With the back to back law firm merger announcements of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe with Buckley LLP and Chicago’s Freeborn & Peters with Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP it’s time to think “who’s next?” and more importantly “how am I situated if my firm merges?”. Things like firm culture, billing rates, billable hours expectations, client conflicts, and where is the power center are all areas of concern. By talking to your legal recruiter now, not only will you get a sense of the current market conditions but you’ll also have a leg up on the competition should you need to explore options quickly. A reputable recruiter will be more than willing to discuss and help formulate a confidential contingency plan without launching into full-on sales mode and trying to move you before you are ready.