NICOLE MORDEN, M.Ed
LEGAL RECRUITER
nmorden@ascendattorneysearch.com
Direct: 773-456-9542
Nicole has been recruiting in the legal industry for over 20 years. She began her career as the Legal Recruiting Manager for two AM Law 100 law firms in Chicago. In these positions, she took an active role on the law firm Hiring Committees, recruited highly-experienced associates and partners to the firm and spearheaded both the on-boarding and integration of lateral hires. After relocating to Michigan with her family, she spent six years with a global legal technology company based in San Francisco, for which she recruited in-house and law firm attorneys for a cutting-edge legal tech platform.
As a legal recruiter for Ascend Attorney Search, Nicole maintains a national practice representing associates, partners, in-house attorneys and groups of attorneys in legal markets across the country. She uses the extensive knowledge she gained while recruiting inside law firms to advocate for attorneys seeking new positions. She also partners with Ascend’s law firm and in-house clients to identify and recruit top talent to fill strategic growth initiatives and specific needs.
Nicole is passionate about her role as a recruiter, and she provides much needed guidance and assistance to associates, partners and in-house counsel as they transition from one role to the next. She wholeheartedly believes that attorneys should never settle for a role that does not fulfill them, and she spends significant time uncovering new and exciting opportunities for her candidates. Because the demanding work schedules of her candidates often make a job search seem overly daunting, Nicole is committed to understanding the objectives of each attorney she represents, and she takes the time to understand what each candidate is seeking in a new role, whether it be a better work life balance, additional support and mentorship, or more fruitful work opportunities. She is committed to helping attorneys avoid burnout by identifying roles that meet the candidate’s objectives and provide the necessary support for long-term growth and career satisfaction.
Nicole places an emphasis on the relationships she builds with her candidates and clients, and she respects the confidentiality of the job search process. She is available to her candidates whenever necessary, and she assists them with each and every step of the job search process. This includes drafting and revising resumes, assisting with business plans and representative matters lists, preparing candidates for interviews, obtaining vital information about a particular law firm or in-house legal department, negotiating offers and assisting candidates through the transition to a new role, among many other things. Candidates know they can rely on Nicole to provide the best possible representation in a non-judgmental and confidential manner, and they appreciate the advice she provides along the way.
Nicole earned her M.Ed. in Counseling from DePaul University. She lives with her husband and three children in Michigan and enjoys hiking, kayaking and exploring the Great Lakes with her family and dog.