First-Year/Second-Year BigLaw Lateralling Forum

[Anonymous User]

I understand that 3rd-5th year is typically the prime lateralling time. How feasible is it to lateral soon after your first year? I'm particularly interested in the possibility of lateralling to another major but smaller (Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, DC) market from NYC. Are there particularly transactional practices (M&A? Banking? Project Finance? Securities?) that make it easier than others? And how are you affected if you're at a firm that has rotations where you spend your first 18 months in various practice areas so you still don't have any sort of a specialty?

[Anonymous User]

From corporate at a well known firm it was very easy. I went from NYC to one of those markets as a junior and I took interviews in multiple other, similar markets (and multiple in the market i went to). To be honest, smaller corporate shops dont get alot of juniors through typical law school recruiting for a variety of reasons. If you have the background, you're a no brainer hire. The move is not without risk but it's an easy move to make.

[Anonymous User]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

[Anonymous User]

I'm facing a similar question, but more about practice group than geography. Want to stay in NY and lateral from a V5 to literally any market-paying firm's IP group. Only one year under my belt (M&A), though..

[h2go]

I'm facing a similar question, but more about practice group than geography. Want to stay in NY and lateral from a V5 to literally any market-paying firm's IP group. Only one year under my belt (M&A), though..

IP lit? Patent prosecution? Tech transactions?

[SmokeytheBear]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

[Anonymous User]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

SO had median grades at MVP. And, litigation - I don't know how practice groups work at SO's firm, but definitely Lit.

[trebekismyhero]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

SO had median grades at MVP. And, litigation - I don't know how practice groups work at SO's firm, but definitely Lit.

Litigation will be the hard part. Not hard to lateral into Chicago with MVP if you're corporate(have several co-workers that lateralled from cities listed), but litigation seems pretty slow across the city. No need for your SO to wait to try, but could be a long hard slog. Your SO should talk to classmates and recruiters to find out when there are openings and just be aggressive.

[Anonymous User]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

SO had median grades at MVP. And, litigation - I don't know how practice groups work at SO's firm, but definitely Lit.

Litigation will be the hard part. Not hard to lateral into Chicago with MVP if you're corporate(have several co-workers that lateralled from cities listed), but litigation seems pretty slow across the city. No need for your SO to wait to try, but could be a long hard slog. Your SO should talk to classmates and recruiters to find out when there are openings and just be aggressive.

Thanks for this. Sounds like you think there's not much downside to putting out feelers early, rather than just waiting for a year first.

[SmokeytheBear]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

SO had median grades at MVP. And, litigation - I don't know how practice groups work at SO's firm, but definitely Lit.

Litigation will be the hard part. Not hard to lateral into Chicago with MVP if you're corporate(have several co-workers that lateralled from cities listed), but litigation seems pretty slow across the city. No need for your SO to wait to try, but could be a long hard slog. Your SO should talk to classmates and recruiters to find out when there are openings and just be aggressive.

Thanks for this. Sounds like you think there's not much downside to putting out feelers early, rather than just waiting for a year first.

Working with a recruiter there is never downsides. When the time come post a message on here looking for recruiters in Chicago. There are a lot of shit bags out there, but there are also some great ones.

[Anonymous User]

Piggyback:

I'm going to Chicago, and my SO is going to one of Det/Mpls/StL. We'd like for SO to join me in Chicago. SO will not be at Honigman/Faegre/Bryan Cave, but regional biglaw for sure. How quickly can SO start to look in Chicago? Will we definitely have to wait a couple years?

This will depend partially on his law school and his practice group. But just know that this is going to be very, very difficult given the markets and firms that he might be coming from.

SO had median grades at MVP. And, litigation - I don't know how practice groups work at SO's firm, but definitely Lit.

Litigation will be the hard part. Not hard to lateral into Chicago with MVP if you're corporate(have several co-workers that lateralled from cities listed), but litigation seems pretty slow across the city. No need for your SO to wait to try, but could be a long hard slog. Your SO should talk to classmates and recruiters to find out when there are openings and just be aggressive.

Thanks for this. Sounds like you think there's not much downside to putting out feelers early, rather than just waiting for a year first.

Working with a recruiter there is never downsides. When the time come post a message on here looking for recruiters in Chicago. There are a lot of shit bags out there, but there are also some great ones.

Appreciated.

[Anonymous User]

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