The Place to Network: Knocking on the Right Doors

Opportunity knocks when you least expect it ' but will it knock when the economy is in freefall and the legal profession is seeing some of its worst layoffs ever? The answer is ' maybe ' if you network! Great career opportunities do exist for attorneys, even in today's bleak economic atmosphere, and you can uncover them through creative networking strategies.

Lisa Rothblum is a Managing Director of the In-House group at Major, Lindsey & Africa (www.mlaglobal.com), the top-ranked legal search firm in the country. Rothblum says that while executive recruitment firms like hers are certainly important to any job search, especially to the high-level executive searches, she notes additionally that, “Statistics show that a large number of people also find jobs through networking.”

Rothblum points out that attorneys often have challenges getting back on their feet when they lose their jobs, primarily because they're conditioned to accomplish tasks that are assigned to them, rather than being trained to promote themselves or think divergently. “Most lawyers think in a project-specific way. They complete an assignment and are given another one. When they become jobless, their first instinct is to hunker down like a turtle so they don't get hit again.”

Looking Ahead

When the chips are down and you've lost your job, the worst thing to do is to bury your head in the sand and hope for the best. This is the ideal time to aggressively and enthusiastically network to find work in the legal industry, or to look outside of law firms for other interesting possibilities.

When networking or interviewing for a potential position, Rothblum suggests, “Don't be defensive about being unemployed, and don't overdo your explanation of why you were let go. Even if you feel desperate, don't manifest that in the presence of others.” Your mission should be to make the other person feel comfortable with you, not sorry for you.

The Ideal Focus

Everyone in today's business world is under pressure to justify his or her own existence and save money. Therefore, focus on how you can be a solution to someone else's problems. You'll get much farther that way than you would by expressing your outrage or telling your tale of woe. According to Rothblum, “Lawyers need to prepare properly for interviews and networking meetings, and really think about how they're going to make that other person's life better.”

The supply and demand of jobs vs. lawyers is definitely skewed right now, with a lot of lawyers looking for work. This may seem like a panic-inducing situation, but it can also spark innovation and lead you down a path you never thought about before. David Krell (www.davidkrell.com) is an IP trademark/copyright attorney based in New Jersey who has found interesting ways to apply his legal skills in non-traditional and creative settings.

According to Krell, the number one problem with lawyers that find themselves without jobs is the victim mentality they often take on, which interferes with their networking. Krell says, “Saying 'why me?' won't get you anywhere. It's about creating movement and momentum, and setting measurable goals.”

Make a List

Krell recommends that attorneys make a list of everyone in their circle of contacts and meet with them, one by one over breakfast, lunch, coffee, or a brief “I'll be in your neighborhood” office meeting. He reminds lawyers not to discount contacts who are also unemployed or underemployed. “Definitely network with people who are in the same position as you, so you can get ideas from each other. Reinforce and expand your network and help others with their requests in addition to seeking work for yourself.”

After he was laid off from a conference planning company in November 2008, Krell decided to make a change. Since he enjoyed both writing and teaching, he decided to launch a CLE course business where he teaches writing skills to attorneys. His current CLE offering, Write This Way 2.0', educates lawyers who want to learn to write better, but who also want to tap into social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to promote themselves.

He delivers Write This Way 2.0' to law firms and holds independent workshops. Because of his passion for writing, he has made it a profitable and enjoyable business. Krell is already booking appearances for next year. He will speak at the 2010 International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.

Take the Initiative

Recalling secrets of his success in getting his CLE business off the ground, Krell suggests, “Lawyers should look at finding a job as a job in itself. Make a To Do list every day and then accomplish those things, one by one. Quantify the list ' five phone calls, send out five letters with resumes, set up three networking meetings, read the New York Law Journal from cover to cover. Lawyers need to just jump in the water.”

Taking the initiative is one of the biggest challenges of networking, especially for attorneys who are accustomed to work coming to them rather than their actively looking for it. Hanging out a shingle and starting a solo practice can be a terrific solution, especially for professionals who have good substantive legal skills and a head for business. However, it can be daunting for attorneys to have to bring in business and service clients as well as running a small company.

