Glencoe’s Levin is a matchmaker for lawyers

Jennifer Levin

Updated: August 7, 2012 1:25PM

A dedicated matchmaker, Glencoe native Jennifer Levin is determined to find the perfect lawyer. But, not one to date.

Levin is a legal recruiter that matches attorneys up with the right law firm.

“This is matchmaking for lawyers,” said Levin, about her company, Nate and Dot Recruiting.

Levin grew up in Glencoe and attended Central School and New Trier High School. She attended Northwestern University law school and worked for three of the largest law firms in Chicago; Sidley and Austin, Katten Muchin Rosenman and Jenner and Block.

“I loved meeting the lawyers, but I never loved the actual practice of law,” said Levin.

“I wanted to do something more personal,” said Levin, who has enjoyed being a legal recruiter for the past six years.

Levin sets lawyers up with firms that fit their personalities and finds them a workplace that they will be happy with.

Levin said she does the matchmaking the old fashioned way, “over breakfast, lunch and cocktails.”

She spends time getting to know the attorneys and discovering what firms would mesh well with their personalities.

“I’m helping attorneys find the right platform to practice on and the right clients to work with,” said Levin.

Another business Levin has started is called First Chair, which offers an award program for in-house counsel, such as lawyers that work for large corporations.

“The in-house folks never really had a vehicle to promote themselves and their careers,” said Levin.

At last year’s First Chair award program, there were 104 nominations and 77 awards in 11 categories. The event was attended by more than 350 attorneys.

Even after the success of the First Chair awards, attorneys asked Levin, “Can you make us more visible?”

So, Levin listened and has just launched a new magazine that will go out to 70,000 attorneys nationwide.

Unlike many legal magazines, this magazine won’t focus on technical legal skills, but rather how attorneys can promote themselves and manage their careers.

Levin’s first edition of her annual magazine includes stories on how to work with clients, how to select a platform, what’s happening in the market and even how to dress the part. It comes out annually, but there will be special editions as well.

“I love what I do now,” said Levin.

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