Knock, Knock: Surprise, Opportunity's Here

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? Whether you're an e-commerce attorney, or engage in general practice, the economy can visit your firm ' whether a large partnership or a one-person shop ' and deal a blow.

The answer: 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 legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa (www.mlaglobal.com). 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 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 a person has lost his or her job, the worst thing to do is to put on blinders or become a recluse, 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.”

A job- or work-seeker's mission should be to make the other person feel comfortable with him or her, not sorry.

The Ideal Focus

Everyone in business today is under pressure to justify her own existence and save money. Therefore, focus on being a solution to someone else's problems. This will get a person much farther that way than by expressing outrage or telling tales of woe.

“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,” Rothblum says.

The supply and demand of jobs vs. lawyers is definitely askew right now, with many lawyers looking for work. This may seem like a panic-inducing situation, but it can also spark innovation and lead people down a path they never thought of. 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. Krell says that the number-one problem with lawyers who find themselves without jobs is that they fall into the victim mentality.

“Saying, 'Why me?' won't get anyone anywhere,” Krell says. “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 each person, 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,” he notes. “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 writing and teaching, he decided to launch a CLE-course business teaching writing skills to attorneys.

His 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, and he will speak at the 2010 International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.

Take the Initiative

Krell easily recalls, and gladly shares, some secrets to his success in getting his CLE business off the ground.

“Lawyers should look at finding a job as a job in itself,” he advises. “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 while 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 was in private practice for many years, and maintained offices in several locations. He joined Sullivan because he had the attractive opportunity to continue developing the firm's international practice. He also wanted to join a firm rather than run his
own small firm, thus eliminating the administrative burdens of being an entrepreneur.

Duffy says that lawyers who find themselves out of work can definitely start their own practices, and recommends it. However, 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.

“Smaller firms can operate more efficiently and cheaply than large firms,” Duffy says. “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 public-relations standpoint, giving the outfit more people to talk about and a deeper well of contacts from which to draw.

Sean Sweeney, an associate at Milwaukee's Halling & Cayo (www.hallingcayo.com), recently joined the firm after having run his own legal practice since he graduated from law school in 2006. He answered an ad in the Wisconsin bar magazine, got himself in front of the right people, and, through persistence, eventually landed his 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 achieved great exposure for his legal practice through social networking.

“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,” he explains. “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 components of networking and seeking a new opportunity. A networker may need to be willing to do work that may not be exactly ideal or within that person's core expertise, but is work that pays well enough and allows flexibility to network, meet contacts and gain new skills. People should be willing to do something they may not ordinarily want to do. If someone needs help with filing or administrative work, or if there is a pro bono opportunity, people seeking work through networking should volunteer for it. Or, if contract attorney work is available and plentiful, why not consider that?

The explosion of electronically stored information in the form of documents and e-mails has given rise to a burgeoning electronic-discovery industry, and this is but one aspect of e-commerce work opportunities for lawyers ' because even though e-commerce has not been affected as much as the generally retail market, changes have squeezed e-commerce firms' resources, including legal resources. Therefore, document-review and discovery-management work is booming and employs thousands of lawyers.

Several talented attorneys have 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 New York City company that outsources document-review projects for Fortune 500 companies.

Wilbur says that contract-attorney work doing document review is often perceived as a temporary situation that is less glamorous than other legal work. He explains, though, that: “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,” Wilbur says. “It also allows them to learn new technologies like Ringtail and Attenex, which look good on a resume.”

Wilbur adds that review projects can sometimes lead to full-time employment.

Conclusion

The upshot is that lawyers looking for a job in today's legal world face a number of stiff challenges, no doubt about it, but windows of opportunity exist, and some are open. To get to those windows of opportunity, though, people may need to be creative and network outside of their usual comfort zone. The more people move, shake and network with a positive trajectory, while considering new and potentially unfamiliar options, the better odds people will have of finding a solid opportunity that might just pay off handsomely.

