With the recent election concluded, albeit with some remaining uncertainty, one thing is clear: significant shifts are on the horizon at the federal level. For attorneys currently in federal government roles, this period of change might be an ideal opportunity to reassess and possibly transition your career. Whether you’re considering a return to BigLaw or exploring it for the first time, it’s essential to be thoughtful and strategic about the steps you take. Below are some important considerations to help you navigate your next career move:

Connect with a Career Advisor or Recruiter Early

Federal government lawyers often work in highly specialized fields, primarily within litigation or regulatory functions, which may not align directly with all BigLaw roles. The opportunities that best suit your expertise and experience will likely be very specific, so starting with a recruiter can help you focus on the right options. A skilled recruiter can provide honest insights into the current hiring market, explain realistic timelines, and discuss the types of BigLaw roles that might be a fit. This is especially helpful if you’re coming from a public sector environment and are less familiar with the private sector's dynamics. Additionally, a knowledgeable recruiter can discuss potential practice areas or specialties within BigLaw that align with your background and may even help identify alternative paths you may not have considered.

Organize and Update Your Application Materials

When applying for BigLaw roles, especially as an experienced attorney, it’s crucial to have all necessary materials prepared well in advance. These materials include:

• Your Resume: This should be meticulously detailed and targeted, highlighting relevant achievements and experiences that align with BigLaw’s expectations. Tailor it to demonstrate how your government experience translates into valuable skills for a law firm setting.

• Law School Transcript: An unofficial copy of your law school transcript is typically required, as law firms often weigh academic achievements in their evaluations.

• Matters List (if feasible): A matters list is a comprehensive summary of cases and projects you’ve worked on, detailing your role and responsibilities. While this might be challenging to compile based on the nature of your government work, especially with confidentiality restrictions, it’s useful for recruiters and prospective employers if you are able to prepare one.

• Writing Sample: Many firms require a writing sample as a demonstration of your analytical and writing skills. If you don’t have a formal piece of legal writing from your government role that you can share, discuss alternative options with your recruiter. In some cases, firms may accept redacted versions of public documents or other forms of written work that showcase your expertise.

Work Closely with Your Recruiter to Target Specific Roles

Once you have a clear sense of the BigLaw roles that interest you, your recruiter can curate a list of potential opportunities tailored to your skills and experience. Take the time to walk through this list carefully, discussing each opportunity in detail to ensure it aligns with your career goals. It’s crucial to maintain control over where your resume and materials are submitted. Reputable recruiters should not submit your resume or information to firms without your explicit, written consent. This is especially important for government attorneys moving into BigLaw, as you’ll want to ensure that the firms you target are genuinely interested in candidates with your public sector background. A good recruiter will be transparent about which firms are more receptive to such transitions and can provide insights into the types of experiences that appeal to each firm.

Consider a Broader Range of Career Paths

While many recruiters focus primarily on placements in BigLaw due to its established recruiting structure, don’t overlook opportunities in state government, corporate in-house positions, or the nonprofit sector. While large law firms regularly pay recruiters for strong candidates, in-house roles tend to do so less frequently, and state government and non-profit employers rarely engage outside recruiters at all. However, an honest and experienced recruiter or career advisor can guide you in exploring these options if they align with your career goals. Moving into state government or the nonprofit sector can offer rewarding opportunities to continue your public service mission while gaining unique experience, while in-house roles provide direct client-focused work and a different perspective on legal practice.

Plan Your Timeline and Manage Expectations

The transition from a federal government position to BigLaw (or any new sector) requires strategic planning and patience. Understanding the timing of hiring cycles, especially in BigLaw, can make a significant difference in your search. Some firms hire on a rolling basis but may have distinct peak periods or hiring cycles based on practice area needs. Others may hire much less frequently.

Tap Into Your Government Network

As a federal government attorney, you likely have access to a valuable network of colleagues and contacts. Consider leveraging your network to gain insights from peers who have successfully transitioned into private practice or other fields. This can provide you with firsthand perspectives and practical advice that goes beyond what any recruiter can provide. Your network can also open up additional job leads, professional recommendations, and networking opportunities that could prove invaluable.

Understand Your Transferable Skills and Value Proposition

Attorneys in government roles often have strong regulatory, litigation, and analytical skills that can be highly valuable to firms and organizations outside of government. Be prepared to articulate how your specific skills, such as managing complex cases, interpreting regulatory statutes, or drafting formal litigation documents, translate to the private sector. Work with your recruiter to hone this narrative so that prospective employers clearly understand the unique strengths you bring from your government experience.

