PRE-READING (10 minutes)
Talent Slates & Opting-In
What it means to be shortlisted for a role, how opting in works, and how we present you to clients.
When a mandate fits you, we don't just put your name forward — we ask you first. Here's how it works.
Opting in
Once we’ve done enough discovery with a client, we’re able to put together a shortlist of 6-10 lawyers that we reach out to directly. We give you a summary of the role and the client, confirm you're interested and available, and align on estimated pricing. You're never presented to a client without your say-so, but these opportunities move quickly, so a prompt yes or no helps us keep things moving (ensure you have reliable contact info on your profile).
Opting in doesn't commit you to the mandate. It means you're open to being put forward and, if the client wants to meet you, to interviewing — you can always pass on something that isn't right for you. At this phase of the sales process, you are also invited to ask any questions that will help you decide if you are truly interested in the opportunity or not.
Walking away from a deal at the finish line without reasonable justification could impact your future opportunities through Goodlawyer. That said, we understand that life is unpredictable and sometimes plans have to change, no sweat.
You should have a relatively high degree of confidence that you would proceed with the opportunity if selected by the client when opting in. Don’t treat this like a “throw your name in and see what happens” moment.
The Talent Slate
Once all of our outreach and vetting is complete for the opportunity, we typically end up with a list of 2-5 highly aligned lawyers — we refer to these candidates as the “Talent slate”. Being on it means we think you're a genuinely strong fit for that specific opportunity.
From here, your Account Executive puts together a client-facing proposal and schedules interviews with the client’s preferred candidates.