Successful NY lateral candidates: how did you do it??? Forum

[Neilt001]

Hey all, I'm a foreign-trained, foreign-practicing litigator who will be called to the NY bar later this year.

Am I completely wasting my time by emailing recruiting managers at New York firms? Does that ever work?? Or do you need to know someone, or do something else?? I've sent plenty of emails and rarely hear back. I have a fairly strong CV (although I acknowledge that the foreign thing is an issue).

SO: I'm just wondering what other lateral associates have done to find success in NY????

[Anonymous User]

What does "foreign" mean? Are we talking Canada/UK, or are we talking India or something?

Also, what does "foreign practicing" mean? Did you work in an area that's unique or highly specialized in your country? Or did you do corporate work with multinational companies, many of which are US based?

All of these things will matter a ton. If you're a UK trained lawyer who works at Linklaters doing int'l corporate deal work, it shouldn't be too hard to lateral to a big NY firm.

[Anonymous User]

which country are you from? Do you have a US LLM?

[Neilt001]

All good questions - thanks. I'm a Canadian/Australian citizen with a JD from Australia. Litigated there for 4 years and now practicing in Bermuda doing reinsurance litigation. Admitted to both jurisdictions. I'll be admitted to the NY bar soon. Don't have an LLM (my JD is equivalent to a US JD so no need there).

So while it's certainly overseas, it's nothing out of the ordinary, and it was straightforward insurance/commercial/tort litigation, with some US elements but not lots.

What do you think??
Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

I am also Australian, with an LLB from Australia, and practised there for 4 years.

I did an LLM here, so that made the hiring process easier. It is much more of an uphill process than our Australian corporate "lawyers" who generally can get hired direct from Aus firms. American firms are reticent to hire foreign litigators without LLMs, but I would have thought your Bermuda experience would help.

Perhaps you need to try to find a good recruiter.

[Anonymous User]

I am also Australian, with an LLB from Australia, and practised there for 4 years.

I did an LLM here, so that made the hiring process easier. It is much more of an uphill process than our Australian corporate "lawyers" who generally can get hired direct from Aus firms. American firms are reticent to hire foreign litigators without LLMs, but I would have thought your Bermuda experience would help.

Perhaps you need to try to find a good recruiter.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I think you're right about the LLM. but then again, I thought the main reason foreigners did the LLM was for equivalency in order to get permission to write the bar (whereas I did a JD which required no additional schooling to gain equivalency). But anyway, it sounds like the LLM is also a good way to assist with career prospects.

While it's true that the Bermuda insurance experience helps, it's still british law and so I didn't get much experience with US law (albeit much of the work is US-related so I've definitely been exposed).

I think you're right about corporate lawyers. Much easier for them as corporate law isn't so jurisdiction-specific. Looks like I chose the wrong profession!!

I have a few recruiters! Nothing's come of it yet though... hmmm...