How to be a first year lateral? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Looking for advice on how to be lateral as a 1st year. Not trying to change practice groups, but change firms. In a non-nyc metro market (one of Chicago, DC, La, SF). Median t13 student.

I would either like to look to lateral now or set something up for the spring. Don’t wanna disclosure why, but the clock is ticking so I need to start looking.

Gonna start networking with alums, but idk how to get around the elephant in the room- I’m not even 1 year in. And it’s not like I am looking to change practice groups.

[Lacepiece23]

Probably easier if you change practice groups. Like, if you’re general lit, go and do L&E. That’s what my wife did and it was an easy sell and made sense why you would want to leave so soon. I just think it would be a hard climb to sell leaving so soon for a different firm with the same group.

[SFSpartan]

If there's another practice group that you might be interested in, I'd at least consider that. If you're just trying to leave your firm, people are probably going to assume that you are looking because you are fired or suspect you are about to be fired. They may also make this assumption if you're trying to change practice groups, but that at least gives you a plausible reason for why you're leaving.

If you want to stay in your practice group, I'd at least wait until spring. By then you'll have been at your firm for more than a year (presuming you started around this time last year)

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Appreciate the advice. Would it be possible to say something like I wanna stay in my group writ large, but trying to shift my focus?

For example, if I’m doing general lit but wanna do white collar? Or I’m doing antitrust but wanna go into commercial lit?

One explanatory factor I could use is that I thought I was going to be doing X but really because of personnel I’m doing Y?

[QContinuum]

OP here. Appreciate the advice. Would it be possible to say something like I wanna stay in my group writ large, but trying to shift my focus?

For example, if I’m doing general lit but wanna do white collar? Or I’m doing antitrust but wanna go into commercial lit?

Well, yes. I think that's exactly what the previous posters were trying to recommend. General lit to white collar, or antitrust to lit, is pretty much the definition of a practice group switch. I don't think folks were trying to say you should be switching from lit to corp (or vice versa); in fact, trying to make such a huge jump would likely make your job search more difficult.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Appreciate the advice. Would it be possible to say something like I wanna stay in my group writ large, but trying to shift my focus?

For example, if I’m doing general lit but wanna do white collar? Or I’m doing antitrust but wanna go into commercial lit?

Well, yes. I think that's exactly what the previous posters were trying to recommend. General lit to white collar, or antitrust to lit, is pretty much the definition of a practice group switch. I don't think folks were trying to say you should be switching from lit to corp (or vice versa); in fact, trying to make such a huge jump would likely make your job search more difficult.

OP here. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify. The reason I bring that up is some firms have those practices grouped into one general category.

Another question- I do not know when my ideal time to lateral would be, but is it possible before the end of the year? I’ve read that the best time is in Jan/feb? Is that true? I just don’t have an idea of when the clock will strike midnight, so to speak.

[gregfootball2001]

OP here. Appreciate the advice. Would it be possible to say something like I wanna stay in my group writ large, but trying to shift my focus?

For example, if I’m doing general lit but wanna do white collar? Or I’m doing antitrust but wanna go into commercial lit?

Well, yes. I think that's exactly what the previous posters were trying to recommend. General lit to white collar, or antitrust to lit, is pretty much the definition of a practice group switch. I don't think folks were trying to say you should be switching from lit to corp (or vice versa); in fact, trying to make such a huge jump would likely make your job search more difficult.

OP here. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify. The reason I bring that up is some firms have those practices grouped into one general category.

Another question- I do not know when my ideal time to lateral would be, but is it possible before the end of the year? I’ve read that the best time is in Jan/feb? Is that true? I just don’t have an idea of when the clock will strike midnight, so to speak.

After January (when many firms give out bonuses), many people leave for other firms. They wait for Jan b/c they didn't want to give up the bonus. People leaving creates openings, so some people say that the best time is Jan/Feb. However, because people are leaving, that also means that there is more competition for jobs. I'd say that if you're not sticking around for the bonus, then just look for the right job for you, whether it means leaving now or in March.