5 Tips for Picking the Best Lateral Opportunity as a BigLaw Associate
"The grass is not always greener on the other side."
During these busy times for lateralling as a BigLaw associate, this can get lost as you get into the weeds of a lateral firm search. An associate should only make a lateral move to another firm that meets that associate's goals for making a move in the first place. When I work with lateral candidates, I always start with a goals discussion by phone or Zoom in order to have a full and nuanced understanding of the candidate's interest in making a lateral move. From that point, I prepare a detailed and interactive Excel/Google spreadsheet that identifies all current opportunities and responds to any questions from the candidate. Applications are then submitted only after these two steps are complete.
To ensure that you make a lateral move that meets your intended goals, here are 5 important tips to keep in mind:
Only have your recruiter apply to positions that meet your lateral goals. This seems straightforward, but this is not always the case. Your recruiter may tell you about opportunities that have short-terms deadlines, for example; an opportunity has been open for awhile and there may be concern that the firm is getting to the end of their application period. However, this urgency is irrelevant if the opportunity does not meet at least some of your application goals. Associates make a lateral move for lots of different reasons - I've talked to associates about everything from a change in client industry reputation to the firm's vacation & leave policy. Where possible, your recruiter should be able to shed light on how specific firms accommodate some or all of these reasons.
Discuss with your recruiter how to time your applications. As discussed above, associate openings can have quick deadlines for getting an application in. Other firms may have a rolling or open-ended needs and may not be as quick to move forward with any one particular candidate. Your recruiter should walk through these timeline considerations with you in specificity. It's very unlikely to have your application timing line up in a perfect way where you can consider all options during the same timeline. But your recruiter should do their best to set a timeline that suits your lateralling goals. Where possible, you don't want to miss out on the perfect opportunity because you decided to settle for a good one.
Use interviews to ask about the future and goals of the practice and the firm. Attorneys, particularly partners, like to be asked about the future of their firm and the practice in which they work. You should feel comfortable asking specific and informed questions related to these topics throughout the interview process. It will also help you evaluate whether the firm and opportunity are a good fit for you - are the stated goals clear? do attorneys seem motivated and excited when they talk about the future of the firm? do they discuss how someone like you fits into the long-term future of the practice?
Save your most prying questions for after the interview process. Recruiters can provide a lot of information about opportunities ahead of time, but they won't have all of the answers. Lots of associates, for example, rightly want to know about how the team at a potential new law firm operates - are they focused on in-person face time?, are they reasonable with deadline?, etc. These questions are important, but should be saved for the end of the process. The focus of the interviews is about making sure you are a match for the firm and the position. When and if an offer comes through, consider going back to associates you met or even reaching out to people who left to get a better sense of team dynamics. (And of course, rely on your recruiter for helping formulate this approach.)
Don't be afraid to say no or stop the process with a particular firm. Nobody wants you to lateral to a position that you don't want. Not the recruiter. Not the firm. But the inertia of the process, and oftentimes, the pressure from a recruiter, can make you feel like you have to keep it moving forward. All attorneys (including you!) are especially busy and it is not worth it to waste time on an opportunity that you are not excited about.