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Dear All,

I would like to know what to expect because I have to find another job next year, as my spouse will be taking her dream job in a mid-sized fly-over city (think Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, or Charlotte, North Carolina).

I am a C.P.A., and received an MBA from a top 20 biz school, but I went to a third-tier law school and got below average grades. I managed to do a Bankruptcy Court clerkship in the middle of nowhere and then I became a "career associate" at a small firm doing commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense. I have been lead counsel in a dozen + federal trials and lead counsel in a dozen + federal appellate oral arguments.

I will be licensed in federal court in my new city, but not in state court. I am approx. 40 y.o. and I am open to non-legal positions as well.

Any comments (even mean-spirited ones) would be appreciated.

I think you have a solid shot at maintaining the status quo if you want to continue doing what you are doing at a new firm. If you want to continue to practice in state court you will have to take that state's bar though. . . which is a hassle. Just apply now to openings

Yo should be fine. Depending on which city, you may be able to get a non-partner track attorney (like a career associate) position at a large firm. Some of the flyover cities to mentioned are growing rapidly and probably will take people they wouldn’t normally consider.

At this point in your career, your law school rank/grades are less relevant. You have good, valuable experience as a litigator. You should get an associate position at a small to mid-sized firm with a bit of hustle. Look for good recruiters in your area, search firms, network with partners you might have some sort of connection with.

2013 wrote:Yo should be fine. Depending on which city, you may be able to get a non-partner track attorney (like a career associate) position at a large firm. Some of the flyover cities to mentioned are growing rapidly and probably will take people they wouldn’t normally consider.

Some large firms with neglected satellite offices supplement their attorney ranks with laterals hired into Of-Counsel positions - it's certainly a possibility with your experience if that's a path you're interested in.