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The Five Stages of Every Legal Career

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published December 29, 2014

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

Summary: The five stages of every legal career are important to understand for every legal professional in order to discover where you are at and how you can improve.
 
Learn the Five States of Every Legal Career


1. Orientation: You figure out the rules of the game.

In the first phase, you engage in a variety of tasks for the very first time. As a result, you must act without always knowing what you're doing – an uncomfortable feeling if you're accustomed to competence and control. Simply living through the discomfort of feeling foolishly incompetent – getting to the point of doing something the second or the third time – will sometimes cure your career ills. To reduce your discomfort, identify sympathetic colleagues with more experience to turn to for guidance.

2. Challenge: You prove your competence.

During the challenge years, you operate along a stimulating learning curve, becoming more and more skilled. The challenge phase is particularly engaging and, as a result, little dissatisfaction emerges during this period. The risks, instead, are that you'll be assigned work beyond your expertise, or that you'll take on more work than you can competently handle. The key to continued satisfaction is to admit when you're in over your head and seek assistance.

3. Establishment: You climb the ladder.

In this phase, the goal is to achieve success, however you define it. There are three risks. The first is that you may let your desire for a good income and a stellar reputation control your actions to the point where you neglect personal relationships. The second is that you may drive so hard that, as anthropologist Joseph Campbell put it, you'll reach the top of the ladder only to discover you've placed the ladder against the wrong wall. The third danger is that you'll find yourself stuck on an intermediate rung of the ladder. Then, you'll face three options: move to new work, accept the situation or redefine success.

4. Cruising: You operate on a comfortable plateau.
United States
 
This phase begins when you've mastered your profession and reached a comfortable prominence: a place where you know your job, can easily meet its challenges, and feel both personally and financially secure. Although some can cruise happily until retirement, many others will become restless or bored-especially those who thrive on the excitement and tension fueled by having to learn. You can improve your longevity while reinvigorating your career by adding an element of risk to your workday. You might experiment with new projects, branch into a related discipline, or strike out on your own.

5. Disengagement: You begin to let go.

If you believe you are in the cruising phase but have begun to question your attachment to your career, you may in fact have entered the disengagement phase. Disengagement can lead to retirement or a new career, or it can lead to procrastination, loss of interest, or depression. To avoid the pitfalls of the disengagement period, take action. Do something that exhilarates you and makes you feel a little bit afraid. That something new may just lead you to a new career, where the five-stage cycle will begin anew.

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Please see the following articles for more information about life as an associate:
 
Please see the following articles for more information about law school, the bar exam and succeeding in your first year of practice:
 

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
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