Top 12 Reasons Why Associates Switch Law Firms

Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts from Lateral Link’s team of expert contributors. Abby Gordon is a Senior Director in the New York office where she focuses on placements of partners, counsel, and associate candidates for law firms and in-house. Her focus is primarily on the New York, Boston, and European markets. Abby holds a J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Government and Romance Languages, magna cum laude, from Dartmouth College. Prior to recruiting, Abby spent seven years as a corporate associate with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, focusing on capital markets transactions for Latin American clients in New York, and for the last five years for European clients in Paris, France. She regularly participates in professional and career panels and has published numerous articles offering career advice and tracking trends in the legal market (links to which are on her LinkedIn profile). She is a member of the New York, Massachusetts, and Maine state bars. Abby is fluent in French and Spanish, and enjoys dabbling in Portuguese and Italian.

Many junior to mid-level associates report that they’re happy with their respective law firms. Some don’t understand why their peers are considering lateral moves. After all, it is a hassle, and why would I want to start over getting to know and proving myself to the new firm? The answer is career progression. Lawyers in charge of their own careers don’t just assume that everything is great until it’s not. They understand that complacency is the enemy of career development and that with career advancement should come increased happiness. Things may be good now, but could they be better somewhere else? Take a look at these top 12 reasons why associates make lateral moves and ask yourself if any of these scenarios may apply to you.

1. You want better partnership prospects. This is far and away the most common reason for a lateral move. Ask yourself:
   • Has your group promoted any associates to partner in recent years?
   • Has your group recently promoted too many associates to partner, such that the junior partnership ranks are fully saturated already?
   • For litigators, has your group promoted associates to partner or do they hire directly from the government (USAO, DOJ) to fill their partner ranks?
   • Do you have a mentor who’s willing to go to bat for you when it comes to the firm’s partnership decisions? Is this mentor still going to be around when you’re up for partner? Is your mentor well situated in the firm (i.e., on the executive committee, etc.)?

   Once you’re passed up for partnership, it may be too late to find the right home. Unless you have a portable book of business, most firms will likely see you as too senior for their needs.

2. You want to feel less pressure to gun for partner. Not everyone wants to make partner. You may prefer to move into a role where you are not on partner track and there is no assumption of up-or-out. You could theoretically stay indefinitely.

3. You are not getting your preferred substantive work.
   • Are you a litigator but you’d like more or less exposure to white collar work, commercial litigation, securities litigation, or perhaps international arbitration?
   • Are you getting pigeonholed into a specialty too early on? You’re in a general corporate pool but you’d like to specialize in M&A or funds work? Or you’re a securitization lawyer who’d prefer a general corporate practice?
   • Are you a capital markets lawyer who works almost entirely with foreign clients but you would like to get more experience with U.S. domestic/registered issuers?
   • Is the partner you work with retiring or switching firms and you’ll be pushed into taking on a different focus?

   Keep in mind that it’s very difficult to switch practice areas entirely, but you may be able to change your main focus or switch from a specific practice to a more general one or visa versa. This may require taking a step back in class year. But if a firm asks you to do so, it’s generally only in your best interest, as you are then reviewed against people with a similar body of work in that practice.

4. You are not taking on enough responsibility.
   • Is your firm’s culture too hierarchical?
   • Do you feel like you’re floating by under the radar and you just want a do-over, a clean slate? You’d be surprised how many associates at top firms fit into this category.

5. You aren’t getting enough client contact or encouragement to do client and business development. Every firm has a different outlook on associate involvement in client development. Certain top tier firms with primarily institutional clients do a less than stellar job at training associates in the art of business development and client development. These firms may offer great opportunities for junior associates, but as you progress in your career, you may be a better fit in a firm with a more entrepreneurial culture. Think firms with mid-market clients here.

6. You like the work but you wish you had more exposure to clients in different industries.
   • Would you prefer to work less with financial institutions and more with other companies?
   • Would you prefer a better mix of issuer/bank or lender/borrower work?
   • Would you prefer a group that works with more emerging companies and tech-focused clients?
   • Would you prefer to be working with smaller clients?
   • Would you like more exposure to clients in the entertainment or sports industries?
   • Would you like more exposure to international clients?
   • Would you like to know that you could picture yourself moving in-house with at least some of the clients you work with?

7. You would prefer a smaller firm boutique. This is especially common for litigators. Would you prefer a home where:
   • The hours may be more sustainable?
   • You are happier working in a smaller team and feeling more ownership of projects?
   • There is less up-or-out pressure?
   • You can take on more responsibility and run cases at a more junior level?
   • You are generally working on less document-intensive matters?

8. You are stuck on an all-consuming matter with no end in sight. Again, this is more common among litigators. Sometimes a firm switch is the only way out!

9. You want or need to move to a new city.
   • Do you prefer to move to a new market for more exposure to certain substantive work, clients or industries? For example, only certain markets have strong regulatory, capital markets, or executive compensation groups. Only certain markets have a significant number of teach clients.
   • Does your current firm not have an office in the city you’re moving to?
   • Is your current firm refusing to transfer you? Sometimes it’s just too politically sensitive and partners’ hands are tied.

10. You don’t love the people you’re working with.
    • Can you not see yourself working with these personalities for the remainder of your career?
    • Is the overall culture of your firm or group a poor fit for you?
    • Does your group or firm lack diversity or a proactive approach to encouraging minority hiring and retention?
    • Is there even just one partner in the group who doesn’t like you, killing any chance you may have for eventual promotion? Again, this is a common and wise reason for a “clean slate.”

11. A move to another firm could be a helpful or necessary stepping stone to your ideal government or in-house job. Some associates ask, “Well why would I move firms now if I ultimately just want to go in-house?” Ask yourself:
    • Are you getting the right substantive work to prepare you for your ideal in-house or government job?
    • Could you move to a more prestigious firm and better your chances for the right in-house or government opportunity?
    • Can I see myself staying at my current firm for a few more years until the right non-firm position comes along? Keep in mind that finding the right in-house fit is not always easy. The government has frequent hiring freezes. You may not want to be at a firm forever, but you should consider moving to a place where you could at least see yourself happy (and not being asked to leave) in the medium-term until that dream job comes along.

12. You want more money.
    • More immediately: You may be able to move from a firm that pays below market to a firm that pays market salaries. And a small group of firms is known to pay above-market bonuses.
    • Over the long-haul: Remember that even if you lose money initially by taking a step back in class year, you may well have better prospects for promotion in the long run and you’ll be much better off financially in the long-run.

A sharp legal recruiter can help you assess your options in light of the current legal market as well as past and predicted trends in the market. The bottom line: take charge of your own career and professional development. Whether you decide to make a move or you ultimately decide to stay at your current firm, make sure it’s an affirmative decision and not just by default.

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Lateral Link is one of the top-rated international legal recruiting firms. With over 14 offices world-wide, Lateral Link specializes in placing attorneys at the most prestigious law firms and companies in the world. Managed by former practicing attorneys from top law schools, Lateral Link has a tradition of hiring lawyers to execute the lateral leaps of practicing attorneys. Click ::here:: to find out more about us.