RPN Executive Search

What RPN Executive Search does

RPN Executive Search is a US-based legal executive search firm that places attorneys at all career stages — partners, associates, and in-house counsel — across law firms and corporate legal departments. Founded in 2013 by Stephen Rado and Lee Presser, with Rachel Newman heading the in-house practice, the firm operates from a Greenwich, CT headquarters and additional offices or coverage in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, and Charlotte. The firm maintains three core practices: Partner Placement, In-House Practice, and Associate Placement, serving AmLaw 100/200 firms, top boutiques, Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions (hedge funds, investment banks, fintech, broker-dealers), healthcare organizations, global technology companies, and nonprofits.

The firm does not develop or operate proprietary technology, software platforms, or AI tooling; all services are delivered by approximately 30 relationship-based executive search consultants, most of whom are former practicing attorneys from elite law firms. RPN monetizes through retained and contingent placement fees, typically structured as a percentage of the placed candidate's first-year compensation, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct and consultative — recruiters engage hiring clients (managing partners, practice group leaders, general counsels) and candidates through phone, email, and LinkedIn, with the vast majority of new mandates generated by referrals from existing clients and placed candidates.

The firm's competitive positioning rests on the insider credibility of its recruiters (all former AmLaw practitioners), a referral-driven acquisition model that compounds with each successful placement, and a founder-led brand built on the personal track records of Rado, Presser, and Newman. There is no external institutional investment, no disclosed acquisitions or divestitures, and no technology platform underlying the business — RPN is a services franchise whose principal asset is its network of legal professionals on both sides of the market.

Name

RPN Executive Search

Legal name

RPN Executive Search, LLC

Website

https://rpnexecsearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RPN Executive Search is a US legal executive search firm placing partners, associates, and in-house counsel at AmLaw 100/200 firms, Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, and other organizations through a referral-driven, relationship-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Executive Search

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Legal executive search
• Attorney recruitment services
• Law firm recruiting
• In-house counsel placement
• Partner placement recruiting

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Retained and Contingent Executive Search Fees: RPN earns placement fees for placing attorneys (partners, associates, and in-house counsel) at law firms and corporate legal departments. Fees are typically structured as a percentage of the placed candidate's first-year compensation, either on a retained (upfront) or contingency basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

RPN Executive Search is a relationship-based legal recruiting firm that places attorneys at law firms and corporate legal departments. The firm places partners, associates, practice group leaders, and in-house counsel at AmLaw 100/200 firms, top boutique firms, Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, technology companies, and nonprofits across the United States.

Product overview

RPN Executive Search is a legal executive search firm providing relationship-based recruiting services for the legal industry. The firm offers three core service offerings: Partner Placement Practice (placing partners at law firms), In-House Practice (placing attorneys at corporations and organizations), and Associate Placement (placing associates at law firms). Founded by Stephen Rado and Lee Presser in 2013, the firm has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, and Charlotte, with headquarters in Greenwich, CT. The firm specializes in placing attorneys at AmLaw 100 and 200 firms, top boutiques, Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, and non-profit organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Partner Placement Practice Executive search service specializing in placing law firm partners at AmLaw 100, AmLaw 200, and top-tier boutique firms. The practice is led by Stephen Rado as Global Head of Partner Placement and focuses on lateral partner moves, practice group expansion, and strategic hiring for law firms.
• In-House Practice Placement of in-house attorneys, general counsel, and legal department leaders at corporations, hedge funds, investment banks, financial institutions, not-for-profits, family offices, technology companies, and healthcare organizations. Led by Rachel Newman as Global Head of In-House Practice since 2004.
• Associate Placement Recruitment and placement of associates at law firms across all levels, from entry-level to senior associates, at AmLaw 100 and 200 firms as well as boutique practices across multiple practice areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• The vast majority of new clients are referred by existing clients, indicating a very high client satisfaction and repeat engagement rate

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Major, Lindsey & Africa: Major, Lindsey & Africa is the largest dedicated legal search firm, placing partners, associates, and in-house counsel globally. It is the most directly comparable firm to RPN, operating in the same legal recruiting category with overlapping client base across AmLaw 200 firms and Fortune 500 legal departments.
• BCG Attorney Search: BCG Attorney Search is one of the largest legal recruiting firms in the U.S., placing attorneys across law firms and in-house roles. It competes head-to-head with RPN, particularly in associate and partner placements at AmLaw and boutique firms.
• Latitude Legal: Latitude Legal is a legal staffing and search firm placing attorneys at AmLaw firms and in-house departments, with strong relationships across New York and California legal markets. It is a direct competitor to RPN in partner and associate placement work.
• Alden & Associates (Legal Search): Alden & Associates is a legal executive search firm placing partners and associates at AmLaw firms and in-house at corporations, with strong focus on the New York legal market. It is a similarly sized direct peer competing for the same AmLaw 200 client relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search firm with a dedicated Legal, Risk, Regulatory & Compliance practice that places General Counsels and senior legal leaders. It serves many of the same Fortune 500 and AmLaw clients as RPN, but as a broader incumbent offering across multiple functional and sector practices.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global executive search firm with a Legal, Risk, Regulatory & Compliance practice that places General Counsels and Chief Compliance Officers. It competes with RPN for senior in-house legal mandates at Fortune 500 and large financial institutions but operates across a much broader executive search portfolio.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search firm with a Legal & Regulatory practice placing senior in-house counsel and General Counsels at major corporations. It serves many of the same Fortune 500 legal departments as RPN but is a broader, larger-scope incumbent across all C-suite functions.
• Robert Half Legal: Robert Half Legal is the legal recruiting arm of Robert Half, placing attorneys at law firms and corporate legal departments across the U.S. It competes with RPN primarily in associate and paralegal placement, but operates as part of a much broader staffing and search conglomerate.

Emerging players

• Counsel On Call (D4 Discovery): Counsel On Call provides legal talent solutions including attorney placement and managed services to law firms and corporate legal departments. It overlaps with RPN's in-house and contract attorney placement work, particularly at Fortune 500 clients, though it leans more toward flexible staffing.
• Hirewell: Hirewell is a national recruiting firm with a dedicated legal practice placing attorneys at law firms and in-house departments. It has a more technology-enabled sourcing approach than RPN, representing an emerging competitor combining traditional search with modern recruiting technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rpn-executive-search-llp/about
• Xx.com/rpnexecsearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RPN Executive Search