People Love Legal Authority: Reviews


Need Help? Call 1-800-283-3860.
Already a Member? Sign In
"The most common means of obtaining a job was a letter or other "self-initiated contact" with the employer..."
- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LAW PLACEMENT
Advice

Featured Articles

 

  EMAIL TO FRIEND

  PDF VERSION

  PRINTABLE VERSION

One Attorney's Experience: Making the Switch from Corporate to Litigation?



Given recent economic conditions, many Legal Authority clients choose to make the switch from corporate law to litigation each week. While this is not always the best choice (especially if you believe that you are particularly suited to doing corporate work), it is an option that Legal Authority clients have chosen with increasing frequency due to the perceived stability of litigation as opposed to corporate positions. Due mainly to the better economy a couple of years ago, many attorneys were choosing to make the switch from litigation to corporate. To give you a sense of the mechanics involved with making a switch, we have profiled a recent Legal Authority client who successfully made the switch.

Mark*, a 2001 graduate of a top five law school, had little more than a year of experience as a corporate attorney with a major U.S. law firm's Silicon Valley office (the office closed in 2003). Mark's circumstance was particularly dire because he (1) was a corporate attorney, and (2) had failed the California Bar Exam—not once, but twice. Mark's law firm had the same policy as many other major law firms have: If you fail the bar exam more than once you must leave the firm.

While Mark's circumstance was unique, the situation in his particular legal market and practice area was not. In addition to having assisted numerous other associates from top Silicon Valley law firms land new jobs, Legal Authority was also already quite familiar with the events that were occurring inside Mark's own law firm because we had already assisted numerous corporate associates from the same class at the same firm as Mark switch firms within the past several months. Indeed, we had even assisted a partner from the same firm move who informed us that he believed the firm's office was in danger of closing. While we had assisted these individuals locate corporate or in house positions, Mark's situation was something that we believed required a far different approach.

Prior to contacting Legal Authority, Mark conducted his job search for a few hours every day, trying numerous methods for getting a position. Mark scanned online job boards, contacted recruiters and asked his law school for alumni contacts. By January of 2003 - more than 7 months after being let go - Mark had not received a single interview. After unsuccessfully trying to get a job through a preeminent San Francisco recruiter, the same recruiting firm recommended that Mark contact Legal Authority.

Despite all of the gloom, there were some positives to Mark's prospects by January of 2003. Fortunately, Mark ultimately did pass the bar on his third attempt. In addition, Mark graduated in the top 50% of his law school class. Having seen many of his fellow associates get laid off (several at his own firm were even let go while he was studying for the Bar Exam his third time), Mark was not entirely committed to doing corporate work. In fact, Mark had become so disillusioned with corporate practice, that he was not sure he even wanted to practice law at all. Nevertheless, Mark believed he owed it to himself to push forward. With almost $100,000 in student loans from law school, and a family to support, Mark felt a need to continue working as an attorney.

Mark was initially skeptical about using a service like Legal Authority, according to Legal Authority Employment Advocate Melissa Zelada. Melissa, herself an attorney, had to spend a great deal of time with Mark educating him about Legal Authority and discussing his job search. According to Melissa, "Mark's search was complicated by the fact that he really stood no chance of getting a corporate position. Not having the bar and competing with scores of other corporate attorneys who had not been fired for failing the bar twice made his prospects very dire. In addition, Mark was conducting his search in one of the worst areas of the United States from an employment perspective. Mark believed that if a firm did not advertise a position or hire a recruiter to track down a candidate for an opening, they were not worth contacting."

Melissa also knew that Mark's search was not going to be an easy one: "Here was a super candidate who had both found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and had not passed the bar after two attempts. He was also in the virtual epicenter of the economic downturn. He was a junior corporate associate and had not worked in over six months. I knew that Legal Authority could help Mark despite his situation."

Melissa and Mark spent over two hours on the phone strategizing options. Mark was accepted the idea that it would be in his best interest to move out of corporate law and into a practice area that was currently more in demand and would be more stable, like litigation. As a summer associate at both a major New York and Silicon Valley law firm, Mark had been exposed to enough litigation work that Melissa knew that Legal Authority's Resume and Cover Letter Division would be able to do an excellent job both highlighting his litigation skills and helping Mark make a plausible case that he really wanted to do litigation work. In addition, Mark spent one year as a litigation paralegal prior to enrolling in law school, and had enjoyed the litigation work there.

"When I was a first and second year student in law school, all anyone was talking about was corporate, corporate, corporate," Mark told Legal Authority, "Everyone knew that being a corporate associate could be a ticket to a super in-house position and stock options. When I was a corporate associate I gradually came to realize that being a litigator was probably more suited to my personality. To me, corporate attorneys were just too uptight."

