Laid off this week from BigLaw - what's next? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I was laid off this week from my BigLaw job. The firm was not doing well financially and I survived the first few major cuts before getting hacked. My practice area was transactional/corporate services, however, I only lasted a little less than two years before the hammer dropped. At this point, I have already fired off resumes and have reached out to numerous contacts. My question is for the Forum is what is the best course of action from this point on? I am lucky enough to have already paid off all student loans and have stored away around 30K in the bank. I am looking for advice and ideas on what would be the best way to either 1. Transition into the business world or 2. Secure an offer from another BigLaw firm.

Thanks guys

[Anonymous User]

What firm?

[Anonymous User]

What firm?

Nope.

Also, if helpful here is some additional information about me.

Grad from T25
Median grades
Great letters of Rec have been offered by senior associates and equity partners

[Anonymous User]

What market?

[Abbie Doobie]

i think that you are on the right track reaching out to connections and it is good that you have positive feedback from your previous firm. also, you are in a much better position financially than most. other options you may want to consider are reaching out to recruiters (ones that preferably your connections recommend) and also consider in-house positions. there has been some anecdotal evidence around the employment forum of an emerging trend where in house departments being more open to hiring attorneys with less experience to save on legal fees by having them handle some of the less sophisticated work that would typically get sent to outside counsel.

[twenty 8]

Getting laid off seems to be going around ― in the last month two friends were (to put it nicely) laid off. Is there anything you can share ― your field of expertise; vault ranking/range; or general area of either where you were or where you want to be?

[t-14orbust]

Getting laid off seems to be going around ― in the last month two friends were (to put it nicely) laid off. Is there anything you can share ― your field of expertise; vault ranking/range; or general area of either where you were or where you want to be?

can you share anything about your friends? firm, market, practice groups, years at firm, etc.? thanks!

[Anonymous User]

i think that you are on the right track reaching out to connections and it is good that you have positive feedback from your previous firm. also, you are in a much better position financially than most. other options you may want to consider are reaching out to recruiters (ones that preferably your connections recommend) and also consider in-house positions. there has been some anecdotal evidence around the employment forum of an emerging trend where in house departments being more open to hiring attorneys with less experience to save on legal fees by having them handle some of the less sophisticated work that would typically get sent to outside counsel.

Appreciate the advice.

[El Pollito]

are you fired fired or have you been given 3 months to say you work there?

[Anonymous User]

are you fired fired or have you been given 3 months to say you work there?

3 months

[Anonymous User]

are you fired fired or have you been given 3 months to say you work there?

3 months

Does this mean you get paid for this time or just that they don't take you off the website?

[Anonymous User]

You have 3 months on the website and transactional practices are hiring anyone with a pulse right now, you should have no issues. Start working with a recruiter ASAP. Your firm must be truly pathetic to not be busy in this time period (everyone else is insane right now).

Edit: I failed to mention that you can minimally negotiate for website time (all firms will do this for at least six months). If you work with a recruiter you will find a job within six months 100 percent sure of that.

[Anonymous User]

You have 3 months on the website and transactional practices are hiring anyone with a pulse right now, you should have no issues. Start working with a recruiter ASAP. Your firm must be truly pathetic to not be busy in this time period (everyone else is insane right now).

Edit: I failed to mention that you can minimally negotiate for website time (all firms will do this for at least six months). If you work with a recruiter you will find a job within six months 100 percent sure of that.

How much will grades matter? My grade fell apart (I quit caring) after I received my initial offer and it resulted in some low grades.

[BoaltAlumn88]

You have 3 months on the website and transactional practices are hiring anyone with a pulse right now, you should have no issues. Start working with a recruiter ASAP. Your firm must be truly pathetic to not be busy in this time period (everyone else is insane right now).

Edit: I failed to mention that you can minimally negotiate for website time (all firms will do this for at least six months). If you work with a recruiter you will find a job within six months 100 percent sure of that.

How much will grades matter? My grade fell apart (I quit caring) after I received my initial offer and it resulted in some low grades.

Nobody cares outside Gibson Dunn, only firm who I've heard of who cares. The current transactional boutique I work at never asked for them. What will matter is how your current firms attorneys are viewed skill wise, not how well their business is doing.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to hear about this--that really sucks, OP. I would like to echo the advice of the poster above me. You sound like you have the right practice area and experience level to lateral (if that is what you want). I get calls from recruiters literally every single day (from many markets). FWIW, I work at a West coast, silicon valley firm and practice corporate. I know we are hiring, and I know our peer firms are hiring. If you want to stay in biglaw, you have the experience needed to lateral, and you are not so senior as to make it difficult. If you don't want to stay in biglaw (understandable), then that's another story. I have never looked for an in house gig, so i have no idea what that process is like.

Good luck. I really think you'll be fine if you hit the search hard. I don't care what others have said, corporate ppl are not being laid off right now in large numbers. If anything, the market for lateral hiring is very hot.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to hear about this--that really sucks, OP. I would like to echo the advice of the poster above me. You sound like you have the right practice area and experience level to lateral (if that is what you want). I get calls from recruiters literally every single day (from many markets). FWIW, I work at a West coast, silicon valley firm and practice corporate. I know we are hiring, and I know our peer firms are hiring. If you want to stay in biglaw, you have the experience needed to lateral, and you are not so senior as to make it difficult. If you don't want to stay in biglaw (understandable), then that's another story. I have never looked for an in house gig, so i have no idea what that process is like.