New York City is by far the largest training ground for BigLaw associates. There are roughly 2x as many BigLaw associates in Manhattan alone than there are in the second biggest legal market in the U.S.: Washington, DC. Much of the legal work revolves around New York's status as a global financial capital. As a result, every type of transactional work is available and prevalent in the market including work for investment banks, commercial banks, private equity funds, hedge funds, mutual funds and all the companies that are financed by them. Litigation and regulatory work often revolves around the financial industry as well.

Many associates that work at BigLaw firms in NYC live in Manhattan close to the office. With New York being a 24/7 city, this is tempting. You can eat, run errands, go to the gym, etc. at all times of the day, and then pop in and out of the office when you need to do so. However, this level of convenience may be less important to you as you get older and start to look for more separation between your work life and your home life.

If you've thought about leaving the New York City legal market, now is a good time (see my FAQ on relocation). For junior and midlevel associates specifically, there are a few common reasons to consider it:

• Leaving NYC for large peer legal markets like San Francisco and Washington, DC. The two second largest legal markets in the U.S. are the Bay Area and DC metro area. Both of these markets are notable for their sophistication of clients, as well as large deals and matters. In the Bay Area you'll find a good number of corporate opportunities. In fact, there are many firms around San Francisco that appreciate associates with transactional training at NYC firms. They look to hire attorneys that have worked in NY-style practices like debt finance, M&A, capital markets, funds, private equity and most other types of corporate specialties. Likewise, firms in the DC market appreciate attorneys with New York experience, particularly those with litigation and regulatory experience. The firms in the DC market don't hire as many entry level attorneys as the NY market. Thus, they look to the lateral market often to fill junior and midlevel needs. Additionally, it's relatively easy to waive into the DC bar from NY.

• Leaving NYC to service a different client industry. As noted above, most (though certainly not all) BigLaw work in NYC revolves around the international finance industry. If you want to shift your client focus to a different type of industry, a different legal market may make a lot of sense. Examples include Los Angeles for entertainment; San Francisco or Boston for technology; Boston, San Diego or Philadelphia for health care; Texas or San Francisco for energy; and Chicago or Atlanta for Fortune 500 companies.

• Leaving NYC to change your work/life balance. If you're moving to another BigLaw firm in another geographic market, you are still going to work hard. But there is less of a 24/7 in-office culture in markets other than NYC. In part because other city centers still tend to shut down after typical working hours, you might find more attorneys that work remotely or log in from home. Technology is making this easier and more efficient for employers of all types.

• Leaving NYC for a general change or to develop broader skills. The practice of law is becoming more and more portable. With the advent of the Uniform Bar Exam, it's become easier to relocate as a lawyer from a credentials perspective. And the legal industry as a whole continues to be streamlined, more efficient and consolidated through law firm mergers. Sometimes at NYC BigLaw firms, you can feel like you are becoming too specialized. Because there are so many different types of legal services needed in NYC, specialization makes sense from a business perspective. But if you want to remain in BigLaw while developing a more generalist practice, then moving to another legal market might make sense for you.

If you are thinking of leaving NYC, you'll want to talk to a recruiter that has a network of connections across the major markets. Given my connections, one of my recruiting specialties is associate relocation.

It's becoming both easier and more popular to make a geographic move as a BigLaw associate. This is the result of a few trends when it comes to the legal labor market:

• The expansion of the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) to more states across the country means that it's easier for lawyers to get admitted into multiple states at once and/or transfer bar exam results from one state to another.

• Multiple legal markets are very strong right now and the need for talent expands beyond the lawyers that are already practicing there (this is particularly the case when it comes to Boston and the Bay Area).

• Generally speaking, the number of associates making a lateral move of some kind is at an all-time high with the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) reporting an average number of 16.5 lateral hires in 2018 amongst a surveyed group of 428 law offices. This represented a 14.4% increase in lateral hiring over 2017.

• National firms continue to open new offices in large cities across the U.S., leveraging the firm's practice reputation in its existing offices to market to new clients in the new market.

• Practices at large firms are also "nationalizing," meaning if there is demand for talent in a particular legal service, they will look to staff up across multiple office. In an individual office, the attorneys prioritize service to the local clients, but increasingly attorneys work virtually with others in their practice group across other offices of the firm, as as the work ebbs and flows within each office.