While it may not sound all that significant, making the change from corporate to litigation was a major career decision for Mark. Melissa also felt there was a lot of strength in providing Mark with a rationale to do litigation work and that his decision was justified in his own mind. According to Melissa, “Mark wanted a job. He could have applied to scores of firms in the Bay Area for a corporate position and gotten another one—most likely at a firm of less than 20 attorneys that would not have cared about the Bar Exam, but it would have nevertheless been difficult with his particular circumstance. When I sensed he did not really enjoy corporate anyway, it was somewhat refreshing because I knew he would have a lot of choice in the litigation realm.”

Melissa and Mark believed that the best strategy was to follow his heart and go for a litigation position. In the San Francisco legal market, like virtually every legal market, far more firms do litigation work than corporate work. Finally, the corporate market at the time was in horrible shape. Mark ultimately decided to approach 300 large and medium-sized law firms with litigation departments to secure his litigation position.

Mark and resume specialist Christopher Dacus worked on several versions of his resume and cover letter with Legal Authority. Dacus, who received his Master's Degree in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania and, has counseled hundreds of attorneys in his time as a professional writer. According to Dacus, the largest challenge with Mark's cover letter was that Mark really needed a job and would basically take any position offered, and he needed to portray strength while not appearing desperate. According to Chris:

"Mark didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket. Essentially, he was hoping that a corporate position would open up for him if the litigation strategy failed. When I am working with our clients at Legal Authority, I am always cognizant that my goal is to ensure that they get a job."

Mark's final cover letter and resume reflected that he had litigation and corporate experience. While the cover letter emphasized Mark's litigation interest but also mentioned his corporate experience in enough detail that employers would see it.

Mark received his Airbone Express package from Legal Authority on a Saturday. On Sunday he signed his cover letters and mailed them on Monday. What happened next surprised Mark. By Wednesday, Mark had received 5 interviews. While 4 of the 5 interviews were with medium sized firms, the fifth interview was with the San Francisco office of a major New York City-based law firm. By Friday, Mark had received 11 interviews, and by the middle of the following week he had received 16 interviews.

Mark called Melissa the day he received his first interviews. Two weeks later, he called Melissa again to tell her he had accepted a litigation position with a mid-sized San Francisco firm - at a salary identical to his former one. And what happened with the San Francisco office of the major New York law firm? Mark was quite clear: "When I got my call back after my screening interview, I stalled and ultimately never went back. I do not think I am ever going to want to work for a big firm again. Who needs that? I expect to be a partner in five years at my present firm. If there is anything I would recommend to attorneys searching for a job it is this: Don't use Legal Authority as a last resort. I could have been employed more than 6 months ago if I had used Legal Authority in the first place."

*Names have been changed to maintain privacy, but this is a 100% true success story.




Facebook comments:



Related Articles

New York Versus London Firms

''We say tomato, and they say...''...

''When Law Firms Turn Mean''

One of the more interesting aspects of the current economic slowdown is the fact that many firms have become increasingly ''meaner'' to their associates. Not that all firms are mean, however, attorney...

Negotiating your salary

Negotiating a financial package is every job seeker's final hurdle. It is also their nightmare. The topic of one's own worth can make even the most secure person apprehensive. Further, many people are...

Some Things You Probably Did Not Know About Legal Authority

Does this work? Many attorneys who have used self-initiated targeted mailing originally tried the other ways to find a job that you may have. It did not work for them either. Beyond even compensating...

Another Success Story in the Bay Area

''THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF SUCCESS'' ''Another corporate attorney comes through in the Bay Area''...

Targeted Mailings - Make It Personal

PERSONALIZING YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER is a vital part of your targeted mailing. By doing so, you can ensure that potential employers will not automatically think that you did a mass mailing just ...

''An Attorney Without a Job is Not the Typical Legal Authority Client: But This is One Success Story You are Likely to Remember''

Legal Authority's clients are typically in-house attorneys seeking jobs in large corporations and law firm attorneys moving into other law firms. In fact, the majority of attorneys we assist are curre...

Economics and ''Mean'' Law Firms

One of the more notable aspects of the current economic slowdown is the fact that many firms have become increasingly ''meaner'' to their associates. In fact, many firms have become so nasty that man...

''Another corporate attorney in the Bay Area comes through with Legal Authority''

Mark*, a 2000 graduate of a top ten law school, had little more than a year of experience as a corporate attorney with a major Silicon Valley law firm. Mark's circumstance was particularly dire becaus...

Making the Switch from Corporate to Litigation?

Given recent economic conditions, many Legal Authority clients choose to make the switch from corporate to litigation each week. While this is not always the best choice if you believe that you are pa...



"Show us you are alive! We want to hear your thoughts. Please comment on this article (below)!"

Article ID:  70024  www.legalauthority.com

Article Title:  One Attorney's Experience: Making the Switch from Corporate to Litigation?

Be the first to comment on this article!

Add Comment


  • Share this story:


  • BlinkList
  • blogmarks
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • NewsVine
  • Simpy
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • E-mail this story to a friend!
  • Print this article!
  • Faves
  • Furl
  • Netvouz
  • Slashdot
  • Spurl
  • Yahoo! Buzz





Sign up for a "Free, No Obligation Resume Critique" and "Free Market Evaluation". Let us tell you how much potential you have!
 
