Meet Our Team
Melissa Musman
Senior Managing Director
Email: mmusman@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-941-7447
Melissa Musman is a Senior Managing Director at Cardinal Search Partners and brings nearly three decades of experience as a highly regarded legal recruiter. She has built a national reputation for placing attorneys at all levels—ranging from associates to general counsel—at top law firms (in both legal and non-legal roles), Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, and other organizations.
Melissa’s success stems from her ability to truly connect with her candidates. A former practicing attorney, she brings both BigLaw and boutique firm experience to her work, allowing her to understand the nuances of her candidates’ backgrounds and aspirations. She is known for being thoughtful, creative, and deeply invested in the career path of those she works with. Her candidates value her as a trusted advisor—someone who listens carefully, offers direct and candid feedback, and is always available for guidance throughout the process.
Before entering the world of legal search, Melissa practiced corporate and real estate law at Kaye Scholer LLP (now Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP) and at a boutique real estate firm. She earned her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a member of the Journal of International Law and Politics. During law school, she interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the S.D.N.Y. and clerked for the Honorable Robert J. Ward in the U.S. District Court for the S.D.N.Y. Melissa graduated from Cornell University, magna cum laude, where she majored in History, studied abroad in London, and was active in campus life.
Outside of work, Melissa enjoys summers in Long Beach Island, Orangetheory workouts, warm yoga (not hot!), walks with her dog, and time with friends and her two daughters. She loves life in Westchester’s River Towns and will always choose the beach when given the option.
NICOLE DONNELLY
Co-Founder & Partner
Email: ndonnelly@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-509-8096
Nicole is Co-Founder and Partner of Cardinal Search Partners, which she helped launch after over 13 years as a legal recruiter with SJL Attorney Search, another prominent company in the industry where she was Partner and, prior to that, Head of the Associate Placement Group. Over the years, Nicole has represented attorneys at all levels of seniority and across all practice areas, as they made lateral moves to AmLaw 100 and 200 law firms, sophisticated boutique law firms, investment funds, financial institutions, and private and public companies.
With well over a decade in the industry, she is a natural partner for associates and counsel who are looking to optimize their time in Big Law. In more recent years, she has focused on guiding and collaborating with income and equity partners. They have worked tirelessly to build their brand, their practice, their network and/or business, and any possible move is a high-stakes decision. Nicole leverages her in depth knowledge of the AmLaw 200 and profitable boutique firms and her equally in depth understanding of her candidate to ensure they are aligned or align with the most successful platform and firm for their future.
Nicole’s first promise to her candidates is that the process will always be about them, and never about her. That way of recruiting has allowed the attorneys she works with to trust in their partnership, to have in-depth conversations about their career options, and to accept or reject offers with all the information in front of them. She gives each attorney the attention their career deserves and needs – it’s too important a process to do it any other way.
Prior to becoming a legal recruiter, Nicole practiced for several years at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, first in litigation and then in real estate, before transitioning to the firm’s recruiting department as its first Lateral Recruiting Coordinator. It was there that she learned what it takes to be an effective legal recruiter and how rare it is to find.
In addition to her role as legal recruiter and career advisor, Nicole looks for other opportunities to share her knowledge, publishing articles and offering value on her LinkedIn page, advising students at top law schools with respect to their OCI process, and speaking at law schools and presenting programs at major industry events, including NALP.
Nicole earned her B.A., cum laude, from Villanova University and her J.D. from Washington College of Law of American University. She is an avid football fan (though the New York Giants have been testing her the past few years) and enjoys anywhere with a beach, any type of exercise, and has in recent years become mildly obsessed with tennis and pickleball.
LAUREN SUGARMAN
Co-Founder & Partner
Email: lsugarman@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 516-655-9857
Lauren advises attorneys at all levels and across all practice areas in New York and throughout the country on law firm opportunities, non-legal law firm roles and in-house positions. She partners with lawyers to understand their goals and offers actionable advice on how to achieve their professional aspirations. Lauren knows the motivations that drive a legal career and the importance of making the right professional move. Her recruiting and legal background makes her uniquely qualified to collaborate with attorneys and guide them throughout their careers.
