Biglaw

Bad News For Junior Partners With No Book Of Business: You Don't Have Many Options

Just don't burn any bridges yet.

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As the autumn gives way to the winter, the mind of every unfulfilled attorney turns to lateral moves. Like a siren’s song, the thought of what could be at another law firm dances in the mind… right after your end-of-the-year bonus check clears.

At The Recorder, Julie Brush, founder and author of The Lawyer Whisperer, has a career advice column, and this week’s offering takes a question from a junior partner looking to make some moves:

I’m a junior litigation partner at a mid-sized law firm. I have great credentials and trial experience, but no portable book of business. Will I be able to “upgrade” to a big firm as a partner?

Yeah… as you might imagine, without a book of business, making a move — at least with the title of partner — is going to be a challenge. “Demand for legal services is flat” has become a refrain over the last few years, and the way the biggest law firms have continued to thrive is by employing lawyers who inspire loyalty in their clients. So, without clients that will follow you… do you even partner, bro?

Brush puts a similar kibosh on the letter writer’s dreams of Biglaw glory:

As a junior partner without a book of business, your options with Big Law will be limited. So as you begin your search process, your expectations should be managed around this current market reality. With this said, not every firm will necessarily see a young service partner as persona non grata.

Of course, as Brush notes, it is still possible to move firms… especially if you’re comfortable with a downgrade to a title of counsel. And anything on your résumé that can make you stand out — like extensive first-chair trial experience — increases the likelihood a Biglaw shop will take a chance on a service partner.

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But I wouldn’t go around burning bridges at your current firm just yet.

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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