James P. Duffy III recently joined the New York City office of Sullivan and Worcester (www.sandw.com) as Of Counsel. Previously, he had been in private practice for many years, where he maintained offices in several locations. He joined Sullivan because he had the attractive opportunity to further develop the firm's international practice. In addition, he also wanted to join a firm rather than running his own small firm and thereby eliminate the administrative burdens of being an entrepreneur. Duffy recommends that lawyers who find themselves out of work can definitely start their own practices. However, in order to ward off isolation and long hours that can come from working as a solo, they can consider forming a small boutique firm with a few other attorneys. Duffy says, “Smaller firms can operate more efficiently and cheaply than large firms. A few attorneys can combine skills and form a nucleus of a small nimble firm that can make a lot of money.”

He continues to say that clients may prefer to work with a firm that has several attorneys rather than just one. “A firm with several people gives clients more peace of mind, and gives the impression that you're in business in a more significant way.” He adds that having several lawyers is also better from a P.R. standpoint, giving you more people to talk about and a wider circle of contacts to draw upon.

Sean Sweeney, an Associate at Milwaukee firm Halling & Cayo (www.hallingcayo.com), recently joined the firm after having run his own legal practice since he graduated law school in 2006. He answered an ad in the Wisconsin state bar magazine, got himself in front of the right people, and, through persistence, eventually landed his current position.

Befriend Other Lawyers

Sweeney has found that getting to know other lawyers is essential for networking for a new job, and also to get new clients. In addition, he has gotten great exposure for his legal practice through social networking. He explains, “I've done a lot of social networking to get my name out there, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Web sites and participation in the ABA's SoloSez listserv. I've been contacted by lawyers I've never met from across the country, and they've sent opportunities my way that have really surprised me.”

Be Realistic

Being realistic is one of the most important ingredients of networking and seeking a new opportunity. You may need to be willing to do work that may not be exactly ideal or within your core expertise, but that pays well enough and allows you flexibility to network, meet others, and gain new skills while you're doing it. Be willing to do something you may not ordinarily want to do. If someone needs help with filing or administrative work, or if there is a pro bono opportunity, volunteer yourself for it. Or if contract attorney work is available and plentiful, why not consider it?

The explosion of electronically stored information in the form of documents and e-mails has given rise to a burgeoning electronic discovery (eDiscovery) industry. Therefore, document review and discovery management work has become a booming business and employs thousands of lawyers.

Several talented attorneys have actually chosen to take full-time positions at discovery management companies. One such attorney is Alan Wilbur, who started his legal career at Venable and who recently accepted a position to lead the Ringtail Practice Group at DiscoverReady (www.discoverready.com), a NYC company that outsources document review projects for Fortune 500 companies. He had worked for FTI Technology where he became familiar with Ringtail review software. The position at DiscoverReady came to him through a former colleague who knew the legal industry.

Wilbur says that contract attorney work doing document review is often perceived as a temporary situation that is less glamorous than other legal work. However, he explains, “Document review work offers lawyers the chance to learn the process of complex litigation and to become familiar with the various issues associated with large population reviews. It also allows them to learn new technologies like Ringtail and Attenex which look good on a resume.”

Wilbur continues on to say that review projects can sometimes lead to full-time employment opportunities. “Companies like DiscoverReady actually create permanent full-time jobs for attorneys, training them to be project managers and executives for managing large-scale review projects. DiscoverReady is in a high-growth field and is growing rapidly as a company, so the future with them is certainly much brighter than with many other legal industry jobs out there.”

Conclusion

The upshot is if you're looking for a job in today's legal world, you face a number of stiff challenges, no doubt about it. However, there are definitely windows of opportunity out there, and to get to those, you may need to be creative and network outside of your usual comfort zone. The more you move, shake and network with a positive trajectory, while also considering new and potentially unfamiliar options, the better odds you'll have of finding a solid opportunity that might just knock your socks off!

Christy Burke, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is President of Burke & Company LLC (http://www.burke-company.com/), a New York-based public relations and marketing firm. She can be reached at 917-623-5096 or [email protected].

