Asking for work in free market firm Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a recent lateral to a free market firm and have had zero traction getting work. I was well-liked at my old firm, and didn't even end up relying on the centralized staffing too much because I had partners who liked working with me that would ask for me specifically, so I am really confused as to why I can't seem to get work now. I also got a talking to about low hours from a partner (who I regularly ask for work from, but who hasn't staffed me on anything, so that was frustrating).

Can someone please assume I am absolutely socially inept and give me a painfully detailed step by step of how to get work in a free market firm? It currently looks like picking a few partners each week to email letting them know I have availability and would love to join one of their deals if they have anything that could use a mid-level.

Do I now start reaching out to folks in a different office in case they are busier/have more work?

[gregfootball2001]

I am a recent lateral to a free market firm and have had zero traction getting work. I was well-liked at my old firm, and didn't even end up relying on the centralized staffing too much because I had partners who liked working with me that would ask for me specifically, so I am really confused as to why I can't seem to get work now. I also got a talking to about low hours from a partner (who I regularly ask for work from, but who hasn't staffed me on anything, so that was frustrating).

Can someone please assume I am absolutely socially inept and give me a painfully detailed step by step of how to get work in a free market firm? It currently looks like picking a few partners each week to email letting them know I have availability and would love to join one of their deals if they have anything that could use a mid-level.

Do I now start reaching out to folks in a different office in case they are busier/have more work?

Reach out to partners (and senior associates) on your general team, whatever office they're in. It doesn't sound like this is the time to keep the search narrow.

Are there internal calls regarding pitches, new clients, and general BD? We have them at my firm monthly. If so, you can reach out to a partner after the call and express interest in a new matter, and hopefully get in on the ground floor. It can be tough to add people mid-deal, but it's easy if you're there from the beginning.

Email people. Walk around the office. Go to lunch with partners (hey I just lateraled over, can we grab lunch). If your hours are painfully low, write an article and ask a rainmaker to be an author on it with you. Be known.

[Anonymous User]

Stay on their radar with more than "I need work" emails. I hate that it's this way, but I know of a significant number of partners who resent the aforementioned emails (they of course don't tell you how to get work when slow).

For me, what has worked is two-part: (1) stay in friendly contact, making opportunities to socialize and connect (admittedly, you need to be a somewhat sociable person for this); and (2) show sincere interest in what the partners do, including by attempting to add value through busdev (eg, pitching client alerts/internal blasts/blog posts that are *specific to the partner's experience/expertise*).

Also don't overlook midlevels and senior associates. Partners talk to these folks re staffing, and if you are on good terms with them and they understand your situation, your name is more likely to pop up.

[attorney589753]

I think the advice here is good. In general, having been on the other side (of giving out work), it's not very annoying to be approached — it usually only takes a minute or two of time to send an email or phone call. Don't check in with the same people weekly, but spread far and wide and be persistent. I also agree that finding seniors or midlevels is a really good way to approach it. Work comes in randomly and just being top of mind of someone can make all the difference.

The number one thing is to do really good work when you do get paired up with someone you like, so that you become one of their "go-to" people. This is key to thriving in a free market system.

[Anonymous User]

Also don't overlook midlevels and senior associates. Partners talk to these folks re staffing, and if you are on good terms with them and they understand your situation, your name is more likely to pop up.

I'm a new (income) partner at a "free market" firm. This right here is great advice. The partners need to know who you are too, but I got asked all the time to come up with the list of midlevels and juniors for staffing litigations as a senior associate.

I'd also add to work on marketing yourself to your peers. They usually won't be staffing you directly, but as a midlevel if I ever turned down work for being too busy, I was often asked who I would recommend to replace me. Those other attorneys around your level need to know who you are, or they won't know to offer your name.

And absolutely look to other offices. I cannot think of a single matter I have ever worked on that was staffed out of only one office. Sounds like you are unnecessarily limiting yourself.

The number one thing is to do really good work when you do get paired up with someone you like, so that you become one of their "go-to" people. This is key to thriving in a free market system.

Oh, also this. I definitely have a shortlist of people I always check with first, because they did good work. It doesn't have to be billable either. One person I always recommend I worked with first on a pro bono project.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

[Lacepiece23]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

Don’t feed the troll.

[Anonymous User]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

Ehhh ... it depends on the context. At my firm (a V10), especially since COVID, it's become fairly common for partners to reach out to associates and gently but firmly let them know if their hours are trending low and that they need to pick up another case, etc. Those people aren't then being let go; they're being staffed on more work to get their hours up.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

Don’t feed the troll.

Who’s the troll in this context? Spend less time slinging insults and maybe you’ll come up with an intelligent or insightful post someday.

[papermateflair]

What did the partner that spoke to you about hours recommend doing to increase hours? If they didn't say anything, can you ask them for advice on how they think you can get more work? Do you have any other colleagues you feel comfortable asking about firm dynamics? My subgroup is pretty small, so we don't have any sort of formal staffing system for associates, but if someone asked me how to get more work I would definitely tell them my thoughts (email the partners every single week, ask senior associates, volunteer for pro bono, turn what work you do have around as quickly as possible, nothing really magical). Every group has different dynamics, and that partner likely has some sense of who is super busy and who isn't, or how certain people like to be approached. If your firm as any formal mentoring programs take advantage of those as well and see what other folks have to say.

[Lacepiece23]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

Don’t feed the troll.

Who’s the troll in this context? Spend less time slinging insults and maybe you’ll come up with an intelligent or insightful post someday.

Maybe you should go back to the racism against Asians thread and spend more time taking thinly veiled shots at black peoples.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

Don’t feed the troll.

Who’s the troll in this context? Spend less time slinging insults and maybe you’ll come up with an intelligent or insightful post someday.

Maybe you should go back to the racism against Asians thread and spend more time taking thinly veiled shots at black peoples.

I love black people as much as anyone. As for the minority of black people who have been committing, and continue to commit, hate crimes against Asian people, all I can say is I hope they stop soon. That’s not a shot against black people generally. It’s a shot against racial animus and associated violence. But anyway, that has no relation to this thread.

[Anonymous User]

The advice here is horrible. A talk from a partner about low hours is a classic foreshadowing of being let go.

If you already got the talk and were well liked at the old firm, my advice would be to go beg the old firm for your job back

Don’t feed the troll.

Who’s the troll in this context? Spend less time slinging insults and maybe you’ll come up with an intelligent or insightful post someday.

Maybe you should go back to the racism against Asians thread and spend more time taking thinly veiled shots at black peoples.

I love black people as much as anyone. As for the minority of black people who have been committing, and continue to commit, hate crimes against Asian people, all I can say is I hope they stop soon. That’s not a shot against black people generally. It’s a shot against racial animus and associated violence. But anyway, that has no relation to this thread.

Here's the TLS thread devolution I know and love.
Edit: Accidental anon