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Last summer, I wrote about the future of work in the legal profession following COVID-19. At the time, the Great Resignation was moving forward at full speed, and many lawyers were posting about undertaking new roles, making new leaps, and chartering new career paths.
While the legal profession is seemingly driven by big salaries and big brand recognition, over the past two years, many lawyers have openly discussed trading in the higher salary and the bragging rights of being in Biglaw or working for big name companies in exchange for more time with their families, fewer hours commuting, and a better corporate culture that honors those priorities. This means compensation or extra PTO just isn’t enough for those desiring a better quality of life.
Just last week, I was on a job strategy coaching call with a client who is a senior counsel at a publicly traded company. Her reason for engaging my services is that she’s been out of the job market for nearly 10 years, and her company is requiring a full return to the office for senior leaders (director level and up). That return to the office will put her at a commute of more than three hours each day — a commute she’s avoided for the past two years during the pandemic, which has also given her more time to spend with her young daughters as a single mother. Happiness as a lawyer is no longer contingent on that high salary. Instead, it’s centralized on having a flexible work schedule that’s either fully remote or a hybrid schedule with only two days in the office, giving lawyers the ability to absorb the family time.
Career satisfaction and happiness has finally taken a front seat for the legal profession, which is why we’re seeing a larger exodus and transition in and out of the profession. Think about how LinkedIn has changed the paradigm of the job search for lawyers and all professionals — you can now micro target searches based on work options, thus reducing any questions in the interview process if the job is remote, on-site, or hybrid. You have unfettered access to professionals at all levels of the organization — there is no longer a gatekeeper preventing you from accessing important and targeted persons of interest. Professionals are also utilizing LinkedIn a lot more than they were before the pandemic.
For example, at the time of writing this article, a search on LinkedIn for a “general counsel” in the United States populates over 7,800 results. Of those results, more than 1,900 combined results populate for general counsels seeking remote or hybrid work. This shows that companies are recognizing the increasing need for C-suite legal leaders to prosper in their careers and maintain the balance of flexible work options. A similar search for “attorney” in the United States populates over 31,000 search results, with over 5,700 postings for attorney roles with hybrid or remote options.
As I explored in an ATL article this year, lawyer retention is a problem for firms and companies requiring associates to come back to the office full time. With increased hiring and a booming legal market, lawyers have options to seek out employment at firms or in-house legal departments and pursue roles offering flexible work arrangements — some have even gone on to hang their own shingle or pursue contract counsel roles through companies like Axiom.
In fact, one of the very first questions I ask clients before we work on crafting their new resume or LinkedIn profile is an exploration into the type of work environment they’re seeking in their next role and how it will impact their search. Many are also seeking new ways to advance their careers at different speeds based on their own career pursuits and long-term goals.
What does this mean for all lawyers? Well, for one, you should always have your resume and LinkedIn profile updated with the most relevant and critical skills in demand. Be sure to keep a running list of your achievements, accomplishments, and representative engagements. Maintain good relationships with legal recruiters — if you’re not connected to any, start doing so now. You never know when a legal recruiter will have an opportunity that’s right for you.
If you’re looking to go in-house, connect with in-house counsels at companies of interest who are in your niche. Example, if you’re working on sophisticated M&As involving technology transactions, look to see who else is handling that type of work. Begin to understand how the business truly works and how to become a generalist who can handle a variety of corporate legal issues.
If you’re handling intellectual property matters for fintech startups, look to see what new companies are doing and pay attention to their trends online and in the news. Follow their LinkedIn pages so you’re continuously at the forefront of their work. Remember to keep a pulse on the legal market and changes that are underway in our industry — it’s an ever-changing industry. And, as the past two years have taught us, those changes can happen without warning.
The legal market is still hot — there is no time like the present to truly build your career happiness and grow a personal brand.
Have a question about your job search or legal career? Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Wendi Weiner is an attorney, career expert, and founder of The Writing Guru, an award-winning executive resume writing services company. Wendi creates powerful career and personal brands for attorneys, executives, and C-suite/Board leaders for their job search and digital footprint. She also writes for major publications about alternative careers for lawyers, personal branding, LinkedIn storytelling, career strategy, and the job search process. You can reach her by email at wendi@writingguru.net, connect with her on LinkedIn, and follow her on Twitter @thewritingguru.
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