Local biglaw - Back to US? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Moved to largest local shop in small market.
Primarily focused in CM and finance work.

Am planning to go back to NY end of next year.
Read a lot of posts about how difficult it is to lateral back to US.
Is there anything I can start doing now to make the transition easier later?
(Eg focusing on certain/other types of work or tips on networking from far away here ... or whatever else)

Id prefer to stay in biglaw. Not sure how realistic that is (especially given ill be 7-8th year coming from abroad).

Any advice story tips views are all appreciated thanks.

[Anonymous User]

T14 undergrad and law. Great GPA.
Worked in biglaw in a US major city 1.5 years.
US biglaw in a major foreign city for 3.5 years.
Moved to local biglaw in a smaller market recently.
Primarily focused in CM and finance work.

Am planning to go back to NY end of next year.
Read a lot of posts about how difficult it is to lateral back to US.
Is there anything I can start doing now to make the transition easier later?
(Eg focusing on certain/other types of work or tips on networking from far away here ... or whatever else)

Id prefer to stay in biglaw. Not sure how realistic that is (especially given ill be 7-8th year coming from abroad).

Any advice story tips views are all appreciated thanks.

My advice would be that you need to be ready to take a class year hit (or a few). You very well may only enter as a 5th year associate given a good bit of your work was done in a smaller foreign market. I know a lawyer who has been practicing for 15 years and is a 4th year associate in biglaw. All of the lawyer's experience is completely relevant and some of it is as a biglaw associate elsewhere. Ultimately, the lawyer got dinged class years for years of state regulatory work and "attorney" (versus associate) work at biglaw shops. On the flip side, the lawyer is a 4th year that pretty much has the skills of a junior partner, so when that lawyer comes up for partnership I imagine the odds might be quite favorable. That's all to say both (1) be okay taking a class year hit and (2) understand that it may even be for the better in terms of career longevity in biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Have you thought going back to the firms you worked before? If you had good relationships with people there, I think your best shot will be networking through them.

[Anonymous User]

Have you thought going back to the firms you worked before? If you had good relationships with people there, I think your best shot will be networking through them.

Not really an option.

Taking a cut in class years or asking former colleague are all fine but ill do them when it actually comes time to apply.

As that is in future, right now, I am interested in knowing what I can do NOW in anticipation of moving back in 1.5 years later in the future.

[Anonymous User]

Have you thought going back to the firms you worked before? If you had good relationships with people there, I think your best shot will be networking through them.

Not really an option.

Taking a cut in class years or asking former colleague are all fine but ill do them when it actually comes time to apply.

As that is in future, right now, I am interested in knowing what I can do NOW in anticipation of moving back in 1.5 years later in the future.

Exit your smaller firm back into a larger firm, preferably one with U.S. offices. In my experience, based on the people I know, it's been much easier to come back from established shops.

[Anonymous User]

My firm is already the largest shop in the country.

Should I try to do more M&A? Will it help?
(I have been doing almost all finance and CM work so far)
Or am I diluting my expertise?

Also do you know if it's better to use recruiters or apply directly with firm portal in cases like this?

[Anonymous User]

I'm assuming you have your reasons but I hear it is much harder to lateral back from a local firm (whether or not it is reputable in that country). If possible, I would try to lateral to a US/UK firm. I know it is still far away, but Id also reach out to a recruiter to learn more about the market/ process w/o revealing too much details about your plans. Recruiters can certainly be helpful and process can take a long time so it may be a good idea to start early.

[icansortofmath]

I think it’s gonna be tough.

All the people I know that made the transition successfully took class year hits (I think it has more to do with money than expected ability) and they all brought connections to the foreign market that firm needed.

One guy in IP basically spends his day calling up his buddies in China to get listings of counterfeits off sites like jd.com. A lady, technically 4th year associate, a former assistant GC (not sure translation, basically No. 2 under GC) for a major Chinese auto manufacturer is really doing partner kind of work leading negotiations with Chinese regulators (a lot of whom were her former classmates.)

If you can’t bring something unique that an US firm can’t get from a fresh JD, I think you just have to network hard and force yourself in because it’s hard to get even interviews otherwise.