First Year Big Law Secondary Market Associate Lateral to NYC/CHI? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am working as a first year associate in a secondary market office of a big law firm. I graduated from my tier 1 law school in the top 1% last spring. While I had initially interviewed fairly extensively in NYC during OCI, I opted to stay in the only state I've ever lived to remain close to family and my wife's family. I am in the corporate group at my firm but its fairly small and based around two partners who have a couple of fairly large clients based in the region. Basically, after seven months, I don't find this start to my career ideal and I'd like to give NYC or Chicago BigLaw (I currently live in a neighboring Midwest state) a shot.

My question is how to go about approaching applying as a lateral this early in my career. Do I apply directly to firms (ie look at Kirkland or some other firms online posting to see if they are hiring) or should I go through a recruiter? Also, as a relatively newly minted lawyer, will my work experience be my selling point to potential firms or am I still such a fresh faced attorney that they are really just looking at my law school/grades?

Advice is much appreciated.

[eastcoast_iub]

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