Matt Schwartz

Partner

1627 I Street, NW

Suite 1230

Washington, DC 20006

202.559.0468

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK WITH ME

If you’re scanning my bio, it means you are wondering if a career change is right for you – I can help you think through that. You might be restless where you are, yet you aren’t certain of the options – are you wondering if they’re better than what you already have? Associates reach out to me whether they want to narrow their focus or see just how broad their professional horizon might be. What I can guarantee for you is that I’ll see your full range of options, align that with your 5-10-year career goals and help you become the best candidate you can possibly be.

OVERVIEW

Regarded as among the foremost experts in lateral associate placement, Matt Schwartz is appreciated by candidates and employers alike – as the recruiter who honors candidates and clients by taking them seriously. Inside the first few minutes of conversation, they feel the difference in depth, intellect, proven track record, transparency and trust from other recruiter discussions they may have had. These qualities are evident in his success placing attorneys across a wide variety of industries and practice areas for boutiques, national and global law firms. Law schools don’t typically provide students with an education in managing their careers, navigating law firm life, or even finding their perfect fit within one of the most diverse and complex of occupations. Matt knows that his role is to help guide lawyers in their first years of practice so they can find their place in the profession. Whether helping an associate move from one firm to another for any of a myriad of reasons or helping a government lawyer transition to private practice, Matt’s second-to-none knowledge of the legal opportunities provides a distinct advantage to candidates. If it’s your first move, second or third, Matt’s process is tailored to meet you where you are – he will diligently and actively guide you until you find the right position, even if that means staying where you are. Count on Matt understanding how your motivations may have changed as your career has progressed and knowing how to help you take a clear look at the current market, craft the most compelling story of your capabilities and write cover letters that help employers quickly connect with who you are and all that you have to offer. Winning interviews combine both art and science, and Matt will rigorously prepare you. He ensures that his mock interview questions are specifically tailored to the opportunity and even more challenging than the actual ones you will be asked. Matt knows the questions and the answers that will move candidates ahead. Prior to becoming a recruiter, Matt served as a transactional associate at one AmLaw 20 firm and a litigation associate at another DC-based national firm. The competitiveness and his keen legal training at these firms, plus his own career transitions, are the foundation for the unique empathy he brings to these relationships. Because Matt is so successful on the candidate side, he is also sought after by employers who are struggling to find enough associates to meet their high standards and be a good cultural fit. Whether a law firm or legal department, they know that finding their perfect match in a new hire is as important to Matt as it is to them. This is why many of the most revered law firms in the country know Matt’s reputation and trust him completely. An important addition to his work placing attorneys, Matt is invited by Harvard and Stanford to provide real-world career coaching to their law students. He often speaks at other major law schools, such as Michigan, George Washington, Georgetown, Penn and Northwestern, and provides his deep insight into the DC legal market.

CREDENTIALS AND PAST EXPERIENCE

Prior to becoming a legal recruiter, Matt was a transactional associate at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells); before that, he was a litigation associate at Howrey. His legal training and previous employment in the field, his own experience transitioning from litigation to corporate law, and his established expertise recruiting in DC enable Matt to offer candidates as well as clients sound counsel on professional tracks and transitions. Matt is a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law Center with an undergraduate degree from Brown University.

REPRESENTATIVE PLACEMENTS

Matt has placed at least 200 associates and counsels in the DC market at large firms and prestigious boutiques, as well as placing several people in-house. Following are selected examples:

Placed a tech transactional associate from the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 25 firm in the Tech Transactions practice of an AmLaw 50 firm's Washington, DC office.

