[This article was prepared by Tricia McGrath, a director in Lateral Link’s NY office.]

Over the past few months, associates have been dismissed from their law firms at an unrelenting and somewhat alarming pace. Hopefully, these associates will move on to other positions in the near future and resume their careers. Long gone are the days when attorneys spent their entire careers at one (or two!) firms. As such, it is best to be prepared at all times for your inevitable job search - even if you are still gainfully employed. Associates should always be prepared - who knows when an incredible job opportunity will come your way?

I am often surprised when I speak to associates who do not have any of their job-search materials prepared. As Lateral Link does not cold call associates, when I speak to an associate, it is because they are affirmatively investigating their career options. You would think that the “affirmatively investigating” candidate would have prepared a resume. It should be self-evident that you cannot begin a job search without the proper documents. Preparing these documents in advance of needing them is incredibly helpful.

Resume

There is no job search without a current resume! You should always have an updated resume. It is a good idea to keep a master resume in draft format on your home computer. Every few months, add pertinent information to the master document. That way, it will be ready when you need it - without having to recreate the wheel. You can edit the document for your specific job search later. For now, just be concerned about adding current content.

***More after the jump.

Deal Sheet/Representative Matters List

Keep a running deal sheet or representative matters list. After a deal is completed, spend some time writing down the particulars of your transaction or motion including: the client, deal value, salient points, your role, etc. Believe me, as soon as you get staffed on a new matter, you will probably forget the details of the prior one. Include this material on your deal sheet and possibly on your resume. You will probably utilize the master deal sheet to kick-start your interview preparation. In the future, you might also need a list of clients for conflicts checks, depending on practice.

Writing Sample

It is super important to have a writing sample at the ready! Your writing sample should be as recent as possible because your writing skills should be constantly improving. Although an old writing sample may be convenient because it is already “done,” using an old sample is not putting your best foot forward and can handicap your candidacy. (Incidentally, very few people are interested in reading papers that you wrote in law school!) Spending a bit more time to use something more recent and “on point” is a worthy investment of time. It takes time to redact a document, so you should take advantage of down time to prepare this document. Of course, not every practice requires a writing sample. Know whether or not your practice does. Note that many government positions require a writing sample.

Transcript

Always have a pdf version of your law school transcript. Every job search will require one. Some schools take a ridiculous amount of time to provide a transcript. You don’t want that delay to impede your search!

Recommendations

Make sure you keep in touch with those partners who will provide your recommendations. If requested, you’ll need to be able to provide recommendations from all your prior legal positions - so make sure that you keep in contact with folks from your prior firm(s). I was recently working with a candidate who was ten years out from law school. She had worked at a top ten law firm earlier in her career. I asked her who would be able to provide a recommendation for her from that position. She told me that “it was so long ago that no one would probably remember [her].” That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of her performance. A holiday card, an article, a short e-mail - just try to keep the relationship “fresh.”

Conclusion

Be prepared! Chances are a job search will be on your horizon in the next few years. Use this time to compile the necessary information and you’ll be well-positioned to embark upon a successful search in the future.