Warren Recruiting Welcomes Jennifer Witten Clearman, Esq.

Warren Recruiting is please to announce the addition of Jennifer Clearman to the Firm.

Jennifer is an experienced litigator with the inspiration to build teams that are synergistic and outcome-driven. She has worked in both large and small firm environments, and has had primary responsibility for recruiting, hiring and supervising associates and staff. Her experience gives her an authentic understanding of the issues and challenges addressed by employers when recruiting and hiring attorneys and staff.

Jennifer received her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and began her career in Los Angeles, defending international and domestic corporations in complex tort and commercial litigation. Upon moving to Houston, she expanded her litigation practice, working on both sides of the docket. Jennifer holds dual Bachelors degrees from Tulane University. She is active in the Houston community, including having served on the Board of Directors of The Junior League of Houston and overseeing numerous volunteer projects for local non-profit organizations. She has actively worked on boards of other organizations supporting education and the arts, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and First Steps Montessori School.

Jennifer lives in Houston with her husband, Scott, a founding partner of the IP litigation boutique Clearman|Prebeg, and their two children. They enjoy traveling, collecting art and playing with their many pets, including their dogs, Jaxon and MacDuff.

Jennifer can be reached at Jennifer@WarrenRecruiting.com

Welcome Vanessa Vance

Warren Recruiting is pleased to announce the addition of Vanessa Vance, Esq.

Vanessa brings over two decades of legal industry knowledge and hands-on experience to Warren Recruiting. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University and South Texas College of Law, having received Distinguished Student and Dean's List honors at both. Vanessa worked her way from associate to partner where she was responsible for the hiring and management of a large team of support staff and associates, as well as an enormous docket of active litigation files. She has a real-world, first-hand perspective as to the innate issues related to being an associate and partner in various-sized law firms, and this insight makes her well-equipped to successfully assist clients and candidates seeking both attorney and partner placements.

Vanessa has been a frequent speaker at many CLE seminars. She is a certified mediator and a member of the State Bar of Texas. In addition, she is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, Houston Bar Foundation and Litigation Counsel of America, and a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas. Vanessa was previously named Texas Rising Star by Law & Politics & Texas Monthly Magazine and One of Houston's Professionals on the Fast Track by Houston's H Magazine.

Vanessa resides in Houston with her husband and two sons, and Golden Retriever Power Princess Dominique. They enjoy all outdoor activities, especially biking, snow skiing, boating, baseball and traveling.

How can Vanessa help you upgrade your career?

It’s all about First Impressions

The interview process can be very scary and nerve racking at times, but making a good first impression can go a long way to a smooth and solid job offer. After submitting your resume and talking to a recruiter about all the jobs out there, you finally have the chance to meet a hiring manager face to face for an interview. I can’t tell you how many times, I have had hiring managers come back to me and tell me that only reason they aren’t moving forward is that candidate wasn’t professional and made a bad first impression.

When planning your time schedule for a first interview, always leave a buffer of 15-30 minutes for anything that could go wrong (i.e. street closures, accidents, flat tires, dead battery, long lines, no parking spaces, you just get lost). Next, always assume that you will meet a few people that you weren’t aware of prior to the interview and be prepared. Have multiple clean copies of your resume for them to know a little about you. The most important thing you can do, is make sure you are dressed professionally! Have on a clean, dark suit with a crisp white shirt and solid tie with brown or black socks and well polished shoes, gentlemen. Ladies, I recommend a dark pants or skirt suit for you. I know this seems silly, but I actually had an individual not get a job because he wore his “lucky” bright red cowboy boots to meet the board of directors. Hiring manager look at everything! Finally, make sure you have done a little research on the company. You want to ask smart and insightful questions about this organization as well as let them know that you are invested in this process by knowing a little about them.

I know how stressful first interviews can be and if you follow these tips, you’ll make a great first impression and it might just be a bit easier. At the end of the day, you only can control so much in the hiring process, but making a good first impression is all on you!

For More information about interviewing or new opportunities, contact Warren Recruiting.

Welcome Lori Black

Warren Recruiting is proud to announce the addition of Lori Black to our Firm.

Lori brings nearly a decade of legal industry experience and perspective to the search process. Prior to working with Warren Recruiting, Lori worked in law firm business development for over eight years. She has particular expertise in the legal Energy arena, having supported the strategy and growth of the Energy practices of two Am Law 100 firms. Lori brings a unique perspective to legal recruiting, having helped with the integration and business development plans of nearly one-hundred lateral partners.

Lori was most recently at Haynes and Boone, serving as the business development manager for the corporate, energy and international practice areas. Prior to that she did business development for Jones Day and Akin, Gump, Straus, Hauer and Feld. After completing her Masters of Business Administration, Lori worked in trading and structured finance for TXU Energy Services and then Dynegy, Inc.

Lori holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Rice University and has an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin. Lori is a native Houstonian and actively involved in the legal marketing community. Lori founded the Legal Marketing Association Southeast in Houston in 2006. She and her husband Robert, a third generation lawyer, are the proud parents of a six year old boy, a four year old girl, a dog and a cat. The family loves to spend time outdoors, particularly near the ocean.

Lori can be reached at Lori@WarrenRecruiting.com