MLA Elects Seven Recruiters to its Partnership

Hanover, MD (January 03, 2023) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, is excited to announce the election of seven new partners: Edina Beasley, Tina Cohen Nicol, Howard Cohl, Joanna Herman, Elizabeth Luening Long, Cloud Schnoebelen and Merle Vaughn. The elevation of these seven talented recruiters reflects the breadth of the firm’s business offerings and diversity of its internal talent.

“At Major, Lindsey & Africa, being invited to the partnership is a recognition of outstanding performance over many years as well as meaningful contribution to the firm and its culture beyond revenue,” said John Cashman, president of Major, Lindsey & Africa. “Edina, Tina, Howard, Joanna, Beth, Cloud and Merle are outstanding examples of these attributes and truly reflective of what it means to be a Global Navigator as each has changed many attorneys’ lives through legal search.” 

From the Associate Practice Group, MLA welcomes Tina Cohen Nicol. Prior to joining Major, Lindsey & Africa in 2012, Tina was a practicing attorney with the Office of the Attorney General and Katten & Temple, LLP.

Edina Beasley, Joanna Herman and Elizabeth Luening Long, all from our In-House Counsel Recruiting team, specialize in general counsel and other in-house attorney placements for organizations of various size and within a wide range of industries. Edina joined MLA in January 2017 after beginning her legal recruiting career in 2011. Before joining MLA in early 2013, Joanna was an associate in the San Diego office of Morrison & Foerster from June 2004 until February 2013; she began her career at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper). Beth joined Major, Lindsey & Africa after 16 years in private practice. She spent the last 12 of those years at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, where she was counsel.

Cloud Schnoebelen is a practice leader within MLA Interim Legal Talent. Cloud came over MLA in 2015 from Aerotek, the Allegis Group’s largest operating company, after nearly 20 years of customer-facing success there.

Howard Cohl and Merle Vaughn are members of the Partner Practice Group focusing on working with law firm partners, groups, counsel and high-level government attorneys in their transitions to different law firms.  Howard began his career as a real estate attorney with the Coblentz law firm in San Francisco and transitioned to the executive ranks of private and public media companies before joining MLA in 2015.

Before becoming a legal recruiter in 2003, Merle practiced corporate law with Cooley LLP and as general counsel for a hair care company. In 2012, she joined MLA as the National Diversity Practice Leader for the Partner Practice Group, and in 2022, she became the Managing Partner for its Southern California offices.