Switching Practice Areas: How to Raise the Issue Forum
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DiliGents
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:24 am
Switching Practice Areas: How to Raise the Issue
I'm a corporate associate at a V10. I'm in a satellite office with no litigation opportunities. I wanted to give corporate a year or so, but I know for sure that my long term interests lie in litigation (poor exit opportunities be damned). I've been applying to clerkships and vocalizing my interest to confidants, but they all say that it may be difficult (though not impossible) to switch without moving geographies (not an immediate option for me). My biggest concern is that if I raise the issue with partners here (or other partners, and it gets back to the partners here), then they will want to fire me, knowing that any specific corporate training they are providing is just going down the drain. Does anyone have any experience with this, or any other advice?
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rpupkin
- Posts: 5653
- Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 10:32 pm
Re: Switching Practice Areas: How to Raise the Issue
As you've already figured out, the best path for you is a clerkship, which will put you in a much stronger position to apply for open litigation associate spots.
But if that's not an option, it's hard to give you advice without knowing more about the culture of your firm. Given how hot corporate is right now, firms are generally looking to steal juniors from lit groups and converting them into corporate associates, not the other way around. I think your concerns are not unwarranted. Unless you are aware of specific instances at your firm where a junior transferred from corp to lit, I wouldn't bring it up in this climate.
Also, I regularly see solicitations for junior and mid-level associate litigation laterals. Have you tried following up on anything like that? If you aren't seeing those openings, consider contacting a recruiter.
But if that's not an option, it's hard to give you advice without knowing more about the culture of your firm. Given how hot corporate is right now, firms are generally looking to steal juniors from lit groups and converting them into corporate associates, not the other way around. I think your concerns are not unwarranted. Unless you are aware of specific instances at your firm where a junior transferred from corp to lit, I wouldn't bring it up in this climate.
Also, I regularly see solicitations for junior and mid-level associate litigation laterals. Have you tried following up on anything like that? If you aren't seeing those openings, consider contacting a recruiter.
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DiliGents
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:24 am
Re: Switching Practice Areas: How to Raise the Issue
Thanks, rpupkin. I've been in touch with recruiters (most of whom call to poach me for another firm's corporate practice group), and have reached out to contacts at other firms, but to no avail. The market is just not working in my favor at the moment. I will continue applying to clerkships and the like. My patience is just wearing thin, and I'm nervous about getting more than a year or two into a practice area that I don't really like.
