Wondering how hard is it to switch practice areas mid-career, like from corporate to privacy, or litigation to regulatory etc? It always sounds like an uphill climb. Once you’re labeled as “X-type” lawyer, it can be tough to rebrand yourself. Has anyone here managed to pivot practice areas after a few years? What helped you make the switch — networking, internal moves, extra training, or just persistence?

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It's difficult but not impossible to switch. It takes a lot of patience (picture 1-1.5 years of building in the other area before switching) and persistence. I recently helped a 10th year litigator transition to privacy counseling and compliance work with a consistent plan that involved internal networking, external networking, external brand building, CLE and skill development, external certifications and narrative building. Email me if you'd like to connect on this at Lauren@PearlmanCareerCounseling.com.

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Thanks, I may contact you for advice

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