Professional legal search for lawyers and law firms, grounded in judgment, experience, and results. Thoughtful. Experienced. Truthful when it matters.
For four decades, Partners Legal Search has advised lawyers and law firms through some of the industry’s most consequential transitions. Our perspective is shaped by deep experience across market cycles, firm economics, and practice evolution.
We specialize in high-stakes partner and counsel transitions where judgment, timing, and alignment matter most. Our process is deliberate, discreet, and grounded in the work required to get it right.
Our Philosophy
Results require doing the work. Every engagement is approached with preparation, market understanding, and careful judgment. We do the homework others skip, and we tell the truth on both sides of the table so decisions are made with clarity and confidence.
Legal search and counsel, built on judgment and experience
Partners
Partner, counsel, associate, and leadership placements guided by judgment, timing, and long-term alignment.
Teams
Supporting group moves, team builds, and practice additions with careful planning, market awareness, and leadership alignment.
Advisory
Advising leadership on expansion, succession planning, and high-stakes hiring decisions with clarity and discretion.
Counsel
Connecting lawyers with opportunities in corporations, investment banks, and private equity firms, as well as other established and high-growth businesses.
Our clients trust Partners because our work is informed by experience, not trends. We understand the legal market from the inside and approach each engagement with care, preparation, and respect for what is at stake.
Four decades of focused legal search work have shaped our perspective. We have advised through periods of expansion, consolidation, and transformation across the legal industry.
Deep, long-standing relationships with law firms across the United States and internationally allow us to surface opportunities that are not visible through traditional channels.
An unparalleled understanding of legal industry dynamics, firm economics, and leadership decision-making informs every engagement.
Known and trusted by hiring partners, firm leadership, and general counsel nationwide.
Our Sister Companies:
Partners Legal Search is led by professionals with deep experience in legal search and advisory work, built over decades of direct involvement in the legal market.
Jim Wilson is the Founder and Principal of Partners Legal Search, a nationally recognized legal executive search firm focused on partner-level and senior attorney placements. With more than four decades of experience, Jim is regarded as a pioneer in the legal search industry and has advised leading law firms and organizations on some of their most consequential talent decisions.
Throughout his career, Jim has placed senior partners, rainmakers, and practice leaders at top firms across the United States and internationally. His work has included building and staffing new law firm offices, facilitating partner and practice group moves, and advising on firm mergers and strategic combinations. Partners Legal Search has been consistently trusted by elite firms for high-stakes, retained searches that sit outside traditional legal recruiting models.
Jim earned his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, where he served as Editor of the Texas Law Review, and holds a B.A. in Plan II from The University of Texas at Austin. His approach is defined by integrity, deep market knowledge, and a long-term perspective on both careers and institutions.
James Wilson is Managing Partner of Partners Legal Search, where he leads the firm’s Real Estate Practice and advises on strategic search initiatives at the intersection of legal, real estate, and investment leadership. James brings deep experience working with real estate operators, developers, private equity firms, and investment platforms across the U.S.
Prior to Partners, James founded and scaled a real estate recruiting platform focused on investment, development, property management, and construction leadership. His background includes consulting for global real estate and private equity firms, supporting organizational growth through talent strategy and executive placement. Earlier in his career, James worked in investment sales, underwriting more than $400 million in real estate assets across Texas.
At Partners, James focuses on complex, senior-level searches where legal expertise intersects with real estate operations and capital strategy. His approach emphasizes clarity, alignment, and long-term value for both firms and candidates. He holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Houston.
AJ Mahmoud serves as Chief Executive Officer of Partners, where he leads the firm’s overall direction, strategic expansion, and cross-practice alignment. He brings extensive experience building and scaling specialized recruitment platforms, with a focus on operational excellence, disciplined execution, and long-term client partnerships.
AJ is the Founder and CEO of Scott Humphrey Corporation and Co-Founder of MHW Search, organizations that serve the construction, energy, accounting, finance, and professional services sectors nationwide. Under his leadership, these companies have grown into multi-vertical platforms placing hundreds of professionals annually. Most recently, AJ led the acquisition and integration of Partners Legal Search, expanding its reach and capabilities while preserving its legacy and independence.
A U.S. Army veteran, AJ combines operational rigor with a people-first leadership style. His role at Partners centers on extending the firm’s trusted approach into construction-related legal and executive search, while ensuring Partners continues to operate with the integrity and discretion that have defined it for decades.
Ashley Humphrey serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Partners, guiding the firm’s long-term strategic direction and operational alignment. Her background spans executive search, professional services growth strategy, and multi-industry talent platforms, with experience supporting firms across legal, real estate, construction, and energy sectors.
Ashley focuses on translating vision into structured execution by developing internal systems, strategic initiatives, and cross-firm operational frameworks that enable sustained performance. Her leadership emphasizes clarity, accountability, and long-term planning, ensuring that Partners continues to evolve while preserving the standards of integrity and judgment that define its work.
Dana Postupack-Hilpert serves as Chief Operating Officer at Partners, where she oversees internal operations, organizational structure, and people strategy across the firm. With more than a decade of experience in talent development, performance coaching, and operational leadership, Dana specializes in building scalable systems that support high-performance teams and long-term growth.
Prior to joining Partners, she advised recruitment and professional services organizations on onboarding frameworks, leadership development, and performance management initiatives. Her work is centered on creating disciplined, well-aligned internal processes that allow client-facing teams to operate with clarity, consistency, and discretion. Dana is known for strengthening the infrastructure behind the firm’s reputation for precision and reliability.
Sources: The American Lawyer, the Texas Lawyer and Townes Hall Notes (published by The University of Texas School of Law)
Trusted by top-tier firms and organizations
Whether you are building your firm, planning a transition, or exploring long-term opportunities, we are here to talk.
