I appreciate reader input, and this column is a direct result of the following e-mail from a Fortune 500 senior counsel in the pharmaceutical industry: “Mike, I generally enjoy your column, but I’m getting tired of reading about getting a job with law firms and electronic discovery providers. Please get back to writing about those of us who like working in-house.”
Indeed, many of my 2008 columns addressed various twists on a similar theme–exploring options for unemployed inside counsel who are finding it difficult to land an appropriate position, or any position for that matter, within a corporate legal department. I understand, completely, that most of my readers’ first choice is another in-house opportunity. I did not mean to convey that other options are preferable. Unfortunately, a rough economy is taking its toll on those readers who have been downsized, and for some, the challenge of getting back on the traditional path is insurmountable. So in 2009, I will continue to provide some columns that are, essentially, exercises in brainstorming strategies for readers who are out of work.