Placed an FCC attorney focusing on wireline service in the Communications practice group of an large, extremely prestigious Washington, DC-based international law firm.
Placed a Baltimore AUSA and former AmLaw 50 investigations associate in a Chambers-rated securities enforcement boutique.
Placed a policyholder insurance associate from a top-tier international law firm in an Insurance group of a top-tier Washington, DC-based international law firm.
Placed a CFIUS associate from the Washington DC office of a large international firm in the International Trade group of the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 50 firm.
Placed a senior corporate (M&A/VC) associate from the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 50 international law firm in the Washington, DC Corporate practice of an AmLaw 50 national law firm.
Placed an FDA associate at the Washington, DC office of a boutique based in New York City in the Washington, DC FDA practice of a top-tier international law firm.
Placed a healthcare associate from a top-tier Washington, DC healthcare boutique in the FDA/Healthcare group of a prestigious international law firm's Washington, DC office.
Placed a project finance associate from the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 25 firm in the Project Finance group (Washington, DC office) of an international AmLaw 50 firm based in San Francisco, CA.
Placed an associate from a Washington, DC environmental boutique in the Washington, DC-based Environmental group of an AmLaw 100 international firm based in Texas.
Placed a tax transactional associate from the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 25 international law firm in a Transactional Tax practice of a highly prestigious international law firm based in Los Angeles, CA.
Placed an associate from the Washington, DC office of a national firm based in Milwaukee, WI in a Washington, DC energy regulatory boutique.
Placed an in-house counsel, specializing in corporate governance at one of the country's largest bank holding companies located in Tysons, Corner, VA, in a Corporate Governance practice of the Washington, DC office of a premier international law firm based in Los Angeles, CA.
Placed a life sciences transactional associate in the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 100 firm in the Tech Transactions/Life Sciences Transactional group of a prestigious international law firm based in Washington, DC.
Placed a Federal District Court Clerk and former associate with the DC Office of a Top-Tier New York-based law firm in an elite Washington, DC-based litigation boutique.
Placed a litigation associate from the DC Office of an international law firm based in Chicago in a Washington, DC litigation boutique.
Placed a litigation associate from an AmLaw 50 firm in the Washington, DC office of a New York City-based litigation boutique.
Placed a labor & employment associate from the Washington, DC office of a Philadelphia-based firm in a Labor & Employment Transactional practice at the Washington, DC office of an AmLaw 25 firm.
Placed a mid-level government contracts associate from a regional firm in a Northern Virginia office of an international law firm.
Placed an associate from a Washington, DC healthcare boutique firm in a premier Washington, DC FDA boutique.
Placed a patent (life sciences) litigation associate from a New York City-based intellectual property boutique in a leading intellectual property boutique.

TESTIMONIALS

“If you’re looking for a position in DC you need to call Matt. Matt makes no promises, and will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Matt has strong connections with the biggest and best law firms in DC; if he submits you, it’s highly likely you will be interviewed and he helps you prepare for that as well. There are so many recruiters that it’s really hard to differentiate between them. Garrison and Sisson is the gold standard in DC. Matt is different because he doesn’t hound you and he is honest about the market and your prospects from the start. On top of all these great attributes, Matt is genuinely just a good guy, always pleasant to speak with, and funny as hell. Hopefully I won’t be moving again for a long time, but if I decide to, he’s my first and last call as far as recruiters go.”

Corporate Associate, AmLaw 25 Firm

“It was an absolute pleasure to work with Matt during my lateral search. He is an expert on the legal market and the different firms, and took the time to get to know me personally, as well as understand my short- and long-term goals in order to help guide me towards the right firms. Matt helped fine-tune my application materials and held a mock interview to ensure I was fully prepared. Throughout the interview and offer process he was always available and responsive when I had questions, and proved an invaluable source of information and feedback. I ended up at the perfect firm, and I couldn’t have done it without Matt’s assistance. Lateraling can be a time-consuming and stressful process, but he made it painless and enjoyable. I highly recommend Matt to anyone considering a lateral move.”
Corporate Associate, Top Five DC Firm

"Matt has generously made time to speak to our students about the Washington D.C. legal market for years now and has become an invaluable resource to our students who are considering entering the DC market. His presentations are well-informed, insightful, and chock full of so much useful information that one of our students recently reported watching the video recording of it twice just to make sure they didn't miss anything! Not only does Matt provide excellent insight into the unique aspects of the legal market in DC, but he also has spot-on advice to students for how to effectively approach their job search and how to best prepare themselves to maximize their success. I consider his program to be required viewing for any student who is even considering working in DC, and I have also recommended him without hesitation to alums who are seeking to lateral into the DC market."

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

“Matt was an absolute pleasure to work with, and he did a lot more than merely pass my resume along to his contacts (as two other recruiters had done). His approach was individualized to the firm for which he was seeking placement and tailored to my credentials and needs. Matt gave constructive feedback at every stage of the process. For example, he reviewed my resume carefully and suggested a number of helpful changes. He also set aside a full hour to do a mock interview and helped me hone my interview skills. Matt was available and responsive during the in-between times to answer any and all questions that I had, which I greatly appreciated. Simply put, Matt is a professional. I would (and already have) happily recommend Matt to others.”
White Collar Litigation Associate, Top Five DC Firm

