I’m a first year associate (almost second year). I work at a national firm and I’m not a litigator. When I started with the firm, I was told I could work out of any office. Long story short, I regret choosing the office that I chose. I’d like to transfer to another office - is that a difficult ask? I’m licensed in the state I’d like to transfer to. I don’t know how to make this request.

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The advice is very simple, really - ask nicely

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Don’t tell them that you regret your initial choice. Just ask to move where you want to be and have a positive and hopefully true answer to the question why you want to move.

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If they were open to you working out of any office 1.5 years ago, and you’re still pretty junior (and therefore somewhat fungible), I would guess they’d say yes now too. If you already work for and have developed relationships with some of the partners in your target office, even better. Or you can try reaching out to them and asking for work if that’s an option to start building those relationships now. The firm may want to make sure the partners in your target office have enough work to keep you busy (even if your firm theoretically is “one firm” and works across offices a lot) and it always helps if those partners have a good impression of you.

But yes, as others said, just ask politely. Don’t say anything negative about current office/city, just talk about why you want to be at your target office. With everyone remote now anyway, is there any urgency? You could start building relationships with the partners in target office now, and in the summer/fall when firms start opening back up, request a transfer then?

I’d first reach out to whoever said that was a possibility (HR or a partner), and see what they recommend as the best first step.

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