If you're thinking of making a geographic move, there's never been a better time.

When it comes to considering a geographic move, here are some FAQs for BigLaw associates:

How do I find a legal recruiter for my geographic move?

Most legal recruiters are identified through personal referrals. But if you don't know any attorneys in your target market, this might not be possible. Conduct a Google search and take a look at some online legal recruiter directories. Most recruiters are clear on their websites about who they work with and where. (Through Gridline Search + Consulting, for example, I primarily work with larger law firms in the big U.S. legal markets, using recruiter connections and industry knowledge I gained through my time as a career advisor at Harvard Law.)

I like my current firm. I just need to move geographically for personal reasons. Should I just ask for an office transfer?

Maybe. But does that other office have the practice area that you work in? Is the culture of the other office the same as your current one? Do you know anyone in the new office that would be interested in advocating for your office transfer? Will your current team help you make the move or will it be hard for them to let you go? If the answers to these questions present complications, it may be best to look for a new employer in your target market. (I talk about this further in my article "Why Lateral?")

When is the right time to make a geographic move?

As a BigLaw associate, you are most marketable for an associate lateral move with 2-5 years of experience. This is generally true whether you are looking to stay in the same market or make a geographic move.

What if I am not admitted into the state where I plan to move?

Start by taking a look at the bar admission resources provided by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). If you are a junior associate admitted to a UBE state, you may still be able to port that score to a new UBE state. If you are a senior associate, you may be eligible for "admission by motion" to the new state based on your years of continuous practice in your current state. If something is unclear from a website or written resource, don't rely on word of mouth. Call the state's board of bar examiners directly.

Most firm offices will require that you eventually be admitted into the state where they are located. If you ultimately need to take a new bar exam, sometimes the firm will even give you time off and cover expenses while employed at the new firm (this is more often provide to corporate associates making a lateral move than to litigation associates).

Will the firm fly me out for an interview? Will they pay the expenses?

When interviewing a candidate from another market, most large firms will start with a screening interview via phone, videoconference or with attorneys or staff located in an office closer to you. After this, they will likely require at least one round of in-person interview. Most large law firms will pay for reasonable expenses related to this trip.

Will the new firm pay for my relocation expenses?

In most cases, yes they will. In terms of the exact amount and method, this is something that typically gets negotiated when an offer of employment is made through your recruiter.

My spouse got a new job already, so I need to make the move as soon as possible. How long does the process typically take?

Timing for a geographic move as a lateral associate depends on a lot of factors - your target market, your level of experience, your practice, your current firm, your credentials, etc. It could take a couple weeks to move or it could take several months. You will want to talk with your recruiter about the urgency of your timing and what you can expect. If it sounds like your search could take a long time, you might ask your current employer if it's possible for you to work remotely while you search for a new job in your new market. (Don't just quit your job and then start searching. If your resume indicates this, it might send a negative signal about your candidacy.)

I've written before about changing markets as a corporate associate. This article looks at the broader movement of law firm associates that have changed geographic markets and moved to new law firms, looking at data from 2018. Here are some findings regarding some of the key "destination markets" for associates last year:

Lateral data copyright 2018 Firm Prospects, LLC. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Not for redistribution. Graphic by DuelingData.

• The Bay Area and New York lead the pack for destination markets, driven by high corporate needs. Attorneys that do some type of transactional work flock to the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City markets. Even though the Bay Area is generally a smaller legal market than NY and DC, the needs for corporate attorneys to service tech companies, their buyers, their targets and their financiers. This need will likely grow in 2019 (see here).

• DC transfers were diverse in original location and practice. The DC market had 160 transfer associates in 2018, which excludes the number of associates coming to firms from judicial clerkships (significant in the DC market). These associates came from all over the country. This can partly be attributed to the fact that the DC bar has a much easier admission process for laterals than, for example, California. Practice areas were similarly diverse with DC drawing in associates to fill corporate, litigation, real estate, tax and IP needs, amongst others.

• Boston's lateral associate needs were significant compared to the city size. Boston attracted about 100 new associates to the market last year. This is the 6th largest transfer destination market, even though the metropolitan area is only the 10th largest in the country. New firms along with active financial services and life sciences industries keep the needs for associate talent high, especially for corporate practice.

