how hard is it to lateral as a junior biglaw associate? Forum

[Anonymous User]

My friend at work (v100 firm) was laid off. 2016 grad. Partly due to poor performance but mostly due to bad practice group economics (I'd guess 20% of the practice group was laid off, from senior associates to counsel, etc).

Was given 16 weeks to find a new job and he/she hasn't found anything yet (not even an interview) and theres about 4 weeks left. I just spoke with him/her today and I'm wondering how much of this experience is typical and how much is her/him being lazy about applying to places (I think she/he assumed it would be a lot easier to lateral and didn't take the job search seriously in th ebeginning)

[Miznitic]

Nearly impossible. Your friend will need to look to lesser options, or cast a wider geographic net.

[Anonymous User]

is the firm's initials PH

[Anonymous User]

You should apply broadly, including in less popular markets like Delaware. Although a strong majority of the relatively few openings for juniors will be in NYC, like the legal practice more generally. Should also throw some apps at specialty practices that are not as popular.

I lateralled after a year at my first firm into a securitization practice at a larger firm, which I was able to do b/c there weren't many juniors with experience in that field at the time.

Note that I used a recruiter. If you see a firm hiring juniors through a recruiter, it's probably b/c they're struggling to fill the position so might be worth a shot. Should get as many apps out as you can though while you're still on the website.

[smokeylarue]

Very difficult to lateral that junior, so his/her struggles are very typical. Note: much easier to do in NYC, but still not easy at all. Any other market, they're going to struggle.

[1styearlateral]

Nearly impossible. Your friend will need to look to lesser options, or cast a wider geographic net.

lol.

[minnbills]

Totally depends on the demand in the particular practice area - but people lateral all the time, even at the junior level.

[Anonymous User]

A few years ago I was in a similar position, pushed out early on in my second year as the practice group I was hired into was in the process of shrinking dramatically. Financial crisis related litigation was quickly declining and the other groups weren’t busy enough to take in all of the underutilized attorneys. The few mega cases that would’ve sustained us all either didn’t materialize or settled early.

I was given 4 weeks by my biglaw firm to find a new job, way below the 3 months I thought I’d get based on anecdotes online. Still ended up with multiple biglaw offers at the end of that 4 week period. My advice to your friend:

They need to start getting their resume out ASAP, far and wide. Use connections first, but also find a recruiter who is willing to hit the ground sprinting. This is probably where they’re most useful. This needs to happen like today and be in full process by the end of the week.

Lateraling this junior is a bit like doing OCI again. If they only barely got into a biglaw and have middling grades from a middling school, it’ll be difficult to land another biglaw offer. HYS with honors will be much easier. The first firm’s reputation also matters. So your friend needs to take an honest look at their profile and consider aiming lower if necessary.

To the extent they have any interest in a practice group switch or geographic switch, now is the time to make it. If they have a desire to stay in biglaw and current interviews haven’t worked out, it’s time to think up some selling points for a new city or new group.

Also, even with a brutal firm (4 weeks notice even though I’d hit my hours target the year prior) your friend can probably finagle some extra website time if necessary. Lateraling in 4 weeks is doable if everything breaks right, but there’s no room for error at this point.

[Anonymous User]

Does this advice apply to stub years too??? I'm working in-house, but have been having trouble trying to land a law firm gig, despite all my efforts

[Hopefullitassociate]

Also someone who lateraled as a junior, and I agree with a lot of what has been said here. It will depend largely on 1) practice area (some practice areas are hot right now and firms need bodies; others are really slow and firms are pushing people out of them); 2) the person's credentials (their school, grades, current job, etc.), the market (bigger market means more opportunities, though if you have top credentials, that can help set you apart in a smaller market); 4) the narrative they craft (why are they looking to leave their current firm, because obviously they're not going to say they were fired); 5) flexibility (applying to all kinds of openings/practice areas and geographic reasons).

The big issue is that, as a junior, you can't offer up much more than just being an extra body that firms can throw at a deal/case. If a firm's group is in desperate need of more bodies to do diligence/doc review and other junior tasks, then you have a shot. But that usually means that you have to tailor your application to what that firm's needs are, assuming that your goal is just any legal job (which, in your friend's case, I think it should be). It can certainly be done, but your friend needs to do everything in his/her power to improve their chances. So much of it comes down to luck, but you can always do something to improve your odds of getting lucky.

[newbie2]

A few years ago I was in a similar position, pushed out early on in my second year as the practice group I was hired into was in the process of shrinking dramatically. Financial crisis related litigation was quickly declining and the other groups weren’t busy enough to take in all of the underutilized attorneys. The few mega cases that would’ve sustained us all either didn’t materialize or settled early.

I was given 4 weeks by my biglaw firm to find a new job, way below the 3 months I thought I’d get based on anecdotes online. Still ended up with multiple biglaw offers at the end of that 4 week period. My advice to your friend:

They need to start getting their resume out ASAP, far and wide. Use connections first, but also find a recruiter who is willing to hit the ground sprinting. This is probably where they’re most useful. This needs to happen like today and be in full process by the end of the week.

Lateraling this junior is a bit like doing OCI again. If they only barely got into a biglaw and have middling grades from a middling school, it’ll be difficult to land another biglaw offer. HYS with honors will be much easier. The first firm’s reputation also matters. So your friend needs to take an honest look at their profile and consider aiming lower if necessary.

To the extent they have any interest in a practice group switch or geographic switch, now is the time to make it. If they have a desire to stay in biglaw and current interviews haven’t worked out, it’s time to think up some selling points for a new city or new group.

Also, even with a brutal firm (4 weeks notice even though I’d hit my hours target the year prior) your friend can probably finagle some extra website time if necessary. Lateraling in 4 weeks is doable if everything breaks right, but there’s no room for error at this point.

I'm a mid-level general practice associate in NYC and have just been given 8 weeks to leave my V20 firm. Do you mind sharing any recruiter(s) that have proven to be helpful to you? I wanted to cast a wide net but I'm also concerned that some recruiters may not be legit or even ethical. (In case useful to others in a similar boat, the following thread may also be useful to some degree http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=237228)

[Anonymous User]

Nearly impossible. Your friend will need to look to lesser options, or cast a wider geographic net.

This seems dramatic. I get recruiter calls/emails 3/4 days a week as a NYC first year in a corporate practice area that my firm is top ranked in. Corporate market seems hot for juniors right now.

[smokeylarue]

Nearly impossible. Your friend will need to look to lesser options, or cast a wider geographic net.

This seems dramatic. I get recruiter calls/emails 3/4 days a week as a NYC first year in a corporate practice area that my firm is top ranked in. Corporate market seems hot for juniors right now.

Every junior in every single major market gets recruiter calls and emails. That is literally what recruiters do, they try to build a relationship early on in your career. The market for junior laterals is by nature never hot.

[Miznitic]

Nearly impossible. Your friend will need to look to lesser options, or cast a wider geographic net.

This seems dramatic. I get recruiter calls/emails 3/4 days a week as a NYC first year in a corporate practice area that my firm is top ranked in. Corporate market seems hot for juniors right now.

Every junior in every single major market gets recruiter calls and emails. That is literally what recruiters do, they try to build a relationship early on in your career. The market for junior laterals is by nature never hot.

Exactly. I have recruiters calling my office routinely pandering laterals. Very rarely are they interesting. If they have a book, maybe. If they have stellar credentials, maybe.