In today’s legal marketplace, making a lateral move—whether to a new firm, an in-house role, a public interest group or into government—is increasingly commonplace. We would venture to guess that
the majority of young lawyers make at least one lateral move, if not more, in their first 10 years of practice. The American Lawyer has reported that over 2,000 partners at large law firms are switching firms every year. While this number pertains only to partners at major national firms, it’s clear that partners and associates alike are on the move. Whether and when to make a lateral move, however, can be a difficult decision, particularly for young lawyers.