Opportunity knocks when you least expect it ' but will it knock when the economy is in freefall and the legal profession is seeing some of its worst layoffs ever? The answer is ' maybe ' if you network! Great career opportunities do exist for attorneys, even in today's bleak economic atmosphere, and you can uncover them through creative networking strategies.

Lisa Rothblum is a Managing Director of the In-House group at Major, Lindsey & Africa (www.mlaglobal.com), the top-ranked legal search firm in the country. Rothblum says that while executive recruitment firms like hers are certainly important to any job search, especially to the high-level executive searches, she notes additionally that, “Statistics show that a large number of people also find jobs through networking.”

Rothblum points out that attorneys often have challenges getting back on their feet when they lose their jobs, primarily because they're conditioned to accomplish tasks that are assigned to them, rather than being trained to promote themselves or think divergently. “Most lawyers think in a project-specific way. They complete an assignment and are given another one. When they become jobless, their first instinct is to hunker down like a turtle so they don't get hit again.”

Looking Ahead

When the chips are down and you've lost your job, the worst thing to do is to bury your head in the sand and hope for the best. This is the ideal time to aggressively and enthusiastically network to find work in the legal industry, or to look outside of law firms for other interesting possibilities.

When networking or interviewing for a potential position, Rothblum suggests, “Don't be defensive about being unemployed, and don't overdo your explanation of why you were let go. Even if you feel desperate, don't manifest that in the presence of others.” Your mission should be to make the other person feel comfortable with you, not sorry for you.

The Ideal Focus

Everyone in today's business world is under pressure to justify his or her own existence and save money. Therefore, focus on how you can be a solution to someone else's problems. You'll get much farther that way than you would by expressing your outrage or telling your tale of woe. According to Rothblum, “Lawyers need to prepare properly for interviews and networking meetings, and really think about how they're going to make that other person's life better.”

The supply and demand of jobs vs. lawyers is definitely skewed right now, with a lot of lawyers looking for work. This may seem like a panic-inducing situation, but it can also spark innovation and lead you down a path you never thought about before. David Krell (www.davidkrell.com) is an IP trademark/copyright attorney based in New Jersey who has found interesting ways to apply his legal skills in non-traditional and creative settings.

According to Krell, the number one problem with lawyers that find themselves without jobs is the victim mentality they often take on, which interferes with their networking. Krell says, “Saying 'why me?' won't get you anywhere. It's about creating movement and momentum, and setting measurable goals.”

Make a List

Krell recommends that attorneys make a list of everyone in their circle of contacts and meet with them, one by one over breakfast, lunch, coffee, or a brief “I'll be in your neighborhood” office meeting. He reminds lawyers not to discount contacts who are also unemployed or underemployed. “Definitely network with people who are in the same position as you, so you can get ideas from each other. Reinforce and expand your network and help others with their requests in addition to seeking work for yourself.”

After he was laid off from a conference planning company in November 2008, Krell decided to make a change. Since he enjoyed both writing and teaching, he decided to launch a CLE course business where he teaches writing skills to attorneys. His current CLE offering, Write This Way 2.0', educates lawyers who want to learn to write better, but who also want to tap into social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to promote themselves.

He delivers Write This Way 2.0' to law firms and holds independent workshops. Because of his passion for writing, he has made it a profitable and enjoyable business. Krell is already booking appearances for next year. He will speak at the 2010 International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.

Take the Initiative

Recalling secrets of his success in getting his CLE business off the ground, Krell suggests, “Lawyers should look at finding a job as a job in itself. Make a To Do list every day and then accomplish those things, one by one. Quantify the list ' five phone calls, send out five letters with resumes, set up three networking meetings, read the New York Law Journal from cover to cover. Lawyers need to just jump in the water.”

Taking the initiative is one of the biggest challenges of networking, especially for attorneys who are accustomed to work coming to them rather than their actively looking for it. Hanging out a shingle and starting a solo practice can be a terrific solution, especially for professionals who have good substantive legal skills and a head for business. However, it can be daunting for attorneys to have to bring in business and service clients as well as running a small company.

