From the Notebook

Articles

Articles by Khurram Naik on legal careers, networking, recruiting, and the decisions and habits that help lawyers build durable, intentional careers.

Escaping the Vanilla Middle in Legal Conversations
Professional· Jul 23, 2026

Escaping the Vanilla Middle in Legal Conversations

We have a problem I call the "Vanilla Middle". As lawyers, we prize humility and…

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ProfessionalJul 10, 2026

Why Legal Recruiters Exist

Why do legal recruiters exist? There's LinkedIn and Google and email. Shouldn't everyone just find…

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ProfessionalJun 26, 2026

Three Years In: What We've Built at Our Recruiting Agency

Our recruiting agency just had its third birthday. Here's what I'm proud of. Client Outcomes…

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ProfessionalJun 11, 2026

Two Interview Questions That Create Real Connection With Law Firm Partners

You're in an interview and the partner asks: "any questions?" Don't miss this opportunity to…

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GeneralMay 18, 2026

The Cravath Scale's Hidden Message About Career Control

The Cravath scale contains a hidden insight lying in plain sight: your career control peaks…

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ProfessionalApr 2, 2026

How to Transform Your Representative Matters Into Interview Wins

Most litigators waste their representative matters. They treat it as a raw dump of litigation…

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PersonalMar 31, 2026

The Podcast Came First

People often say, "It must be good for your recruiting business to have a podcast."…

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PersonalMar 6, 2026

What Catching the Red Line Taught Me About Successful Lawyers

Looking back, one of my most meaningful experiences in law school was catching the Red…

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PersonalFeb 12, 2026

Why I Prioritize Sleep and How I'm Improving It

Early in my career, I worked with a partner who bragged that he slept 5…

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ProfessionalFeb 9, 2026

Legal Conference Tips: Renting a Legal Network

Most lawyers never realize they're renting their legal network. When you work at a law…

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ProfessionalFeb 6, 2026

3 Questions For A Patent Litigator Turned Legal Recruiter (Part I)

I was recently interviewed by Gaston Kroub for his column, and I'm glad to share…

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PersonalJan 8, 2026

How an Oura Ring Transformed My Approach to Health and Wellness in 2025

I never thought I'd be the type of person who obsessively checks health metrics. For…

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ProfessionalJan 1, 2026

How to Build Your Legal Network

Most lawyers invest years into their education and craft, yet overlook the one asset that…

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ProfessionalDec 15, 2025

8 Patent Litigators Placed!

Big news! We just placed the 8th patent litigator of the year. This lawyer is…

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ProfessionalDec 8, 2025

Why Working with Multiple Recruiters Backfires

Most lawyers think working with multiple recruiters gives them more options. It actually gives them…

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ProfessionalNov 28, 2025

4 Firms Interviewing = 100% Offer Rate

The magic number of firms interviewing is 4. When a lawyer interviews at 4 firms,…

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PersonalJan 1, 2025

Headshots of Khurram Naik

These images may be used as headshots of Emma Larson for speaking and media appearances.…

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