Steven Rushing is a Principal at Lateral Link. He recruits BigLaw associates and counsel nationwide, with a focus on patent litigation, antitrust, private equity/M&A, appellate, international trade, structured finance, affordable housing, and ERISA litigation. Drawing on his experience as a former patent litigator at Weil Gotshal and Finnegan Henderson, he offers candidates a level of insight into practice dynamics, partnership paths, and workload sustainability that many recruiters simply cannot provide. His background enables him to understand the realities of 2,200+ hour years, the difference between true trial or deal experience and repetitive support work, and how to identify firms where attorneys can build long-term careers rather than burn out.
Since entering legal recruiting in 2016, Steven has developed a reputation for helping attorneys transition into roles that meaningfully advance their careers — whether that means first chair opportunities, class year acceleration, better compensation structures, or clear promotion criteria. His approach is highly targeted and relationship-driven: instead of mass submitting resumes to dozens of firms, he conducts in-depth career assessments, identifies a select group of firms aligned with the candidate’s goals, and personally briefs hiring partners on the candidate’s experience before interviews begin. Candidates frequently note his depth of market knowledge, straightforward communication, and ability to navigate complex hiring processes with discretion and strategy. Recent placements include moves to AmLaw 10, 20, and 50 platforms in D.C., New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Steven is equally effective in competitive niche markets, including patent litigators looking for trial time; mid-level corporate associates seeking greater deal autonomy; attorneys focused on LIHTC, tax credit, and affordable housing finance; and litigators practicing ERISA, antitrust, international trade, or derivatives. He regularly advises candidates on compensation benchmarking, interviewing strategy, lateral offer negotiations, and evaluating firm culture beyond branding and rankings. His work is built on helping candidates achieve clarity on what they actually want from their practice — mentorship, work-life balance, partnership track, or eventual in-house transition — and guiding them toward opportunities that align with those objectives.
Steven holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. He represents attorneys across all major U.S. legal markets.
