A method and system for fabricating magnetic recording transducer are described. The magnetic recording transducer has a main pole, a nonmagnetic gap covering the main pole, and a field region distal from the main pole. A portion of the nonmagnetic gap resides on the top of the main pole. The method and system include providing a patterned seed layer. A thick portion of the patterned seed layer is thicker than a thin portion of the patterned seed layer. At least part of the thick portion of the patterned seed layer resides on a portion of the field region. A wrap-around shield is on the patterned seed layer. At least part of the thin portion of the patterned seed layer is in proximity to and exposed by the wrap-around shield. The method and system also include field etching the field region distal from the wrap-around shield.