May Be Getting Conflicted Out. What Do I Do? Forum

[Anonymous User]

In the middle of lateraling and going through the conflicts process, and it seems I have direct conflicts with two of the new firm's clients. The new firm wants me to reach out to get waivers from these clients, but the new firm will not confirm that I'll be hired regardless of whether the waivers are obtained. This puts me in an obviously awkward situation--if I ask for the waivers, my current firm will obviously know I'm leaving, and if the clients don't sign the waivers, and as a result the new firm won't hire me, I'm fucked. I've asked the new firm if they can speak with their general counsel to give me a definitive answer as to whether I'll be hired regardless of what happens with the waivers, but I'm still waiting to hear back. My thinking is that if the new firm says they can't give me a definitive answer, I'll continue interviewing and line up a back up firm in case things don't work out with the new firm. Was wondering if anyone has dealt with something like this before and what the outcome was/if there are any better alternatives to my plan. Any help here would be much appreciated.

Thanks all.

[Lacepiece23]

In the middle of lateraling and going through the conflicts process, and it seems I have direct conflicts with two of the new firm's clients. The new firm wants me to reach out to get waivers from these clients, but the new firm will not confirm that I'll be hired regardless of whether the waivers are obtained. This puts me in an obviously awkward situation--if I ask for the waivers, my current firm will obviously know I'm leaving, and if the clients don't sign the waivers, and as a result the new firm won't hire me, I'm fucked. I've asked the new firm if they can speak with their general counsel to give me a definitive answer as to whether I'll be hired regardless of what happens with the waivers, but I'm still waiting to hear back. My thinking is that if the new firm says they can't give me a definitive answer, I'll continue interviewing and line up a back up firm in case things don't work out with the new firm. Was wondering if anyone has dealt with something like this before and what the outcome was/if there are any better alternatives to my plan. Any help here would be much appreciated.

Thanks all.

I met someone who went through this situation. In the end, the new firm didn’t give the waiver, old firm found out, and she was screwed. It was a really extreme case, and she said that this conflict actually precluded her from working at all the firms in the city, and she had to move. Obviously, this is the exception. But I wouldn’t ask without any guarantee. I know you’re excited to leave, but I think there is some real risk here.

[Npret]

If the conflict is with a regular client of your current firm, they will absolutely reach out to the partner they work with to say you requested a waiver. You have to assume your current firm will know and then decide how you wat to proceed.

[Npret]

Sorry - *want to proceed

[Anonymous User]

I just went through this myself. It’s awkward and stressful and in the end you need to decide whether the pending offer is worth the hassle. I did and I’m happy I did because I was able to obtain a waiver. Are the clients at the new firm adverse to the clients at your current firm? Do you have a good relationship with one of the partners that you can talk about the issue with?

I would make sure that the firm asking you to obtain the waivers will hire you once you do. It may be in your offer letter.

What level are you? The higher up you are the less likely you would be granted a waiver due to the sensitivity of the information, but that’s just a guess.

[Anonymous User]

I just went through this myself. It’s awkward and stressful and in the end you need to decide whether the pending offer is worth the hassle. I did and I’m happy I did because I was able to obtain a waiver. Are the clients at the new firm adverse to the clients at your current firm? Do you have a good relationship with one of the partners that you can talk about the issue with?

I would make sure that the firm asking you to obtain the waivers will hire you once you do. It may be in your offer letter.

What level are you? The higher up you are the less likely you would be granted a waiver due to the sensitivity of the information, but that’s just a guess.

Thanks. I think the offer is worth the hassle because it's one of the top 2-3 firms in my desired market and has pretty much everything I'm looking for.

Yes, the new firm has guaranteed I'm hired if I obtain the waivers.

Yes, there are two clients at the new firm that are directly adverse to clients at my current firm, which is why they want me to get the waivers.

I do have a good relationship with a few of the partners, but my decision to leave is going to come straight out of left field from their perspective, so they may feel a little blindsided.

I'm pretty junior--only a second year--so hopefully the clients will be willing to provide the waivers; although, one of them is my current firm's top client.

[Anonymous User]

If the conflict is with a regular client of your current firm, they will absolutely reach out to the partner they work with to say you requested a waiver. You have to assume your current firm will know and then decide how you wat to proceed.

Thanks. I definitely assumed the clients would tell partners at my current firm about the waivers, which is why I think the situation is pretty shitty if the new firm won't guarantee they'll hire me if I can't get the waivers.

[Npret]

If the conflict is with a regular client of your current firm, they will absolutely reach out to the partner they work with to say you requested a waiver. You have to assume your current firm will know and then decide how you wat to proceed.

Thanks. I definitely assumed the clients would tell partners at my current firm about the waivers, which is why I think the situation is pretty shitty if the new firm won't guarantee they'll hire me if I can't get the waivers.

But if you don’t get the waivers, you can’t work on somethings they may need you to.

[Anonymous User]

If the conflict is with a regular client of your current firm, they will absolutely reach out to the partner they work with to say you requested a waiver. You have to assume your current firm will know and then decide how you wat to proceed.

Thanks. I definitely assumed the clients would tell partners at my current firm about the waivers, which is why I think the situation is pretty shitty if the new firm won't guarantee they'll hire me if I can't get the waivers.

But if you don’t get the waivers, you can’t work on somethings they may need you to.

Well, if I don't get the waivers, then (a) yes, I can't work on some matters they'd like me to or (b) they won't hire me at all. My concern is with (b), of course. I feel like they should at least be able to tell me definitively whether they will still hire me if I don't get the waivers. That way, if they can't hire me, I can at least try to get another firm lined up before I request the waivers so I know I at least will have a job at the end of all of this.

[Anonymous User]

I know this is an old thread, but I feel compelled to point out that a firm isn't going to put you in that position if the alternative is simply walling you off from a couple of matters. But that usually means that the issue is big enough where if you can't get a waiver, then you can't get hired. At least not until the conflict/matter is dead.

[Anonymous User]

I know people who had lateral offers pulled over conflicts. If joblessness is not a chance youre willing to take, you may have to walk away from this one.

[Anonymous User]

Just throwing my experience into the ring here. I lateraled from a V50 to V5 in NYC. New firm asked me for a waiver from one client. I emailed the director at the client and made it clear that my current firm did not know that I had the offer and I would appreciate if the client did not inform my current firm of the waiver. Client called me with some questions about the waiver (he started the call with "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me") and then signed it. My then-current firm had no idea I was considering resigning.

[Anonymous User]

Just throwing my experience into the ring here. I lateraled from a V50 to V5 in NYC. New firm asked me for a waiver from one client. I emailed the director at the client and made it clear that my current firm did not know that I had the offer and I would appreciate if the client did not inform my current firm of the waiver. Client called me with some questions about the waiver (he started the call with "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me") and then signed it. My then-current firm had no idea I was considering resigning.

Did you email from work or personal

[CanadianWolf]

I know people who had lateral offers pulled over conflicts. If joblessness is not a chance youre willing to take, you may have to walk away from this one.

Agree.

[Updater101]

Just throwing my experience into the ring here. I lateraled from a V50 to V5 in NYC. New firm asked me for a waiver from one client. I emailed the director at the client and made it clear that my current firm did not know that I had the offer and I would appreciate if the client did not inform my current firm of the waiver. Client called me with some questions about the waiver (he started the call with "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me") and then signed it. My then-current firm had no idea I was considering resigning.

Did you email from work or personal

I'm really curious with how the whole transition went. Could you share with us how your previous firm reacted to the whole thing?