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Hi All,

I recently graduated median from a T14. I accepted a position at a firm in a primary city of a medium-sized, Southern state (think Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas, Etc.). The law firm is the best in the state, but it only has one office outside of the state. It is approximately 130 lawyers, but I'll be working in an office with ~30 lawyers. I'll be in the litigation department, where I will get a ton of substantive work early on.

I really like the firm and am excited to start work there, but I have recently been anxious about a couple of things. First, while I have a lot of friends in the city, I won't be around any of my law school friends, most of whom will practice in NY, DC, and California. Second, I am more concerned about finding an SO here, as everybody marries young.

If these problems are not alleviated within a couple of years, how difficult will it be to find a big law, government, or in-house job in a state like NY (where I can waive in after 5 years) or another state (which may or may not have reciprocity)? My state has reciprocity with many other states, and I assume most or all of those will have some form of reciprocity with mine. I'd also be fine with a job outside of the law if it paid a decent wage.

Edit: Oh, I'm also pretty young at age 24, so I would only be around 26-27 when looking for a new job, if I were to look.

Most states have reciprocity rules and allow you to waive in between 3 and 5 years after your license date if you've been practicing law the entire time. So from a licensing standpoint, you shouldn't have any issues if you've been practicing for at least 3 years, unless it's a 5 year state.

As for getting a job, that's hard to say. It's much easier to lateral, in general, than it is to get an entry level job, and 3-5 years experience is about when you become most desirable to firms as a candidate. After that, it just depends on the needs of the firm you apply to and what their criteria for hiring is.

kalvano wrote:Most states have reciprocity rules and allow you to waive in between 3 and 5 years after your license date if you've been practicing law the entire time. So from a licensing standpoint, you shouldn't have any issues if you've been practicing for at least 3 years, unless it's a 5 year state.

As for getting a job, that's hard to say. It's much easier to lateral, in general, than it is to get an entry level job, and 3-5 years experience is about when you become most desirable to firms as a candidate. After that, it just depends on the needs of the firm you apply to and what their criteria for hiring is.

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you (or does anybody else) think the fact I am coming from a relatively small jurisdiction will harm me?

No. With laterals, barring some of the super-snooty firms, it mainly matters what your experience is, not so much where you got it. I mean, if you say you have "litigation experience" and that means you tried some DTPA claims in Bumblefuck, Minnesota and you're trying to get a mid or big law job in NYC, it may be an issue. But it doesn't sound like that is what you're talking about.

Thanks! All other thoughts are welcome.

I was just about to post an almost identical thread before I saw this. I am in a very similar position in a similar regional area. Bigger firm, though, with a smaller regional office (think 500 attorney firm with a 20-30 attorney regional office).

Where is the best reciprocity list? I thought most were 5-year states. How many are 3-year states?

Ideally I'd like to stay here for two to three years and leave. I am fine taking another bar after, obviously. Will many/any firms take you on before passing the new state's bar?

Ideally I'd like to stay here for two to three years and leave. I am fine taking another bar after, obviously. Will many/any firms take you on before passing the new state's bar?

OP here. I would think the firm would make you an offer subject to bar admission, but I am not really sure. I know of NY attorneys who were, according to them, head-hunted for jobs in California.

Anonymous User wrote:

Ideally I'd like to stay here for two to three years and leave. I am fine taking another bar after, obviously. Will many/any firms take you on before passing the new state's bar?

OP here. I would think the firm would make you an offer subject to bar admission, but I am not really sure. I know of NY attorneys who were, according to them, head-hunted for jobs in California.

This is what I am hoping. I mean, I'll probably try and get out of here after a year if I can. If I can somehow parlay this into a job closer to the East Coast, it'd be great. At least it's a "name" firm to an extent. I think experience + the firm reputation should hopefully help me out quite a bit.

I'm like you -- I'll have experience out the ass after a year. They have us doing depos year one, so.

If the small jx is Delaware you are fucked

Otherwise it's fine

DELG wrote:If the small jx is Delaware you are fucked

Otherwise it's fine

OP here. Not Delaware, but why do you say fucked?

Anonymous User wrote:Second, I am more concerned about finding an SO here, as everybody marries young. . .Edit: Oh, I'm also pretty young at age 24, so I would only be around 26-27 when looking for a new job, if I were to look.

This means you get to date (and marry) attractive younger people (unless you're a girl, then you may have trouble trying to find a s.o. as a career-oriented person regardless of whether everyone is paired off already). 24 isn't too old to be finding a slightly younger s.o. in a place where everyone marries young. And having been a younger girl dating older men who make better money and are less immature than my male peers, we're impressed by your worldliness and paycheck.

Anonymous User wrote:

DELG wrote:If the small jx is Delaware you are fucked

Otherwise it's fine

OP here. Not Delaware, but why do you say fucked?

No reciprocity

OP again. Does anybody have information on how easy or difficult it is to retake the bar exam after working one or two years? Is it common?

Any experience?

Bump. Surely somebody has experience with this....