It is not unusual for lawyers who have worked in private practise for several years to consider a career move to an in-house position. Horizontal transfers to another law firm are not always considered in the career move decision making process.
The most common reasons lawyers have for deciding to make a career change include the opportunity to:
- be involved at an earlier stage in the business
- accompany business processes from beginning to end
- create a better work-life balance
- invest more in personal development other than just legal development
These are all responses we commonly hear from lawyers who are working at larger firms.
There is a misconception that these opportunities only exist within in-house roles. However, within private practise many of these requirements can also be met.
Diversity within private practise
No law firm is identical to another; they come in all shapes, sizes and forms. The following factors all have a role in the decision making process when considering a horizontal transfer: the (inhabited) composition within the office, the type of cases and clients, and the degree of autonomy and career opportunities within the office. These factors differ between the different private practices and it is not always easy to gain knowledge of a firm’s culture and work practices as an outsider. It is beneficial to speak with a recruiter to learn more about a specific firm. A good recruiter is someone who is able to not only assess your key competencies and skills, but find an organisation where you will also fit in culturally. This is something that you would not necessarily know without “insider contacts”, as interviews can often create a false environment which is not indicative of the day to day working environment of an organisation.
No law firm is identical to another; they come in all shapes, sizes and forms.
Medium and niche firms
Besides the large and medium-sized firms, we have seen more niche firms emerging in the Dutch market. As a result, the freedom of choice for a horizontal transfer is even greater than before with a notable increase of new niche firms in the past few years.
Niche firms are often composed of experienced lawyers, coming from large firms. Therefore, while the legal practices from the larger law firms are continued in the niche firms (quality of legal expertise etc) you would also have more involvement with clients and more opportunity to work on your own initiatives.
Within medium-sized firms, you may have the interesting opportunity to work together with multiple disciplines within a more compact composition and with more independence and commitment towards your clients. This allows you to develop your skills across a broader area than just legal development alone.
As a result of the economic crisis, large clients are increasingly looking for the expertise of medium-sized and niche firms. Large clients do not choose just one dedicated lawyer or law firm for their legal affairs, but tend to hire several medium-sized and/or niche firms within the desired legal specialisations. Of course this is also partly due to the competitive rates that medium-sized and niche firms can offer their clients.
Are you looking for your next horizontal move within private practice?
Within the legal division of Robert Walters, we have a team dedicated to private practice and notary. The recruitment consultants within this team remain close to the market, with regular updates on trends and opportunities within private practice and notary. If you would like to learn more about suitable opportunities for you feel free to contact us,our specialist consultants will be happy to talk with you. Send an email to joyce.toeset@robertwalters.com or call 020 644 4655.
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