Also on an unrelated note, whatever happened to Surge soda? It was all over the place when I was in middle school. Kind of like the precursor to modern energy drinks, but now has gone the way of betamax and the soon-to-be-dead-due-to-piracy music/movie industry: http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/2010/06/01/the-internet-piracy-revolution-protecting-your-intellectual-property-rights/

Also on an unrelated note, whatever happened to Surge soda? It was all over the place when I was in middle school. Kind of like the precursor to modern energy drinks, but now has gone the way of betamax and the soon-to-be-dead-due-to-piracy music/movie industry: http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/2010/06/01/the-in…

Here is how to do it: First, find out who the hiring partner is. Ask for his or her hourly rate, and tell his secretary that you need his input on a legal matter, and will bring an hour's worth of his time with payment for the initial consultation. Tell them it is a complex legal problem, that you would prefer to discuss in person. The partner will think you are a potential client.

Dress well, and when you meet with the partner, hand him a check for the consultation at his hourly rate. Explain that you understand that he has successfully established a practice, and tell him you are paying him for his professional career advice. Ask him to review your resume (tailor it to the position you want), and ask him how he got started. He will probably be flattered that you are paying him $300-$400 just to meet with him for advice. Don't even mention the opportunity at his firm–tell him that you know he interviews a lot of candidates, and you want to know what hiring partners at prestigious firms (whether or not the firm is well-known), are looking for, and that you found his firm through Martindale-Hubble and noticed that they were AV rated, had a great client list, and they practiced in your area of specialty.

Let him talk about his own career as much as possible. Don't overtly flatter him, but ask about career advancement/client development strategies that have worked for him. Take copious notes, and ask follow-up questions on how he built his practice and ask him “If you were to give a commencement address to recent graduates, what would you tell them?”

Ask him if he has any additional ideas that come to him later, to please call you, as you will be happy to pay his hourly fee if he thinks of anything else, or hears of any open opportunity from colleagues from local firms that might fit your profile.

At worst, he will consider you a “go-getter”, and may become a valuable contact/reference/advocate for your search. At best, he will seriously consider you for the open position they have that you pretend you know nothing about and never mention.

Beats the hell out of emailing resumes to firms who receive 300 applications for one job, with no face contact for 290 of the applicants

Whom did you have them call?