I’m a third year tax associate with my LLM. I left the IRS for a small boutique M&A firm that had a great reputation in my region.

I have been at the firm for 3 weeks and I just found out that 2 of the 4 partners are leaving and taking a bunch of the senior associates with them. The only tax partner is leaving to go in-house and semi retire. I am going to be the only tax associate at the firm.

So what’s the play here, look for a way out as fast as possible or ride it out for the time being?

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Ask the 2 partners taking associates with them for help finding a new firm. If they don’t help, ask others for help finding a new firm. Everybody understands that a third year tax associate can’t be the sole tax specialist at a law firm. Of course, come up with a good way to say it, but it’s kind of obvious that you need to find a new home. The partners can absolutely help you.

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Lol

Also former IRS. Folks in private practice have no idea what type of training, exposure, and experience you get at the IRS. Mine put me ahead of partners in major firms in my niche in less than half the time. Depending on what your role was in the Agency, try to carve out your niche within tax based on that experience and build the practice up. Get some external mentors who are tax and M&A attorneys and you will be fine.

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This is a very refreshing take to read. I have wanted to work for the IRS since the very beginning of my career and haven’t been able to get there yet. I’ve read so many negative posts on here or elsewhere about the IRS. I had just transitioned to a new position after their recent hiring surge but I am tempted to look again and try to make the jump.

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Sounds like you are too junior to be going solo like this, unless you are or will be working in the non-tax aspects of the firm’s practice. You have a very explainable reason for moving should you seek out lateral opportunities.

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Absolutely, I know that unless a new partner comes in to rebuild the tax practice group the firm will likely have to refer out all tax matters.

I just spoke to some of the associates that will be staying and there’s definitely enough work on the non-tax matters to keep me busy as I look for something new.

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Go to a big firm and leave these inconsiderate people.

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I 100% feel blindsided by this. Granted the tax practice group was small, just the partner and an associate that’s been practicing with him for the last 7 years. The whole pitch by the managing partner when I interviewed was that they planned to really expand the tax practice.

DM me. We are BL cravath scale and want a midlevel tax associate

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Dw I DMed you instead!

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Thanks for all the advice! This weekend I’m getting lunch with the two partners that are leaving. Hopefully, they can help find me a new position.

Oh that’s awesome, OP. You’ll find a good spot. You have a solid background and specialty.

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