Lauren co-founded Cardinal Search Partners, LLC after several years as a Managing Director at SJL Attorney Search, LLC. Prior to recruiting, she was a corporate finance associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. She graduated, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University with a B.A. in History and Art History. She earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was on the board of The Tax Lawyer. Lauren remains an active alumna of Georgetown University Law Center and conducts alumni admissions interviews for prospective students. She also interned for The Honorable Colleen McMahon of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
While not working, Lauren enjoys playing fetch with her two Cavapoos, watching (almost) every television show on Bravo and planning her next travel adventure with her husband and son.
NICOLE SPIRA
Co-Founder & Partner
Email: nspira@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-848-6336
Nicole is a Co-founder of Cardinal Search Partners, LLC after being a Partner for several years at SJL Attorney Search, LLC (“SJL”). Nicole has been a prominent figure in the legal recruiting industry since 2009. Prior to joining SJL, Nicole worked at several elite global law firms – Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP and Kaye Scholer LLP – first as a practicing litigator, and then on the administrative side in professional development and legal personnel management.
Leveraging her experience in the New York legal industry, Nicole helps candidates across all different practice areas and levels find their optimal professional environment and helps clients find the best possible talent. A natural counselor and connector, Nicole acts as a co-partner in these relationships, investing 100% of herself in the process to ensure that candidates can achieve their professional goals in the most optimal and discreet way. Clients respect Nicole’s approach as she is thoughtful, strategic, and collaborative.
Recently, Nicole was the featured guest speaker among an elite group of top AmLaw practice group heads as a leading expert in her industry. Nicole has likewise been featured in Business Insider as a legal recruiting leader and expert. Nicole speaks frequently on industry panels – at NYCRA, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, New York University School of Law, and Northwestern Law School as an expert on trends in the New York legal market.
Nicole graduated cum laude from Duke University with her B.A. in History. She earned her law degree from Fordham University where she was a member of the Fordham Urban Law Journal. In her free time, Nicole loves spending time with her family and friends in the Berkshires, listening to true crime podcasts, and debating with her family whether to get a French bulldog. Nicole loves Barry’s Bootcamp, but also loves finding reasons why she can’t go.
Victoria Shin
Senior Managing Director
Email: vshin@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-446-3237
As a legal recruiter, Victoria strives to see the big picture and understand: What are your goals? What is your vision of success and satisfaction? What do you need to get the most out of your career and opportunities?
Victoria has successfully collaborated with many attorneys, with vastly different goals, on their career plans and pivots. She draws upon many years of experience, both as a recruiter and as a former practicing attorney. Before she became a recruiter over six years ago, Victoria was a litigator at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and was an Assistant United States Attorney, Civil Division, in the District of Connecticut. Prior to entering practice, Victoria clerked for the late Judge Mark R. Kravitz in the United States District Court, District of Connecticut.
Victoria earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She graduated from Smith College magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and with Highest Honors in Philosophy.
Outside of work, Victoria is passionate about conservation and animal rescue. She’s an avid runner and has run an ultramarathon, the NYC Triathlon, and 13 marathons (so far).
Michelle Swan
Senior Managing Director
Email: mswan@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 646-267-4939
Michelle advises attorneys of all levels, across all practice areas, in New York and throughout the country. She prides herself on staying on top of the ever-changing legal hiring market for law firm and in-house roles and provides lawyers with the accurate information they need to make informed decisions about the right next steps for them. Sometimes, that means advising people to stay where they are or wait for the optimal time to explore. When it’s time to move, Michelle tailors, simplifies, and organizes the job search process for each candidate. Her guidance and attention to detail allow busy lawyers to explore with ease, confidence, and minimal disruption to their work so that they can actually enjoy the process.
