Lateral moves among lawyers have become so common that for those still at their first (or even second or third) law firm, the question isn’t usually whether to move, but when. In 2012, 1,947 partners moved into or out of the Am Law 200 firms.1 In 2011, the number of lateral partner moves was even higher, at 3,012.2 Moreover, if the number of non-partner moves was factored in, these figures would increase significantly. When a lawyer seeks to change firms, there is, of course, always at least one reason prompting the move—conflicts of interest with the lawyer’s key clients, undesirable changes in firm management or culture, dissatisfaction with compensation, etc. But while most lawyers are clear on what they’re trying to run from, a lot less thought seems to be given to what they are running toward. While this is an issue for all candidates, it arguably is an even greater issue for female candidates, who often encounter challenges and concerns not shared by their male counterparts.
While many law firms have created a host of committees and initiatives to better recruit and retain women, it can be difficult to assess which firms actually have been successful in the specific areas that are of interest to individual candidates. For that reason, candidates need to view the interview process as a two-way street and learn as much as possible about a prospective new firm so they can avoid trading in one set of problems for another.