Good luck. I really think you'll be fine if you hit the search hard. I don't care what others have said, corporate ppl are not being laid off right now in large numbers. If anything, the market for lateral hiring is very hot.

Thanks for echoing my sentiment. Associate demand right now is far exceeding associate supply. If this dude doesn't wanna do big law, well the layoff doesn't matter then. I'm extremely anti in house and would let this guy know that tons of my colleagues went in house and most regret it.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to hear about this--that really sucks, OP. I would like to echo the advice of the poster above me. You sound like you have the right practice area and experience level to lateral (if that is what you want). I get calls from recruiters literally every single day (from many markets). FWIW, I work at a West coast, silicon valley firm and practice corporate. I know we are hiring, and I know our peer firms are hiring. If you want to stay in biglaw, you have the experience needed to lateral, and you are not so senior as to make it difficult. If you don't want to stay in biglaw (understandable), then that's another story. I have never looked for an in house gig, so i have no idea what that process is like.

Good luck. I really think you'll be fine if you hit the search hard. I don't care what others have said, corporate ppl are not being laid off right now in large numbers. If anything, the market for lateral hiring is very hot.

Every website that I am looking at (pulling firms off the NLJ 250 list in my target markets) are asking for resume, cover letter, and transcript from law school? I suppose that I will have to figure out how to obtain one on Monday. It does worry me as my W/E is good and my recs are strong but I am afraid that my grades will get me declined. Also, what do you all recommending sending recruiters for firms? Do you add recs? or do you wait for them to ask?

Also, I am already working with a headhunter.

[Anonymous User]

Nobody cares about your grades. It is not going to make or break this job search outside 1-2 firms.

[zot1]

Sorry to hear about this--that really sucks, OP. I would like to echo the advice of the poster above me. You sound like you have the right practice area and experience level to lateral (if that is what you want). I get calls from recruiters literally every single day (from many markets). FWIW, I work at a West coast, silicon valley firm and practice corporate. I know we are hiring, and I know our peer firms are hiring. If you want to stay in biglaw, you have the experience needed to lateral, and you are not so senior as to make it difficult. If you don't want to stay in biglaw (understandable), then that's another story. I have never looked for an in house gig, so i have no idea what that process is like.

Good luck. I really think you'll be fine if you hit the search hard. I don't care what others have said, corporate ppl are not being laid off right now in large numbers. If anything, the market for lateral hiring is very hot.

Thanks for echoing my sentiment. Associate demand right now is far exceeding associate supply. If this dude doesn't wanna do big law, well the layoff doesn't matter then. I'm extremely anti in house and would let this guy know that tons of my colleagues went in house and most regret it.

Please explain. Most people see in-house as the goal.

[Abbie Doobie]

Sorry to hear about this--that really sucks, OP. I would like to echo the advice of the poster above me. You sound like you have the right practice area and experience level to lateral (if that is what you want). I get calls from recruiters literally every single day (from many markets). FWIW, I work at a West coast, silicon valley firm and practice corporate. I know we are hiring, and I know our peer firms are hiring. If you want to stay in biglaw, you have the experience needed to lateral, and you are not so senior as to make it difficult. If you don't want to stay in biglaw (understandable), then that's another story. I have never looked for an in house gig, so i have no idea what that process is like.

Good luck. I really think you'll be fine if you hit the search hard. I don't care what others have said, corporate ppl are not being laid off right now in large numbers. If anything, the market for lateral hiring is very hot.

Thanks for echoing my sentiment. Associate demand right now is far exceeding associate supply. If this dude doesn't wanna do big law, well the layoff doesn't matter then. I'm extremely anti in house and would let this guy know that tons of my colleagues went in house and most regret it.

(Harrison Barnes)

[Abbie Doobie]

Nobody cares about your grades. It is not going to make or break this job search outside 1-2 firms.

eh, its more than just 1-2 firms but outside of the v10 (prob v15) and some exclusive boutiques no one will care

[Johann]

You have 3 months on the website and transactional practices are hiring anyone with a pulse right now, you should have no issues. Start working with a recruiter ASAP. Your firm must be truly pathetic to not be busy in this time period (everyone else is insane right now).

Edit: I failed to mention that you can minimally negotiate for website time (all firms will do this for at least six months). If you work with a recruiter you will find a job within six months 100 percent sure of that.

transactional practices arent hiring anyone with a pulse riht now. the work for many many firms has significantly dried up since august 2015.

[Danger Zone]

You have 3 months on the website and transactional practices are hiring anyone with a pulse right now, you should have no issues. Start working with a recruiter ASAP. Your firm must be truly pathetic to not be busy in this time period (everyone else is insane right now).

Edit: I failed to mention that you can minimally negotiate for website time (all firms will do this for at least six months). If you work with a recruiter you will find a job within six months 100 percent sure of that.

transactional practices arent hiring anyone with a pulse riht now. the work for many many firms has significantly dried up since august 2015.

Yeah this, from what I've seen.

[El Pollito]

Yikes. All my corporate friends were lateralling in like 2 weeks time 6 months to a year ago.

[Anonymous User]

Yikes. All my corporate friends were lateralling in like 2 weeks time 6 months to a year ago.

I will let the headhunter work some of the firms. I was more curious about how much grades would affect my odds of landing at another large shop.

Thanks for all the advice, guys.