Gary McGinnis, Esq.
Email: gmcginnis@g-s.com Phone: (202) 659-2028
Gary is a Managing Director at Garrison & Sisson. He became a recruiter after spending 12 years getting a 360-degree view of legal recruiting.
Gary started his career as a litigation associate at Sidley Austin, specializing in financial services class actions, insurance litigation, and reinsurance arbitration. He later recognized that he was happiest when helping other attorneys work through the pitfalls and uncertainties of life as new attorneys. His passion for career development led him to University of Michigan Law School, and later, to Georgetown University Law Center, where he coached hundreds of law students and alumni on matters of personal branding, career progression, the legal job market, and the mechanics of successful job searches.
After seven years as a legal career advisor, he joined the recruiting team in King & Spalding’s Washington, D.C. office. There, he managed all phases of associate and counsel recruiting for the firm’s Washington, Northern Virginia, Chicago, and Charlotte offices before taking on an expanded role with nationwide responsibility for the firm’s regulatory, investigations, and appellate practices. At King & Spalding, he also helped develop several Professional Development and Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and was an active member of the firm’s LGBTQ+ affinity group.
How Gary Helps Laterals: Gary’s unique experience gives him a first-hand understanding of the law firm recruiting process and an appreciation for the qualities that lead to successful lateral hires. He knows what employers are looking for and can provide unique insight into all stages of the process. Additionally, as a seasoned career advisor, Gary is skilled at helping attorneys focus their goals and motivations and at creating cohesive professional narratives. He enjoys coaching attorneys through thoughtful career progressions, keeping in mind both their current needs and future success.
How Gary Helps Employers: Having been one himself, Gary understands how to deliver on the expectations of our law firm clients. He has worked with hundreds of lateral attorneys and is able to effectively vet which candidates are likely to succeed based on many moving factors. He has also managed dozens of associate searches, enabling him to recognize unique market advantages in each and to anticipate and mitigate potential challenges. Because Gary “gets it” from the employer perspective he can facilitate the process in a meaningful way.
Industry Leadership: Gary has been deeply involved in the legal recruiting community, most recently serving on the Conference Planning Committee for the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and in various leadership roles, including President, for the Washington Area Legal Recruitment Administrators Association (WALRAA).
Education: Gary earned his J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an editor on the Virginia Sports & Entertainment Law Journal and a member of the Lambda Law Alliance. He received his M.B.A., with honors, from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and his B.A. from Albion College in Michigan, graduating magna cum laude with a dual degree in French Language & Literature and Political Science.
Outside Interests: Gary enjoys the outdoors, believing they are best experienced while seated with a crisp glass of rosé.