Should I start looking for another job? Or should I wait a little longer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Second year corporate associate at a pretty big office in biglaw in a major west coast city. The office has too many junior associates and too little work to go around (especially starting this year). I've only done a couple of deals this year, and it's very stressful to always worry about when/if the next project will come. There are a couple of mid levels I work for, but i don't have any kind of established relationship with any partners or senior associates. And when the work is scarce, the midlevels more or less hoard some of the work. I don't think my work product is particularly worse than other people's as my reviews have always been very good, but for whatever reason it is difficult for me to get staffed on deals (I do go around and ask for work). I think a bunch of people are in similar situation, but some are doing better. But overall, I just find this constant fighting and worrying for work stressful, more so than when I was working a lot.

I know part of corporate is just feast or famine, but I've been wondering whether lateraling to a smaller office or smaller firm would make the situation better. Is that just wishful thinking? Should I wait a little longer to see how the rest of the year goes?

[h2go]

How slow are we talking about and how long has it been slow?

[patentlitigatrix]

I would start looking around. I went through what you went through at another firm and it was the worst.

I am at a west coast firm in lit, but my corporate colleagues always seem to be really busy and if anything are trying to take on less work. That's obviously antecdotal, but the point is not every west coast firm is slow in corp now.

[Anonymous User]

Second year corporate associate at a pretty big office in biglaw in a major west coast city. The office has too many junior associates and too little work to go around (especially starting this year). I've only done a couple of deals this year, and it's very stressful to always worry about when/if the next project will come. There are a couple of mid levels I work for, but i don't have any kind of established relationship with any partners or senior associates. And when the work is scarce, the midlevels more or less hoard some of the work. I don't think my work product is particularly worse than other people's as my reviews have always been very good, but for whatever reason it is difficult for me to get staffed on deals (I do go around and ask for work). I think a bunch of people are in similar situation, but some are doing better. But overall, I just find this constant fighting and worrying for work stressful, more so than when I was working a lot.

I know part of corporate is just feast or famine, but I've been wondering whether lateraling to a smaller office or smaller firm would make the situation better. Is that just wishful thinking? Should I wait a little longer to see how the rest of the year goes?

You are not alone. East coast corporate junior associate. Last year I easily made my hours but this year it has been extraordinarily slow. Firm looks like they hired too many juniors expecting something similar to previous years whereas the mid levels are hoarding all the work and doing things that in previous year would be junior work.

I am not sure what to do. My reviews were good and am not the only one in this situation, but it does suck doing nothing for days.

[Anonymous User]

Similar position - made hours last year, this one has been dismal. Oversupply of juniors. I am actively looking though have just started that phase (no interviews yet).

[Anonymous User]

Just in here to say I am also a west coast junior corporate associate and I am also slow. Varies for people, some are busy in my office but then their transactions end and they can't find more work. My firm recently hired a couple lateral juniors regardless. I think they think the market is going to pick up in certain segments soon. I don't know where you'd lateral to with lots of work except idiosyncratic practices that due to their clients or specialty happen to have a decent amount of work. Don't know how many of those there are right now. I'm not stressing anymore because everyone here is saying they may not make hours and the firm doesn't seem too stressed.

[Johann]

fwiw, deals have been kind of slow since august 2015. i doubt it's permanent, but it probably won't return to 2014 levels for a while. unfortunately when things get slow, it's almost worse to try and leave (unless the slowness is due to only firm-specific reasons) because you're just making yourself the lowest man on the totem pole and first to go in the event there are layoffs. i'd stay put if you're at a reputable firm rather than risk going somewhere smaller. best to have low hours with someone that knows your work product than someone that doesn't.