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Need help deciding if this offer is worth moving for. Received an offer from Booz Allen Hamilton for an Associate level Sr. Systems Engineer in Los Angeles for $135k base. I countered $150k and a $15k singing bonus and asked if I could be brought on as a lead associate since I've been a lead/manager for a while in my current company.
Current company TC: $125k in Utah.
YOE: 7 with M.S. and MBA
Is the switching cost/risk and higher COL worth it?
Impetus Technologies is urgently hiring for #uideveloper with 3-5 years of experience on #react.js
Preferring someone who can join within 30 days.
If interested please share cv at sonal.mishra@impetus.com
#reactdeveloper #redux #javascript #html #css #jquery
#indore #noida #gurgaon #bangalore #pune #hyderabad #chandigarh #ahmedabad #jaipur
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Longtime biglaw partner thinking though how I would react to a letter with this story. The practice change isn’t weird and you’re right that you have transferable skills even if you don’t have the skill set of a typical 5th year transactional associate.
What’s weird from the firm’s perspective is the client relationship. If you wrote to me with the story you presented here, I would wonder (1) is the client suitable for the firm and vice versa; (2) would the relationship be a distraction or impediment as we retrained you; (3) are you or will you become problematically entitled because if the relationship; (4) are there current pile potential future conflicts of interest involved in taking in the client’s work and (5) do the unknown and lawyers to questions 1-4 make this more of a hassle than it’s worth. Note that those questions are all impediments to your candidacy, not attributes.
I think what you should do is set the client relationship aside for the moment. Make a list of the firms in the area where you want to live that have meaningful corporate practices that include general corporate, M&A, and corporate finance expertise. Then look at the partners - how many and how experienced - and the ratio of partners to associates. You want balance there, which implies training and succession opportunities. If you have contacts in the marked ask about options and the reputations of firms and their corporate practices.
Work the list down to a handful of promising options and write a letter to the hiring partner and practice group leader making those points
- I’ve been a commercial litigator for 5 years, have gotten consistently good reviews, and have come to the realization that I like creating and nurturing things more than I like cleaning up messes.
- I have transferable skills and maturity but understand that I may need a reset in class year to learn things I don’t yet know. I’m fine with that and a corresponding pay adjustment.
- I’m looking for a long term opportunity to retool and develop into a rounded and successful transactional lawyer. That means training, mentoring, and exposure to different partners and practice sub specialties are high priorities for me.
- I’m ambitious and have had some early success developing business. Support for business development and help expanding on my skills in that area are also important to me.
- If you think I might be a good fit I would like to meet for coffee.
If you do it this way, your client is an example of your development as a lawyer, not a centerpiece of the deal or potential distraction. And if I got that letter as a hiring partner I would be impressed with its candor and self awareness.
At the end of the day, the firm that’s right for you is probably also a decent fit for a small but potentially growing company. But things happen. Maybe a private equity firm buys it and you’re out of a client. What’s more important at this stage is retooling and learning in a spot that will invest in you and create opportunities for you as you mature.
How does that approach feel to you?
This was very helpful. Thank you.
I switched after a decade in litigation. Good for you for figuring this out sooner than that! I did it through networking; it probably works better if there’s a personal connection (I had one), but absent that I would definitely start reaching out to people and see if anyone will talk to you. My view is just getting in front of as many people as possible, ideally in person, gives you the best opportunity to make your case and hopefully someone takes an interest in you. Try to connect with other former litigators, because they get it. Many of your skills are transferable and as a litigator you are used to ramping up quickly on new issues, so you shouldn’t be competing with summers—maybe more like 2-3rd year. Good luck!
Thank you!
*of note, I have a manufacturing client valued at over 90mm. I have a partner at my firm service and handle most of the work. My firm has a small trans group but they don’t have enough work (hence me giving a partner work) to go around and are not willing to train me. The client will follow me and will be pursuing M&A opportunities in the near future.
100k last year. They would follow me for both trans and lit work. My family member runs the company’s family office.
F
It’s great to see your proactive approach! Reaching out to partners or PG leaders can definitely be a smart strategy—networking is key, especially when making a transition like this. While it’s true that many firms prioritize summer associates, your background in business and corporate disputes positions you uniquely. Your experience will be valuable to transactional teams, particularly those handling complex matters that require litigation insight. I’d suggest tailoring your outreach to highlight how your skills can enhance their work, especially in areas like risk assessment, dispute resolution, and contract negotiation. You could even consider leveraging a brief informational interview to build relationships and learn more about any potential opportunities. Best of luck with the transition!
I would think a good recruiter can help you get a lateral position somewhere; i made a major career change (different areas of law, different types of institutions, etc.) with the help of a recruiter