“Working with Matt was an absolute pleasure. Shortly after the birth of my first child, as a midlevel associate in the BigLaw space in the NY metro area, I started looking for a better job fit for my family and my future ambitions. I was fortunate enough to connect with Matt, who told me about a unique position in the DC area that could be a long term fit for the career pivot I was looking to make. He encouraged me to apply for the position, vouched for the (former BigLaw) attorneys at the small firm I would be interviewing at, and guided me through the interview and offer process. It’s not hyperbole to say that the placement was a life changing one for me and my family. It was certainly a risk when I moved with my wife and 10 month old from a 400 person firm in the NY metro area to a 3 person firm in the Beltway. Six and a half years later, my now 7 and a half year old is entering 2nd grade and is the proud older sister of a 5 yr old sister and a 3 year old sister, both of whom were born in the DC area. The job ended up being a great fit, my family purchased a wonderful home in Bethesda in 2018 and I was elevated to partner as of January 1, 2022. We love the community and it has proven to be a wonderful place to raise a family. I’m home every night at 6PM to put the kids to bed and there are no midnight emails or calls from obnoxious colleagues or nasty clients. The clients are generally wonderful. All of this is possible because I took a chance on a unique opportunity in 2016 and because I trusted Matt when he told me what great potential existed here. My colleagues have been as nice and genuine as Matt said they were and despite our age differences they’ve become friends in addition to colleagues. Matt helped me find a place that has been personally and professionally rewarding for myself and beneficial for my family. I could not recommend him more highly.”

Healthcare Associate, Healthcare Boutique

“After meeting with so many recruiters and feeling pressured to consider firms that weren’t good fits, finding Matt was a breath of fresh air. Matt’s connections in the industry are genuine, and his recommendations were tailored to my needs. He took the time to prepare me for each step of the process and offered concrete, actionable feedback. Thanks to Matt, I ended up in a group that is a great fit and have sent several colleagues his way since then, each of whom experienced the same personalized approach and successful placements.”
Corporate Associate, AmLaw 15 Firm

“Matt is the best. I worked with a couple recruiters prior to Matt. What a difference. First, there’s no pressure, and he works with you to identify your goals and develop a plan to achieve them. Equally important, he knows his stuff inside and out. A rock through the lateralling process. I felt he worked hard for me and went the extra mile during writing sample revising, mock interviewing, and post-interview negotiations. I have recommended him to all of my friends that express interest in lateralling. Such a pleasure to work with, and I really appreciated how genuinely happy he was for me when I got the offer at my top-choice firm.” (“V&E has been great so far. Zero regrets.”)
Environmental & Natural Resources Associate, AmLaw 75 Firm

“I originally started my job search with a different recruiter. The search turned out to be fruitless, and the previous recruiter made to feel like a failure for not getting any responses. A friend referred me to Matt, and it was the best decision I made. Matt and I had an initial “getting to know you” conversation so he could understand the motivations for my job search and what I was looking for in my career. He was honest, never condescending or abrasive, and gave constructive feedback – even recommending that I get an additional credential, which ended up helping me get my offer. With my new certification, Matt helped me submit my material, and within three weeks I got an offer. From application date to offer, Matt was helpful and meticulous. He prepared me by setting up mock interviews with me, by giving me detailed background of the practice group and the firm, and keeping record of any areas of improvement I may need in the future. Even during the offer and decision stage, when I was anxious about hearing back, Matt was reassuring, so that I felt comfortable with every decision and every step of the recruitment process. He made sure to not only help me with obtaining my new job, but also protect my existing job during the search, and ensuring confidentiality so my relationship with my employer was not at risk. Finally, Matt Proved to be a great liaison between employer and candidate. Employers give candidates vetted and prepared by Matt a lot of credence.”
Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Associate, AmLaw 200 Firm

INSIGHTS AND SPEAKING

OUTSIDE THE OFFICE

Matt freely shares with law schools and law students what he’s learned through many years of legal recruiting. He is also interviewed by the legal media for his take on the current legal employment landscape.

Stanford University Law School and Harvard University Law School
- Counseling 2nd year law students about on-campus interviews (OCIs) for Washington DC law firm positions
- Meeting with the law school’s career services team to update them on the DC legal market
Regular speaker: Michigan, Georgetown, Stanford, Pennsylvania, Northwestern, George Mason and George Washington Law Schools about the DC legal market
Mock interviewing practice for nonprofits:
- Seeking Employment, Equality and Community for People with Developmental Disabilities (SEEC)
- So Others Might Eat (SOME)
Presenter on the legal marketplace:
- Washington Area Legal Recruitment Administrators Association (WALRAA)
- The National Association for Law Placement (NALP)
“Cracking the DC Legal Market,” University of Pennsylvania Law School, April 2014
“’Hot’ Practice Areas and Job Search Tips,” George Mason University School of Law, March 2014

I’m an avid sports fan, especially supporting the Washington Nationals and the Maryland Terrapins. My love of sports led me at an early age to become a sports memorabilia collector, beginning with baseball cards. Today, my dad and I attend collector shows together and buy and sell our best finds.

I also make a study of personal finance and have given talks to various groups on the subject, including single moms attending school and trying to effectively juggle work, kids, school and their finances.

And finally, I do love live musical theater and a late, after-theater supper somewhere I can indulge in my favorite dish: Maryland steamed crab.