James P. Duffy III recently joined the New York City office of Sullivan and Worcester (www.sandw.com) as Of Counsel. Previously, he had been in private practice for many years, where he maintained offices in several locations. He joined Sullivan because he had the attractive opportunity to further develop the firm's international practice. In addition, he also wanted to join a firm rather than running his own small firm and thereby eliminate the administrative burdens of being an entrepreneur. Duffy recommends that lawyers who find themselves out of work can definitely start their own practices. However, in order to ward off isolation and long hours that can come from working as a solo, they can consider forming a small boutique firm with a few other attorneys. Duffy says, “Smaller firms can operate more efficiently and cheaply than large firms. A few attorneys can combine skills and form a nucleus of a small nimble firm that can make a lot of money.”

He continues to say that clients may prefer to work with a firm that has several attorneys rather than just one. “A firm with several people gives clients more peace of mind, and gives the impression that you're in business in a more significant way.” He adds that having several lawyers is also better from a P.R. standpoint, giving you more people to talk about and a wider circle of contacts to draw upon.

Sean Sweeney, an Associate at Milwaukee firm Halling & Cayo (www.hallingcayo.com), recently joined the firm after having run his own legal practice since he graduated law school in 2006. He answered an ad in the Wisconsin state bar magazine, got himself in front of the right people, and, through persistence, eventually landed his current position.

Befriend Other Lawyers

Sweeney has found that getting to know other lawyers is essential for networking for a new job, and also to get new clients. In addition, he has gotten great exposure for his legal practice through social networking. He explains, “I've done a lot of social networking to get my name out there, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Web sites and participation in the ABA's SoloSez listserv. I've been contacted by lawyers I've never met from across the country, and they've sent opportunities my way that have really surprised me.”

Be Realistic

Being realistic is one of the most important ingredients of networking and seeking a new opportunity. You may need to be willing to do work that may not be exactly ideal or within your core expertise, but that pays well enough and allows you flexibility to network, meet others, and gain new skills while you're doing it. Be willing to do something you may not ordinarily want to do. If someone needs help with filing or administrative work, or if there is a pro bono opportunity, volunteer yourself for it. Or if contract attorney work is available and plentiful, why not consider it?

The explosion of electronically stored information in the form of documents and e-mails has given rise to a burgeoning electronic discovery (eDiscovery) industry. Therefore, document review and discovery management work has become a booming business and employs thousands of lawyers.

Several talented attorneys have actually chosen to take full-time positions at discovery management companies. One such attorney is Alan Wilbur, who started his legal career at Venable and who recently accepted a position to lead the Ringtail Practice Group at DiscoverReady (www.discoverready.com), a NYC company that outsources document review projects for Fortune 500 companies. He had worked for FTI Technology where he became familiar with Ringtail review software. The position at DiscoverReady came to him through a former colleague who knew the legal industry.

Wilbur says that contract attorney work doing document review is often perceived as a temporary situation that is less glamorous than other legal work. However, he explains, “Document review work offers lawyers the chance to learn the process of complex litigation and to become familiar with the various issues associated with large population reviews. It also allows them to learn new technologies like Ringtail and Attenex which look good on a resume.”

Wilbur continues on to say that review projects can sometimes lead to full-time employment opportunities. “Companies like DiscoverReady actually create permanent full-time jobs for attorneys, training them to be project managers and executives for managing large-scale review projects. DiscoverReady is in a high-growth field and is growing rapidly as a company, so the future with them is certainly much brighter than with many other legal industry jobs out there.”

Conclusion

The upshot is if you're looking for a job in today's legal world, you face a number of stiff challenges, no doubt about it. However, there are definitely windows of opportunity out there, and to get to those, you may need to be creative and network outside of your usual comfort zone. The more you move, shake and network with a positive trajectory, while also considering new and potentially unfamiliar options, the better odds you'll have of finding a solid opportunity that might just knock your socks off!

Christy Burke, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is President of Burke & Company LLC (http://www.burke-company.com/), a New York-based public relations and marketing firm. She can be reached at 917-623-5096 or [email protected].