Leaving firm after seven months without burning bridges? Forum

[Anonymous User]

TL;DR - tried to lateral to an ideal practice area and failed, so I lateraled into a new corporate practice area - really not enjoying it and have no work anyways. Re-applied to ideal practice area and got some offers this time around. How should I handle telling current firm (where I've only been for 6 months) without burning bridges?

I am 6-7 months into a lateral and it is not going well. For context, I switched from creditor-side bankruptcy work into a corporate practice area and have unfortunately found that I strongly dislike the work. Even if there was work, we're perilously dry on work right now as well. I have billed 10 hours in the last 1.5 months. I've asked for work to the point that I think asking further would be seen as an annoyance rather than initiative.

Before my first lateral, I decided that I wanted to try and lateral into a practice area that I was genuinely excited and passionate about, and could see myself actually having a career in (I don't really feel that way about any other Biglaw practice areas). I tried very hard to lateral into that area of practice, but just couldn't make it happen, so I settled for the corporate practice. It seemed okay at the time. The people at the firm have never been anything but nice, but I will say that the partner that brought me over articulated a very detailed process on how I would be integrated into the group and transitioned into the new practice area. Unfortunately they have not held up that end of the bargain - instead of the detailed process I got little more than a "yeah ask this guy and that gal for work." As noted above, this hasn't materialized into a good experience, despite me marketing hard for opportunities. On top of that, when I do get some work I really don't enjoy it. Thought it might be okay when I lateraled, but turns out that it's a perilous mix of difficult but tedious that's not working for me.

I resolved to try again on breaking into the ideal practice area and, with some new approaches that seem to have worked, I'm now fortunate to have two offers for good firms in this practice area that I feel very good about. I don't want to specify it as it's too niche for comfort, but please take me at my word that I will be okay with practicing in this practice area for at least 2-3 years - it ties in to outside-of-work passion/interest and I'm confident I'll enjoy it.

I've only been at my current firm for 6-7 months. The firm can 100% contractually claw back my signing bonus and I'm honestly okay with it - I feel like I haven't earned it and haven't really upheld my end of the bargain either. I don't dislike the partners and associates - sometimes things just don't work out. How should I handle letting the partner that hired me know, etc.? I don't want to burn bridges here, but I do want to leave.

[Anonymous User]

Look its awkward but you are not the first and you won't be the last lateral to not work out. Sounds like you at least have a reason you can articulate re practice area. Just be professional and explain the situation and how you have come to realize your desired practice area. Assuming you have been professional and generally pleasant during your time there, most people will reply back professionally and wish you luck. I am sure there will be one or two people who are weird about it but they even exist when leaving a firm after 5+ years.

I once left a firm after a 15 months to go back to my previous firm. I was nervous to tell people but 95% of them ended up being very nice about it and wished me luck (especially the people who I worked closely with and developed relationships with).

And honestly, in light of those extremely low billables, there is a chance that they might be relieved you are leaving instead of having to let a recent lateral go.

Keep us posted on what happens to the signing bonus - suspect plenty of people interested in that data point.

[Anonymizer]

Don’t stress it. Lateraling into a practice that has little work and then leaving can be pinned on the broader economic conditions that the firm is also dealing with. Just be candid, explain you like everyone, but you want to keep growing. Give them the “let’s all stay in touch” and move on to greener pastures. Better to keep the initiative while you have other opportunities in hand than wait for the firm to ax you because you aren’t billing.

[Anonymous User]

TL;DR - tried to lateral to an ideal practice area and failed, so I lateraled into a new corporate practice area - really not enjoying it and have no work anyways. Re-applied to ideal practice area and got some offers this time around. How should I handle telling current firm (where I've only been for 6 months) without burning bridges?

I am 6-7 months into a lateral and it is not going well. For context, I switched from creditor-side bankruptcy work into a corporate practice area and have unfortunately found that I strongly dislike the work. Even if there was work, we're perilously dry on work right now as well. I have billed 10 hours in the last 1.5 months. I've asked for work to the point that I think asking further would be seen as an annoyance rather than initiative.

Before my first lateral, I decided that I wanted to try and lateral into a practice area that I was genuinely excited and passionate about, and could see myself actually having a career in (I don't really feel that way about any other Biglaw practice areas). I tried very hard to lateral into that area of practice, but just couldn't make it happen, so I settled for the corporate practice. It seemed okay at the time. The people at the firm have never been anything but nice, but I will say that the partner that brought me over articulated a very detailed process on how I would be integrated into the group and transitioned into the new practice area. Unfortunately they have not held up that end of the bargain - instead of the detailed process I got little more than a "yeah ask this guy and that gal for work." As noted above, this hasn't materialized into a good experience, despite me marketing hard for opportunities. On top of that, when I do get some work I really don't enjoy it. Thought it might be okay when I lateraled, but turns out that it's a perilous mix of difficult but tedious that's not working for me.

I resolved to try again on breaking into the ideal practice area and, with some new approaches that seem to have worked, I'm now fortunate to have two offers for good firms in this practice area that I feel very good about. I don't want to specify it as it's too niche for comfort, but please take me at my word that I will be okay with practicing in this practice area for at least 2-3 years - it ties in to outside-of-work passion/interest and I'm confident I'll enjoy it.

I've only been at my current firm for 6-7 months. The firm can 100% contractually claw back my signing bonus and I'm honestly okay with it - I feel like I haven't earned it and haven't really upheld my end of the bargain either. I don't dislike the partners and associates - sometimes things just don't work out. How should I handle letting the partner that hired me know, etc.? I don't want to burn bridges here, but I do want to leave.

I am one of the heads of my practice group and if you explained your situation to me like you've done here, I'd totally understand and wish you the best.