Before becoming a legal recruiter, Michelle was an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP for five and a half years. Michelle graduated from Dartmouth College and Columbia Law School. During law school, she was a judicial extern for The Honorable Raymond Joseph Lohier, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, an editor of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, a member of the NALSA Moot Court Team, a member of the Challenging the Consequences of Mass Incarceration Clinic, and a teaching assistant.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys spending time with her kids and husband, supporting local social justice initiatives, and playing tennis.
Leenor Gold
Managing Director
Email: lgold@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 818-961-7269
Leenor is committed to understanding what each attorney truly values in their career and works to match them with opportunities that align with their unique goals. She takes the time to listen to what her candidates are looking for — whether it's the right firm culture, growth potential, or work-life balance — ensuring their next role closely matches their vision of success. She provides strategic guidance, expert insight, and support for candidates throughout the application and interview processes.
Having navigated the lateral process herself, Leenor understands the importance of a trusted, knowledgeable recruiter and prides herself on being a reliable, well-informed, and candidly honest resource. Her industry expertise, combined with her personalized, attorney-focused approach, allows her to build lasting relationships and make a meaningful impact on her candidates’ professional journeys – she succeeds when you succeed!
Before transitioning to legal recruitment, Leenor practiced as a Real Estate Associate at Fried Frank in NYC and McDermott Will & Emery in NYC and Chicago. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was a club president and an active member of the Jewish Law Students Association. As an immigrant herself, Leenor is dedicated to supporting individuals and families navigating the U.S. immigration system through her pro bono work. Her firsthand experiences and years in law firm environments provide her with an empathetic perspective on the challenges and opportunities attorneys face.
Now based in Chicago, Leenor enjoys spending time with her cats and fiancé (in that order), watching reality TV, and discovering new restaurants around the city.
Daniella Esses
Senior Managing Director
Email: desses@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 201-341-7123
Prior to joining Cardinal Search Partners, Daniella spent over a decade at Cravath, Swaine & Moore—first as a Litigation and Antitrust associate for five years, and then leading the firm’s Professional Development team. In the latter role, Daniella advised firm partnership and developed strategic direction for associate development, including creating and implementing training programs and working directly with attorneys to help them identify and think critically about their career objectives.
As a recruiter, Daniella leverages her decade of experience at Cravath to help attorneys identify what they love (and don’t love) about their current roles, and then works with them to identify opportunities that will more meaningfully satisfy their career and personal objectives. Daniella approaches each attorney with the personal understanding of the unique nature of the work, as well as the professional track record of successfully empowering attorneys to meet their full potential.
Daniella earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was an Executive Editor of the Columbia Law Review and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She graduated from Barnard College summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with the highest graduating GPA. Following Law School, Daniella clerked for The Honorable Cathy Seibel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In her free time, Daniella loves spending time with her husband and children and their pandemic puppy George. She also spends her time pretending to train for (half) marathons, though it would be a stretch to say she loves doing that.
RONNI ARNOLD
Senior Managing Director
Email: rarnold@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 516-680-8573
As a legal recruiter, Ronni spends her days doing what she does best - connecting with people. She thrives in an environment where she is relied upon for counsel and support, and she uses those skills to help attorneys evaluate options and make crucial decisions about the next steps in their careers. Ronni’s thoughtful approach takes into consideration the many factors that matter to both her candidates and law firm and company clients in the process. In doing so, she draws upon many years of experience in Big Law (and her own experience lateraling and transitioning in her career) to underscore the nuances among different firms and in-house opportunities, as well as options beyond BigLaw.
Prior to becoming a legal recruiter, Ronni practiced as a restructuring attorney at Shearman & Sterling LLP and Arent Fox LLP. She most recently served as a Knowledge Management Attorney on the Financial Restructuring & Insolvency team at Shearman & Sterling LLP.
Ronni earned her B.S. from Cornell University, where she majored in Human Development, and her J.D. from Fordham Law School, where she was a member of the Urban Law Journal. Ronni enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, reading, riding her Peloton, being with her friends, and pretending to meditate.
