Legal Rebels Website Launched by ABA Journal

Looks like a good place to find inspiration for making change in your own legal career. Here is a description in an e-mail I received about the launch:

Over the course of the next three months, we'll be profiling 50 of the profession's leading innovators at http://www.legalrebels.com . The first seven profiles, along with videos and audio slideshows that illustrate the changes they're trying to make in the practice of law, are now online. We'll be adding at least three new profiles to the site every week until Thanksgiving.

How Do You Change Careers Without Taking a Pay Cut?

Answer: You can't. At least according to the Brazen Careerist.

This does not mean that you will never earn as much as you earned as a lawyer; but don't expect to immediately replace a high six figure salary with another six figure salary (i.e. if you decide that something besides law is your calling.)

Thinking of Switching to Law Firm Management?

Lawyers who are thinking of switching to a management role at a firm have some advantages over non-lawyers. Presumably, they understand how lawyers think, how work gets done and how to best serve clients. But management requires a set of skills that is very different than the skills required to be a good lawyer. For starters, managing requires a focus on the big picture while much of lawyering requires a strong focus on the big picture. In working on a deal or a case, there is generally a beginning, a middle and an end. Managing people is much more open ended. For more on the subject, there is a very good article on Law.com.

Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Intch?

Are you eager to give up your high paying law firm job for the chance to earn a salary that is based 100% on commissions? Would you like the chance to have your income depend on highly irrational decision making over which you have very limited control? If so, then a career in legal recruiting may be just what the doctor ordered. My company, BCG and its sister company Lawfirmstaff are both looking for recruiters in offices all over the country, including Boston.

I don't ordinarily like to use this space for any commercial purpose. But since many of the readers of this blog are looking for some alternatives, I thought I would do a post.

In all seriousness, I think legal recruiting is a great way to earn a living. If you are a lawyer, you still get to work with attorneys and law firms; but instead of practicing, you are helping lawyers and paralegals find ways to advance their careers. If you can bear the risks, then the rewards can be significant. If you are interested in learning more, please drop me a line at seckler@bcgsearch.com and let me know how to contact you.

Is There Life After Law?

Do you believe in an afterlife? Are you wondering if lawyers can do anything but practice law after spending 5 years as an associate? Well stop wondering. Evidence of a legal afterlife is all around you. Many law school faculty and administrators once practiced law. Many legal recruiters like myself were once practitioners (while I actually skipped that step, most of my BCG colleagues spent several years in practice.) There are lawyers who launch business ventures, become teachers, enter politics or run non-profit organizations (for example.)

Although I can’t prove to you conclusively that there is in fact an “afterlife” in store for you, I can recommend a good blog to look to for inspiration, JD Bliss Blog. I am actually a guest blogger for JD Bliss and I recently posted about a corporate lawyer who became a general counsel and now works on leadership development at his company. Going in-house can be a good stepping stone to leaving the practice of law. But don't necessarily expect the change to happen quickly. Build your reputation first as being someone who knows how to get things done. If you do, your options will undoubtedly increase.

Don't Quit Your Day Job

Are you thinking about leaving the legal profession? Not sure what's next? Are you considering quitting your law firm job so you can figure out a good next step?

I have written a piece which appears on the BCG website. You may want to read it before you pull the trigger!

Show Me the "Promotion"

There are a huge number of talented lawyers who would happily work 3/4 time for 3/4 pay. You would think that by now, some major firm would have figured out how to capitalize on this reality. Instead, we see large firms in all the of the major legal markets rushing to match their competitors in the latest salary wars. There is no significant movement at large firms to address the work/life concerns of lawyers who want to do great work but maintain a life outside of work.

But what about Thelen Reid in California? They've just announced a 2 tiered pay scale which raises starting salaries to $160K for associates willing to commit to 2000 billables but leaves starting salaries at 145K for associates who prefer to bill less.

This sounds like a creative approach and I'm sure some of the partners who proposed this were sincere in their belief that the firm can support different levels of contribution. But given the general track record of law firms on these issues, I think it is a risky career strategy to choose the second tier pay.

if I volunteered for the lower pay scale, I wouldn't necessarily expect to advance to partnership. Along with the policy, Thelan needs to show some success stories that demonstrate that they are truly committed to the multi-tiered approach. If associates who choose "plan B" can still advance to partnership and have influence at the firm, then it makes career sense to consider "plan B" as a viable long-term career option. Otherwise, an associate choosing this option is only speeding up his or her ultimate departure from the firm. Perhaps this a tad cynical; but it comes down to the old adage that "actions speak louder than words."

Temping in the Law

My colleague Danice Kowalczyk in BCG's New York office offers some interesting thoughts about when it makes sense to take a job as a legal temp. Temping has been around for a while now in the legal profession. Temping arrangements can be a win/win for firms who need to quickly build an army or fill an empty slot and lawyers who wants to work in the profession without the long hours and ongoing commitments that come with partnership track.

But it is a mistake to think that taking a temp job is an entree into a large law firm position. Over the years, I have spoken to a number of staff attorneys who are stuck in dead end positions doing document review.

On the other hand, temping can be a good foot in the door if the work is more substantive. This is more likely to happen at a smaller firm and more likely to occur if you seek out temp work directly through aggressive networking. Agencies may be able to find you work more quickly; but it is less likely to be substantive. This may not be a bad thing if you need to generate income. But as Danice nicely points out, it is important to know what you are getting yourself into.

10 Tips For Making Change

While I am on the subject of change, JD Bliss blog has linked to some very good tips on how to explore changing careers.

Making Change in 2007?

For those who are gainfully employed, December is a good time to take stock. How well are things working at your current firm? I created a Career Audit for Associates last year to help in making this assessment. I also created a similar tool for partners which I can e-mail to anyone who is interested.

If your are pondering more fundamental questions like "To Be or Not to Be a Lawyer", there continue to be some great resources free for the taking on various websites. JD Bliss continues to offer some great content. I also recently discovered "The Complete Lawyer" which has devoted its most recent issue to the subject of change (I learned about this publication from blogger Idealawg.com .) Also, BCG's CEO, Harrison Barnes, raises some interesting thoughts for lawyers who wonder whether they might be happier in a business setting.

Even if you conclude that you should continue doing what you are doing, going through a process like this can inspire you to fine tune what you've got so it can work even better.

Thinking of a Career Change?

Here is a quick guide to structure your thinking.