WE ARE VERY DISCRETE IN ALL CALLS.
Reviews
What Our Clients Are Saying
I obtained employment through Legal Authority's service. I doubt I would have been able to do this on my own. Thank you very much!
- Michael S.

As an eighth-year attorney from a low-ranked law school, I hoped to move from Florida to Colorado, but ''experts' said I'd be lucky if I could even find contract work. Legal Authority got me 11 interv...
- Ken F.

I attended a non-ABA accredited school that doesn't even require LSATs to get in. Yet I am getting calls for interviews. I think you really presented my strengths well so that I can overcome my lack o...
- Burt

 MORE
Options
Your Options
Getting an In-House Position
Myth Versus Reality for Law Firm Jobs
Myth Versus Reality for In-House Jobs
Myth versus Reality: Law School Professor Jobs
Myth Versus Reality: Federal Clerkships, State &...
Myth versus Reality: Prosecutor Jobs
Pro Bono Legal Work and Your Legal Career
Give Yourself the Most Options
Major Practice Areas Analyzed
Starting a Career as a Real Estate Lawyer
Featured Advice
Featured Advice
New York Versus London Firms
Law School for Mature Students
The First Born Phenomenon
The Story Doesn't End There
Economics and ''Mean'' Law Firms
How to Acquire the Best Legal Jobs
The Art Of Networking - A Guide To A Networking...
How To Use Job Boards And Advertisements To Jump...
Finding Your Niche - The Smart Way To Market Yourself
Be an Effective Negotiator - How to Get the...
Networking and Your Job Search
An Advocate for Attorneys and Law Students to Get Jobs
Advice for Law Students and Attorneys: Emphasize Labor and Employment
Give Yourself the Most Options
What Legal Authority Does
From the Legal Authority Blog
The Practice of Law: To Stay or Go
+ Click here to read more
The Story Doesn’t End There
+ Click here to read more
Will an LL.M. help my legal career
+ Click here to read more
5 Biggest Attorney Job Search Mistakes
Attorneys and law students are one of the most ill-informed groups of people there are when it comes to conducting a job search. MORE
Legal Authority Outplacement Program
Give your attorneys the most opportunities.
Making economic or strategic adjustments in personnel can be a tough decision for any firm... MORE
Law Student Wins with Legal Authority
How a highly successful Manhattan law firm associate auctioned himself off to the highest bidder... MORE
For Employers
Legal Authority's Comprehensive Employee Outplacement Program.
Give your attorneys the most opportunities. MORE
Our Database and Technology
Legal Authority's Comprehensive Database and Advanced
Search Engine.
 MORE
National Advertisement
Legal Authority and National Media
Take a sneak peek at the marketing strategies of Legal Authority. MORE
Get the best legal jobs through Legal Authority.
Click here to understand the simple process and utilize our services to the maximum.
Download Now
Get on Track
Get on Track
Legal Authority Core Values
How Do You Work With Employer Data at Legal...
Why Legal Authority Works: Myth versus Reality
What Legal Authority Does
Legal Authority and Law Students
What Is Legal Authority?
Using Legal Authority for Law Student Jobs
Legal Authority Works!
Legal Authority Is a Great Way for Law Students...
What Legal Authority Does For You
Choose Legal Authority
Choose Legal Authority for Your Job Search
Legal Authority Outplacement Program
Legal Authority Is the Smartest Way for Law Students to Find Jobs. Period.
If You Can Register on Legal Authority You Can Get a Legal Job
Why Legal Authority Will Transform You and Your Career
Do Not Let Your School Control the Recruiting Process
Who Can Legal Authority Help
Legal Authority Is Not for Everyone
An Advocate for Attorneys and Law Students to Get Jobs
What Legal Authority Does Works
Why I Started Legal Authority
Some Things You Probably Did Not Know about Legal Authority
Legal Authority Can Get You Your Next Law Firm Job
On-Campus Interviewing or Legal Authority
How Legal Authority Started: You Need to Have Desire to Achieve Your Goals
Legal Authority Works for Law Students
Legal Authority assists more attorneys and law students, at more law schools, get jobs than any other source.
Request More Info
Learn more about Legal Authority
First Name:*
Email Address:*
Phone Number:*
FOUNDER HARRISON BARNES' BLOG

SIGN UP  |   HOME  |   ABOUT US  |   FAQ  |   CONTACT US  |   HISTORY  |   REVIEWS  |   TELL A FRIEND  |   LEGAL SPECIALTY AREAS  |   PRESS ROOM
LEGAL AUTHORITY JOB SEARCH TIPS  |   SITE MAP  |   SEE WHY LEGAL AUTHORITY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO FIND A LEGAL JOB  |   TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP  |   PRIVACY POLICY
DAILY JOB SEARCH ADVICE  |   DAILY JOB SEARCH VIDEO  |   FOXES AND HEDGEHOGS  |   OUR SITES
© 2024 LEGAL AUTHORITY INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.