Baretz+Brunelle Adds Decipher Co-Founder Howard Rosenberg, Launches Novel Practice to Help Law Firms Succeed in Lateral Hiring Boom

NEW YORK — May 23, 2022 — As competition for lateral talent at law firms reaches new levels of intensity and expense, Baretz+Brunelle has observed firsthand the challenges firms encounter in hiring, integrating and retaining promising talent. Those challenges led to the creation of a first-of-its-kind offering that provides firms with holistic lateral hiring support — Baretz+Brunelle’s new Talent Intelligence & Acquisitions practice, which launched today.

The Talent Intelligence & Acquisitions practice will be headed by Howard Rosenberg, one of the most highly regarded executives in the legal industry. Rosenberg has spent more than 15 years in leadership at Am Law 100 and Silver Circle law firms and co-founded Decipher, a global investigative intelligence business that performs due diligence on lateral candidates. Joining B+B as partner, Rosenberg will assist law firms with the most important issues they face in connection with lateral talent both before and after hiring. It will build on, and be integrated with, B+B’s expertise in other areas — communications, marketing, strategic consulting and NewLaw services – providing value throughout the entire lateral hiring and integration process.

The expansion of Baretz+Brunelle’s services into the critical area of talent acquisition marks another step in its continued evolution as a leading advisory firm to businesses operating in the legal industry.

B+B’s Talent Intelligence & Acquisitions practice offerings will include:

• Military-Grade, Pre-Hire Intelligence Reports, providing law firms with detailed intelligence reports on prospective lateral hires, allowing for more deeply informed decisions on the strategically important lateral hires to which firms devote significant resources. (Reports will be developed by former military officers and trained professionals who specialize in intelligence gathering and analysis).
• Bespoke Marketing & Communications Efforts, to re-brand laterals, transition full books of business and address growth and success.
• Onboarding Support, including client integration, internal communications and business development/cross-selling planning.
• Metrics-based, Assessment Reports to maximize client development opportunities, law firm investment and individual partner economics.
• Under development: Predictive Analytics Tools to harness the power of data science to maximize the success of lateral transitions and integration.

“Law firms’ main assets are the individuals who walk in and out each day,” said Rosenberg. “I see a huge unserved need to assist law firms in identifying, onboarding, integrating, and growing the businesses of the right individuals. Baretz+Brunelle is the perfect place to create this unique practice, not just because it has the ideal skill set, but it has the commitment to supporting it fully, including the development of predictive analytics and other advanced tools.”

In addition to founding Decipher, Rosenberg previously served as a chief operating officer for Baker McKenzie, head of business development strategy for Debevoise & Plimpton’s private equity practice and managing director at Berwin Leighton Paisner in London (now Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner). Most recently, he has consulted for law firms on management and operational issues.

“You can’t follow the business of law today without understanding how much law firms have at stake in lateral hiring and integration,” said Baretz+Brunelle co-founder Spencer Baretz. “At Baretz+Brunelle, Howard will build on his experience providing intelligence on lateral candidates, but now through a more robust and complete offering that supports law firms’ lateral hiring strategies in an even more meaningful way.”

Rosenberg received an M.B.A. from University of Cambridge and undergraduate degrees in architecture and fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. A regular speaker on business issues facing law firms, he is a past winner at the LegalWeek Innovation Awards and a three-time finalist at the National Business Awards.