How Can I Make Partner or Make a Move without a Book of Business? - BCG Attorney Search

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How Can I Make Partner or Make a Move without
a Book of Business?
Summary Are you stuck at a firm that doesnt
encourage business development? Are you not
gaining the experience you hoped for? Learn what
your options are in this article. Show Me the
Money! Q. Im a senior litigation associate at a
big firm and I dont think Im going to make
partner. The firm and the partners that I work
for dont encourage business development, so I
dont have a book of business. And, Im not
getting the trial experience Id hoped for. What
are my options?
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• A. So, you spend your summer at a big (or even
  smaller firm) and get great experience for a
  Summer Associate (along with being wined and
  dined a little or a lot). Based on that
  experience, you believe it is the right place for
  you to begin your journey as a lawyer. Indeed,
  much like Renee Zellweger in the movie Jerry
  Maguire, the firm had you at hello. Everything
  seems great for the first few years. You are
  researching and writing memos, motions, briefs,
  maybe even preparing outlines for depositions and
  preparing for trials and arbitrations. However, a
  few years in, you want more and realize you are
  going to need more to make partner.
• Two of the most common complaints that recruiters
  hear on a regular basis are as follows
• One, you arent getting the hands-on litigation
  experience that you were hoping to get. For some,
  this is the whole reason they go to law school
  to be a trial lawyer. But, you are working at a
  big firm and clients pay top dollar. Because of
  that, often times the clients want the big guns
  (partners) to do all of the heavy lifting (taking
  depositions, making oral arguments, chairing the
  trial). So, you are relegated to a seemingly
  permanent supporting role. Or, perhaps the
  partner just isnt great at developing associate
  talent and enjoys being the face of the case.
• Two, the partners or the firm discourage or dont
  actively encourage associates to build a book of
  business. Perhaps the partners neglect to bring
  associates along on pitches, new client meetings
  or other key networking opportunities. Or maybe
  you are working too many hours and you feel you
  have no time to go to conferences or network. Or
  maybe the firm doesnt reimburse or pay for
  business development. Or, perhaps you have tried
  to bring in business but, either the firms rates
  are too high or there are too many conflicts. Now
  here you are in your 7th or 8th or 9th year, with
  no clients and you know the firm is going to
  require you to have a book to promote you to
  partnership.
• What are your alternatives?
• Pay Attention Early On

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Perhaps it goes without saying, but one of the
best ways to ensure that you are on track in your
9th year is to pay attention and be proactive in
your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years. Seek out those
partners that are better at fostering associate
talent and giving associates opportunities to
learn on their feet. Even if it means working
later hours or weekends, ask for assignments from
those partners. Better yet, make them your
mentor. While many firms have formal mentorship
programs, where more senior attorneys are
assigned to mentor more junior lawyers, informal
mentors may be an even better resource. Ask a
partner out to coffee or lunch so you can pick
their brain a little about how they started
building their own book of business. As your
rise in your class level, you should also be
seeking out opportunities to get involved in
industry organizations. Better yet, dont just
get involved, take a leadership role. Seek out
speaking engagements, publish articles, sit on
the board, become an industry expert (on
something). This will not only increase your
visibility to your own and other partners, but
will help you develop your own skill set so that
you can determine and be in charge of your own
destiny. Making a Move The honest truth is,
without a book of business, it can be harder to
make a lateral move as a senior litigator (or
associate). And, firms that are looking for
senior litigators are often looking for
associates with proven experience, including
actual trial, arbitration and mediation
experience. So, here are a couple of tips to
making a move. First, start early and be patient.
Dont wait until you see the writing on the wall
and feel like you have to make a move. It may
take some time to find the right
position. Second, specialize! While general
senior litigation candidates can sometimes be
harder to place, we find that senior litigators
with highly sought after specialized knowledge
and experience often have more opportunities than
general litigators. Specializations such as
certain IP litigation (computer and life sciences
such as DNA, large molecule and bioinformatics
are particularly hot right now), healthcare
litigation, employment litigation or
environmental litigation, may open more/different
doors. This article How Can I Make Partner or
Make a Move without a Book of Business? First
appeared on BCG Attorney Search also on Issue.
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