Lateraling to a Busier BigLaw Firm
At this moment, there is a lot of variation in the life of the typical BigLaw associate. Maybe you are as busy as you've ever been, meeting or exceeding your billable hour target for a bonus this year. Or maybe you're at a firm whose work halted abruptly at the start of the pandemic, and you are still wondering when the firm is going to get back to the time before the firm-wide salary cut. Or finally, maybe it's been one giant roller coaster ride - you've been busy, you've not been; you have friends at the firm that are working around the clock, and you're scrambling to get work and hours.
All this time, you are wondering "Is my experience normal? What are other BigLaw associates going through in terms of work volume?"
The answer is that there is no normal life for the BigLaw associate at this moment. It really depends on what work you are doing, what firm you are at and what location you are doing it.
Ultimately though, if you're concerned about your hours or the financial health of your firm and practice, it may be worth talking to a recruiter to see what your options may be.
Here are some thoughts that I have for the BigLaw associate based on current hiring trends:
There has been a slow (but steady) increase in the number of associate openings at BigLaw firms over the past couple months. The types of openings at these BigLaw firms are quite varied across different litigation, regulatory and corporate practices, depending on the firm. (Though it should be noted, that demand for BigLaw associates in areas like data privacy, restructuring and health regulatory practices has remained strong throughout the pandemic.) But if you're in a major transactional or dispute-related practice and you are thinking about a move due to workflow concerns, there may be an opening or a need out there right now for you.
An associate opening is a strong signal that a firm's work in that practice area is not only steady, but very busy. Since the start of the pandemic, BigLaw firms have been very cautious in posting new associate openings. If there has been a slowdown in a practice, they have focused on shifting existing working in those practice areas and staffing them in busier practice areas, if possible. The posting of an associate need means the firm is so busy, they are not able to staff with existing resources. They need the additional talent now.
If you have been consistently working hard to get your hours up, but are struggling, it's worth looking at new opportunities. In my conversations with some BigLaw associates, it's not unusual to hear about an immediate slow down in workflow that started with the pandemic outbreak in mid-March. I've talked to these associates about strategies to get work and remain as busy as possible, with the goal of getting as close as possible to their billable hour target for the year. Some associates have not been able to do this successfully simply because the work volume is not available across multiple working groups and practice areas. If this is the case, it is worth seeing what other opportunities are out there.
Geographic relocation remains very possible right now, and may be the best option depending on your practice area. I've written a lot about relocating as a BigLaw associate and why it might make sense (see my FAQ on the topic). Although a relocation right now is likely to be "virtual," firms are doing it and considering candidates from other markets. It certainly helps that firms have had several months experience of virtual interviewing and virtual onboarding. And given current variations in hiring, now might be the time to consider it. For example, the San Francisco Bay Area has remained quite active in transactional and corporate associate hiring. If you're located at a firm outside the market in a corporate practice that has been slow, now might be the time to consider your relocation.
These are just a few recommendations and trends to note when it comes to considering a lateral move right now as a BigLaw associate. However, whether or not it strategically makes sense to make a move right now depends heavily on individual circumstances. Especially in the current moment.