Total discretion, start to finish

    Our conversations stay between us. Your materials don't move without your written permission for each and every opportunity.

Why work with a recruiter at all

If you’re searching from firm careers pages and LinkedIn, you’re seeing the visible market. The moves worth making usually happen in the part you can’t see.

Access to what’s never posted

A large share of lateral openings, especially at the partner level and the top firms, are filled through direct recruiter outreach and never hit a job board. From LinkedIn alone, you see a fraction of what’s open.

Market intelligence you can’t get alone

Who’s actually hiring in your practice, what comparable candidates are getting in offers, and which “stable” firms are quietly contracting in your group.

Credible advocacy

A submission introduced by a trusted recruiter lands very differently than the same resume sent cold. I frame your story so you’re evaluated, not filtered.

Negotiation cover

I push on comp, title, and terms so you don’t have to do it across the table from your future partners, and I know what’s realistic to ask for.

A simple, confidential process that respects your time

Three steps, no pressure, and an honest read from someone who has been on your side of the desk.

Step 01

Confidential call

A 15 minute call to understand where you are, where you want to go, and what you’re not willing to compromise on.

Step 02

Targeted shortlist

A curated set of roles matched to your practice, trajectory, and lifestyle, with specific reasoning on why each one fits.

Step 03

Direct advocacy with decision makers

I take your materials straight to the hiring partner and frame your story so you’re evaluated, not filtered. Then I coordinate interviews, prep you for each step, and negotiate terms.

Ready to see what’s out there? It starts with one call.

Book a Confidential Call

It's structure, not effort

If your practice group is slow, the problem isn't your effort.

No billable work for months isn't always a performance problem. If your firm isn't winning the patent cases, there's nothing to staff, no matter how good you are. Idle months start to read like underperformance when they're really structural misalignment.

By the time it's obvious, you've lost a year of trial and Markman experience you can't get back. A platform that's actually busy in IP litigation fixes in weeks what staying can't fix at all.

Anonymized placement stories

Details are changed to protect confidentiality, but the moves are real. Here is how a patent litigation search actually plays out.

Patent & IP litigation

4th year patent litigator, AmLaw 100 pedigree, technical undergrad

The challenge

Strong on paper but almost entirely pre-trial: discovery, motions, and expert management, with no real courtroom reps. The firm's cases settled early, so the path to standing up in court kept receding.

The solution

We reframed the search around advancement path, not title, and targeted boutiques and AmLaw firms with active patent trial dockets. Every conversation stayed confidential, positioning the technical depth as a foundation a trial heavy group could build on.

The outcome

Placed at an AmLaw 20 firm with a defined trial track and a partner mentor committed to first chair reps within two years. Signed offer in under 90 days, with comp up to market. Zero cost to the candidate.

Real stories, real career moves

Hear how attorneys made their next move.

“I didn’t think this kind of role was possible for me. But it was.”
Neal M.
Associate, Appellate (AmLaw Firm)
“Steven understood where I was trying to go and built a path to it I couldn’t have done on my own.”
Casey L.
Counsel, M&A (AmLaw Firm)
“It felt discreet, thoughtful, and personal. I never once felt ‘sold.’”
Riley C.
Partner, Elite Litigation (Boutique)
“He prioritized my career goals and what was best for my family. His guidance on positioning my experience, interview prep, and offer negotiation were all excellent.”
Partner, Cyber
AmLaw Firm

Questions you’re probably already asking

Do I need a technical degree or patent-bar admission?
For patent litigation, no. Trial and case experience is what most firms weigh. A technical background in engineering or life sciences is a plus in some searches, and I'll tell you exactly when it matters.
Do I pay anything?
No. Firms pay the fee, not you. Your cost is zero.
Will my current firm find out?
Not from me. Nothing moves without your written approval for that specific submission, and your identity stays confidential in early conversations.
Associates, counsel, or partners?
All three, plus group and team moves, at AmLaw firms and elite IP boutiques.
What if I'm just exploring?
That's the right time to call. Fifteen minutes, no commitment, just a clear read on where you stand in a strong IP litigation market.

Still have questions? Let’s talk.

Book a Confidential Call
Steven Rushing, legal recruiter specializing in confidential attorney placement at AmLaw 100 firms and elite boutiques
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Where I share candid takes on the lateral market, BigLaw moves, and what firms really look for.

About Steven

Before I recruited attorneys, I was one.

Six years as a BigLaw patent litigator gave me a perspective most recruiters don’t have. I know how partners evaluate laterals, how firms think about fit, and what it actually feels like to be on your side of this decision.

Nine years and hundreds of placements later, I focus on one thing: finding the right next role for attorneys who’ve outgrown where they are. Associates, counsel, and partners at AmLaw 100 firms and leading boutiques across corporate, finance, regulatory, and litigation.

The process is yours to control. I move at your pace, keep everything discreet, and stay focused on what’s right for you, not just what’s open.

“He listened, understood the dynamics of my group, and then introduced me directly to people who were relevant to my experience. I ended up with options that made sense for where I’m going.”— Associate, Corporate (AmLaw 50)