Eager to give her commercial litigation practice a boost, Jessica Grant interviewed with a number of big firms earlier this year. Only begrudgingly did she head down to the Ferry Building in San Francisco at the urging of a recruiter for an interview at the low-profile, one-partner Taylor & Co.

“Within five minutes, I was convinced that this was the place for me,” the 38-year-old former Furth firm name partner said. Founder Stephen Taylor offered immediate exposure to high-end work for stellar clients, Grant said, including Google Inc. and Intel Corp., plus a salary that met her expectations.