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? Whether you're an e-commerce attorney, or engage in general practice, the economy can visit your firm ' whether a large partnership or a one-person shop ' and deal a blow.

The answer: 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 legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa (www.mlaglobal.com). 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 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 a person has lost his or her job, the worst thing to do is to put on blinders or become a recluse, 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.”

A job- or work-seeker's mission should be to make the other person feel comfortable with him or her, not sorry.

The Ideal Focus

Everyone in business today is under pressure to justify her own existence and save money. Therefore, focus on being a solution to someone else's problems. This will get a person much farther that way than by expressing outrage or telling tales of woe.

“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,” Rothblum says.

The supply and demand of jobs vs. lawyers is definitely askew right now, with many lawyers looking for work. This may seem like a panic-inducing situation, but it can also spark innovation and lead people down a path they never thought of. 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. Krell says that the number-one problem with lawyers who find themselves without jobs is that they fall into the victim mentality.

“Saying, 'Why me?' won't get anyone anywhere,” Krell says. “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 each person, 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,” he notes. “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 writing and teaching, he decided to launch a CLE-course business teaching writing skills to attorneys.

His 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, and he will speak at the 2010 International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.

Take the Initiative

Krell easily recalls, and gladly shares, some secrets to his success in getting his CLE business off the ground.

“Lawyers should look at finding a job as a job in itself,” he advises. “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 while 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 was in private practice for many years, and maintained offices in several locations. He joined Sullivan because he had the attractive opportunity to continue developing the firm's international practice. He also wanted to join a firm rather than run his
own small firm, thus eliminating the administrative burdens of being an entrepreneur.

Duffy says that lawyers who find themselves out of work can definitely start their own practices, and recommends it. However, 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.

“Smaller firms can operate more efficiently and cheaply than large firms,” Duffy says. “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 public-relations standpoint, giving the outfit more people to talk about and a deeper well of contacts from which to draw.

Sean Sweeney, an associate at Milwaukee's Halling & Cayo (www.hallingcayo.com), recently joined the firm after having run his own legal practice since he graduated from law school in 2006. He answered an ad in the Wisconsin bar magazine, got himself in front of the right people, and, through persistence, eventually landed his 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 achieved great exposure for his legal practice through social networking.

“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,” he explains. “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 components of networking and seeking a new opportunity. A networker may need to be willing to do work that may not be exactly ideal or within that person's core expertise, but is work that pays well enough and allows flexibility to network, meet contacts and gain new skills. People should be willing to do something they may not ordinarily want to do. If someone needs help with filing or administrative work, or if there is a pro bono opportunity, people seeking work through networking should volunteer for it. Or, if contract attorney work is available and plentiful, why not consider that?

The explosion of electronically stored information in the form of documents and e-mails has given rise to a burgeoning electronic-discovery industry, and this is but one aspect of e-commerce work opportunities for lawyers ' because even though e-commerce has not been affected as much as the generally retail market, changes have squeezed e-commerce firms' resources, including legal resources. Therefore, document-review and discovery-management work is booming and employs thousands of lawyers.

Several talented attorneys have 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 New York City company that outsources document-review projects for Fortune 500 companies.

Wilbur says that contract-attorney work doing document review is often perceived as a temporary situation that is less glamorous than other legal work. He explains, though, that: “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,” Wilbur says. “It also allows them to learn new technologies like Ringtail and Attenex, which look good on a resume.”

Wilbur adds that review projects can sometimes lead to full-time employment.

Conclusion

The upshot is that lawyers looking for a job in today's legal world face a number of stiff challenges, no doubt about it, but windows of opportunity exist, and some are open. To get to those windows of opportunity, though, people may need to be creative and network outside of their usual comfort zone. The more people move, shake and network with a positive trajectory, while considering new and potentially unfamiliar options, the better odds people will have of finding a solid opportunity that might just pay off handsomely.