If you go from one NY biglaw to another comparable NY biglaw, is there any inherent disadvantage to being a lateral (i.e., excluding firm culture, focus on practice fields, etc.)?
For example, do you get lower pay, lower chance of staying at the new firm for a long time, get screened out of things that are meant to be for the “homegrown” people, etc.?
If this is firm or market-specific, which firms or markets are more or less friendly to laterals?
Is there any disadvantage to lateraling? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
-
Anonymous User
- Posts: 428551
- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
-
LBJ's Hair
- Posts: 848
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:17 pm
Re: Is there any disadvantage to lateraling?
do you mean formally or informally?
like, a homegrown midlevel who has been there for 5 years, worked with a partner a bunch, and knows his/her preferences, work style, etc is "advantaged" on a deal or matter with him vis-a-vis you, the person who came in a week ago
but that's just the nature of ... being new. so assume that's not what you're talking about
like, a homegrown midlevel who has been there for 5 years, worked with a partner a bunch, and knows his/her preferences, work style, etc is "advantaged" on a deal or matter with him vis-a-vis you, the person who came in a week ago
but that's just the nature of ... being new. so assume that's not what you're talking about
-
NewSouthernAssociate
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 7:05 pm
Re: Is there any disadvantage to lateraling?
In my experience, I think laterals have to work harder to establish themselves at their new firm (compared to first-years starting out who might be given the benefit of the doubt), as some people are skeptical about the reasons you’re lateraling and suspect that you may have been pushed out from your prior firm. In my non-NY office, it also usually takes a few years before laterals are invited to join firm committees (e.g., the associates committee or recruiting committee). I haven’t observed any effects on compensation. Many firms also require lateral associates to be at the firm for a certain number of years (e.g., 3 years) before being eligible for partner.
