First time moving as a partner and looking for advice on how/when to approach clients at my old firm, to let them know they can move with me to the new firm. If anyone has done this successfully, let me know your suggestions on how to do this please! How aggressively did you pitch?

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Depends on your current Firm. Crazy things happen, firms will try to lock you in per partner agreements and send teams out to pitch your clients. Are your supporting team members moving? That is crucial consideration. If your firm has nothing to do with your clients than you are likely fine. If your clients have other connections to your firm I would contact them in a “hypothetical” conversation soon and make sure they are comfortable with and will sign a letter asking that all files be transferred to your new Firm.

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In my jurisdiction, you're supposed to send a letter to the client informing them of their options to go with you, stay at the firm, or choose a new lawyer. That doesn't always happen though. When I left my first firm, it was amicable and we followed what was supposed to be done. All but 1 client came with me. But have definitely seen messy splits where the bar rules were not followed. Firms tend to view the clients as belonging to them when it really is the client's decision on who they want as their attorney. If there are contingency fees involved that will also affect the split. that's where I've seen more of a let me get these clients lined up first

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Definitely read your partnership agreement and be smart about how you approach. You may also want to talk it through with your new firm, so that they are comfortable they won’t be inheriting some kind of liability for any breach of a prior partnership agreement.

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If you haven't already moved, it would be a good idea review for case law in your state on breach of fiduciary duty in the context of departing partners accused of taking action to "steal" firm clients before actually resigning from the partnership, and also to review the RPC in your state for any applicable rules regarding when clients must be informed that you're leaving.

Someone here who had to go through a trainweck. I thought we came to an amicable agreement where I would offer to take 15 out of about 900 clients I had brought in. Many of the matters were small EP matters that didn’t fit with my new practice. Two clients who were “firm clients” reached out to me to move with me and it started a war. Old firm wanted me to say I couldn’t take them despite their being nothing in the law or the partnership agreement to indicate that. The relationship is now ruined because I didn’t act in their best interest. So, my advice is hope for the best and plan for the worst. No one cares about you more than you, don’t let the guilt get ya.

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