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Is this possible? I want to work in a smaller market, but there are only a handful of larger firms in the area. Would it be better to work locally in a small law firm and try to lateral to the big firm, or would it be better to work in a biglaw firm in a different geographic location (that I don't want to be in) and then try to lateral?

I had similar questions because I was dead-set on one secondary market, where there are only a handful of biglaw and some mid-law firms. The general consensus is that it is very difficult to lateral from a small firm, but not impossible. It is easier to transfer from a comparable firm in a different city, though this could be difficult too. I don't know for sure.

With that said, I have expanded my search to a few other markets. I figure that I would rather work for a respectable law firm in a different city in order to maximize my biglaw chances later.

If you're serious about a biglaw job, I wouldn't start in a small firm. Types of cases/clients will be very different, especially in a secondary market. Even things like research are done differently at a smaller firm, meaning that your small firm experience won't translate well.

But...if your secondary market is small enough, working a small firm could be enough to get your foot in the door at a larger place. For example, I'm in Albuquerque, and I think the small to big shift would be possible here (though "big" in Albuquerque is not exactly biglaw).

Anonymous User wrote:Is this possible? I want to work in a smaller market, but there are only a handful of larger firms in the area. Would it be better to work locally in a small law firm and try to lateral to the big firm, or would it be better to work in a biglaw firm in a different geographic location (that I don't want to be in) and then try to lateral?

BIGLAW in another locale.

Small law is not a good path to big law.

Yes, but you generally need to have good grades and an area of practice that they're hiring for.

I haven't seen many from criminal defense, family law, or immigration go to a major firm. But if you do commercial litigation, defense work, or something that they do in biglaw, and your grades are good, they might take you on as a lateral associate or staff attorney.

I've seen biglaw hire a lot of former DAs, too.