Lisa Stimmell, left, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goorich & Rosati, and Kim Natividad, a legal recruiter at Netflix Inc. (Photo: Caroline Spiezio/ALM)

Inside and outside counsel shared advice for hopeful recruits at a Thursday event in San Francisco, the second session in a Berkeley Center for Law and Business series aiming to address gender inequities in corporate law.

The Women in Business Law Initiative's panel of five lawyers, hosted by Berkeley Law associate director Shannon Kahn, kicked off with the talk of recent recruitment changes. Partners from Kirkland & Ellis, Karen Lee, and Wilson Sonsini Goorich & Rosati, Lisa Stimmell, said their firms have changed interviewing structures to level the playing field for diverse applicants.

“One of the things that has really changed, in my view, is a much bigger focus on making sure our classes are not just great resumes and great CVs and great transcripts, but making sure that we have a diverse class,” Stimmell said.

For Wilson Sonsini, Stimmell said that's meant to ensure a female candidate isn't the only woman in the interview room, and offering inclusive activities for associates such as baking lessons versus open bars. At Kirkland, Lee said interviews are now conducted by a group of lawyers to keep the conversation focused on the candidate's skills rather than veering toward a shared outside interest he or she shares with one partner.

Netflix Inc. legal recruiter Kim Natividad said in-house hiring trends mirror that “emphasis on inclusion.” The Los Gatos, California-based company aims to interview a diverse slate of candidates for open legal roles, accounting for gender, race, law school attended and other factors. She added Netflix's legal team has also aimed to be more inclusive of candidates with children, offering accommodations when families have to fly out for a parent's interview.

“Because for us, being in the content space, our content is only as good as the diverse voices we have making that content,” Natividad said.

Firm lawyers also said the on-campus recruitment process can be a fast-paced blur for candidates and firms, so recruits who want to stand out should get in contact before the madness begins.

Kirkland associate Lesley Hamilton recommended law students reach out the first week of school to grab coffee with lawyers at firms. In those meetings, students should ask meaningful, well-researched questions and make their interest known, she said.

Students who build relationships before recruitment hits have a better shot at being viewed as “a holistic person” later on, said Wilson Sonsini associate Jamie Otto, because interviewers simply know more about them. Reaching out to law school alumni is a good start, she suggested.

Natividad said networks are the “biggest asset” for landing an in-house role. She estimated one-third of Netflix legal hires come from referrals. Despite this, she said many interested applicants don't reach out to Netflix's legal recruiters to network and learn about the team.

“People are often willing to take 20 minutes out of their day for a quick phone call. Reach out to the in-house recruiting teams,” she said. “It's our job to find people … and you would be surprised at how few people actually contact us.”

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Women Corporate Counsel Share Career Advice, Experiences At Berkeley Law Event