Kerren Zinner
Managing Director
Email: kzinner@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-597-5694
After 21 years in BigLaw, Kerren is doing what she does best: connecting with people and impacting their lives for the better. Kerren’s tenure in BigLaw translates to relevant knowledge of big firm culture and invaluable insight to the challenges faced in the legal world. That, along with her natural mentoring skills and relatability, enable her to find the right fit for those looking to make a career change. The meaningful relationships Kerren has forged over the years, and her interpersonal skills and tenacity, make her a skilled recruiter and valuable asset to the Cardinal team. Kerren listens intently and works closely and patiently with her candidates to ensure a smooth and informed process from start to finish.
Prior to joining Cardinal, Kerren was a litigator. She spent the first 8 years of her legal career at Kaye Scholer LLP, specializing in intellectual property litigation. She then made her own lateral move to Reed Smith LLP, where she spent 13 years specializing in general commercial, real estate and financial services related litigation. Kerren also spent ten years on Reed Smith’s New York Recruitment Committee – this is where she discovered her passion for the industry, eye for talent, and her ability to build relationships and establish trust, which is why candidates are comfortable placing their careers in her hands.
Kerren has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Buffalo, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude. Kerren received her JD from Hofstra School of Law, where she was a member of the Hofstra Law Review and graduated in the top 5% of her class.
Outside of work, Kerren loves to spend time with her twin daughters (reliving her youth as a twin herself) as well as with her husband and her maltipoo. Kerren enjoys boxing and weight training and alternates between getting lost in a good book and reality TV. Fun fact -- Kerren also has a knack for matchmaking!
Athena Katsampes
Managing Director
Email: akatsampes@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 347-514-2650
Athena's mission is to help attorneys harness the power of career moves to maximize their personal and professional fulfillment. Leveraging nearly ten years of finance, business, and legal experience, Athena helps associates think through their objectives, identify in-house and firm opportunities that fit the bill, build a compelling job application, and negotiate an offer worth being excited about. Athena is a born “connector” who will adapt and tailor her approach based on the nuances of her candidates. She is committed to open, clear, and prompt communication to make the job search process as seamless as possible.
Prior to joining Cardinal, Athena spent over four years as a litigation and white collar associate at WilmerHale and Latham & Watkins in Washington, DC. She handled a broad range of disputes related to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Bank Secrecy Act, the False Claims Act, the Administrative Procedures Act and various anti-discrimination laws. She also provided regulatory counseling to educational institutions and emerging companies.
Athena graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School. During law school, Athena served as a legal intern in the Appellate Division at the United States Attorney’s Office in Boston, Massachusetts. Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Sidney Fitzwater in the Northern District of Texas. Prior to law school, Athena graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a B.A. in Economics and worked as an investment banker at Centerview Partners in New York City.
In her free time, Athena loves traveling around the world to discover restaurants off the beaten path, reading the latest hit novel, fine-tuning her skiing skills, and cuddling with her one-eyed Shih Tzu, Pip!
Tara Johnson
Managing Director
Email: tjohnson@cardinalsp.com
Phone: 917-295-0411
Tara thrives on connection and has an innate gift for bringing the right people together at the right time. She approaches each conversation with curiosity, discretion, and a genuine desire to help attorneys find the right fit, not just the next role.
Before becoming a legal recruiter, Tara practiced law at Kaye Scholer LLP and Troutman Sanders LLP, before moving in-house to serve as counsel for a publicly traded REIT. She later founded and operated her own law firm, advising clients on complex transactional real estate matters. This breadth of experience gives her a 360-degree view of the legal market and the confidence to guide attorneys and firms through even the most nuanced career moves.
Originally from Athens, Georgia, Tara brings a healthy dose of Southern charm, warmth, and wit to her work. Her background in finance and law allows her to blend strategic insight with down-to-earth candor — making her a trusted partner to both attorneys and law firms throughout the lateral search process.
Tara earned her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. She also holds a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Georgia, and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Corporate Finance.
She’s a classical Pilates enthusiast, a devoted green tea drinker, and can often be found searching for her next favorite British series on BritBox.
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