Expect the trend of lateral associate geographic movement to increase in numbers over the next few years for a few reasons:

1. Large firms will continue move into new markets (see Boston) and partner groups will continue to move as firms compete for books of business.

2. Some practice areas like tech transactions, real estate and data privacy are in such high-demand for trained talent that firm offices will have to look out of their geographic areas to find the talent.

3. The liberalization of state bar admission via adoption of the UBE will make it easier and easier for associates to make themselves marketable to a new firm in a new market.

If you’re a corporate or transactional associate that feels stuck, maybe you need a change - not just of firm, but of location.

Different legal markets in the U.S. can offer different opportunities for corporate associates. Here are some examples on what different legal markets have to offer corporate associates looking to make a lateral move:

• The Bay Area - for getting in-house at a tech company. Obviously the Bay Area is most known for its ties to the technology industry, and it’s what drives legal services as well. When I was a career advisor at Harvard Law, one of the most popular long-term career goals was: “I’d like to be in-house at a start up or established tech company like Google.” These types of positions are competitive and increasingly require more and more firm experience. But the best way to lay the ground work is to do company-side work at the firms that are in the tech companies’ backyard.

• Boston - for wealth and investment management. At large law firms across the country, lots of private client, wealth and investment management practices have moved to smaller and midsize firms. In “old money” Boston, these practices still exist at some of the most prominent firms in the market. The practices are great for corporate attorneys that like to work directly with clients and enjoy relationship-building.

• New York - for being a Big Deal Lawyer. There’s no other legal market in the world that will provide the opportunity to work on big capital markets and M&A deals like New York City. If you enjoy the rush that comes with quick turnarounds and same-day pricing decisions (as well as seeing your name attached to big deal announcements) then New York is the place to be or stay.

• Chicago and Atlanta - for working with particular Fortune 500 companies. There are some major Fortune 500 companies based in the Midwest and Southeast. Some companies started there, while others strategically chose their headquarters in these regions for cost and/or tax reasons. When they need help on a major financing, purchase or sale, they look to those big firms in the nearest cities with big legal markets: Chicago and Atlanta.

• DC - for being everyone’s financial regulatory expert. If you are a corporate associate that enjoys getting in the weeds and staying up-to-date on federal securities law and other financial regulations, you may need to be a lawyer in the D.C. market. The demand for specialized financial regulatory experts is always high. And lots of firms looks for corporate associates trained on “deal work” who are now looking for a tighter focus.

Your next move as an associate should be one that furthers your long-term career goals.

Ultimately, a physical move may provide you with the best opportunity for long-term career satisfaction as an attorney.

Political Law is a very broad term, but it most commonly refers to lawyers that advise the government and candidates on issues related to political campaigns.  Election law, campaign finance law and lobbying regulations are most relevant to the practice.

Lots of students I know are interested in practicing Political Law at a large law firm after graduation.

However, Political Law is a relatively small practice. It can be very difficult to find a way in as a new lawyer.

I took a look at the web biographies of 52 private practice Political Law attorneys that work in the Washington, DC office of large international law firms. Here are some interesting trends I found:

1. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is a popular previous employer. Of the attorneys that I researched, the FEC (see picture above) was the single most common prior employer. (And this does not include attorneys that continue to work for the FEC while in private practice.) This is not surprising. The FEC is an independent federal regulatory agency that was created to enforce federal campaign law.

2. Campaign work is common, with specific firms often aligned with one party more than the other. Many of the attorneys I researched worked as field organizers, communications experts, interns or attorneys prior to their work in private practice (and sometimes while working for the law firm). Firms may have a connection to one particular party.  For example, most political lawyers at Perkins Coie worked with Democrats; political lawyers at Jones Day often worked with Republicans.

3. Associates typically have interned for Congress or the White House in the past. With respect to the 28 political lawyers that are Associates at their respective law firms, it was very common to have worked as an intern at some point for a Congressman or at the White House. Work experience as a legislative assistant in Congress was not as common.

I offer these insights to reveal other avenues and ways into a Political Law practice at a top law firm. Campaign work and government experience offer other entry level avenues. While these positions may not pay as well in the short-term, they may produce the connections and experience you need for long-term success as a Political Law attorney.

Author’s note: To conduct this research, I looked at 52 law firm website biographies and public LinkedIn profiles for attorneys listed in the “political law” practice of the Washington, DC offices of these international law firms: Perkins Coie, Allen & Overy, Skadden, Jones Day and Covington.