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Is It Bad To Be Part Of Or Join A Law Firm With High Turnover? Part 1

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published October 23, 2006

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

A. Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes
The essence of any successful organization is whether it is going forward or backward. As in life, you are always better going forward than going backward.

There are some genuinely bad law firms out there. Notwithstanding, I have been studying law firms for years and can tell you that virtually every law firm goes through cycles. A rash of calls will come about departures from a law firm, and I will hear about how "morale" is low and how the law firm is crashing and burning. Sometime later, I will see the firm at the top of an associate survey and hear about its record profits. In most cases, the attorneys who report "low morale" and other problems at the firm are often (although not always) the ones bringing down morale in the first place.

After seeing this sort of thing happen so many times they are difficult to count, I will simply offer that law firms, like people, go through changes as part of their growth. Oftentimes, the worst thing you can do is bail out of a law firm going through positive changes. The best thing you can do for yourself is remain at a law firm with massive turnover if these changes are being driven by positive factors. Nonetheless, some changes are more significant than others.

Running a law firm is in many respects similar to raising a child; the leaders of the firm must decide what they want the law firm to be. Is your law firm seeking to be a world-class performer, or does it want to remain small? Does your law firm want to be known as the absolute best at something, or does it not care about prestige at all?

There is a profound difference between being in a law firm that wants to take over the world and being in one that does not care about taking over the world. Law firms that take over the world leave legacies—not just on the legal landscape but also on the people who work for them. Law firms with no such concerns may be more interested in simply providing places for small groups of people to come to work. The sort of law firm you work in will make a difference in terms of what you will become, and it will also determine the reasons people either stay at or leave the firm.

I think of law firms as having personality types. The personality type of the law firm you are in will, in many respects, determine whether a rash of turnover inside the firm is a good or bad thing. Some of the most prevalent law firm personality types are explained below.

The Flash in the Pan

Most law firms start out at the bottom of the heap. They start out small; they start out less prestigious; they start out with smaller profits and partners and associates who are not the most desirable in terms of what the market demands. Most lawyers are intensely competitive beasts and want more than anything to be at the best law firms. (Without a single exception, every attorney I have ever worked with has expressed interest in working at one of the most successful "name brand" law firms.)

At some point, the flash in the pan will do something, or a variety of things, well. It may land a big-name partner who will generate a ton of business; it may get a string of clients in one industry; it may make a public relations coup; it may become extremely profitable all of a sudden one year. A large variety of things can happen, and it usually requires more than one to make the law firm successful.

What often happens at flash in the pans is that they get very, very arrogant about their success. A law firm will frequently start making "shocking" public statements degrading other firms and people in the legal market. The law firm will start exhibiting many classic characteristics of hubris in Greek tragedy.

The reason this generally happens with flash in the pans is that these law firms have a lot of pent-up frustration that they acquired from their journeys up the law firm pecking order. Instead of being content in its successful role, the flash in the pan law firm begins to lash out at the world and at people it considers beneath it. The law firm will often start acquiring expensive partners (which it may not be able to afford) from other firms and bringing them on rapidly in a quest to further improve its standing in the legal community. In addition, the firm will begin spending money on office space and other accoutrements to ensure that it is competing properly with other big-name law firms.

News of these problems begins to emerge publicly when the law firm stops paying its vendors in a timely manner—it may even begin having problems paying its staff and attorneys. The law firm may also become hypercritical in many of its reviews, in an effort to reduce its headcount.

Attorneys are typically very poor businesspeople. While the fact that attorneys are poor businesspeople is not a major source of concern, problems with the ways attorneys do business emerge due to the fact that attorneys often think they are good businesspeople. Attorneys—at large law firms in particular—spend the majority of their time working for successful businesspeople and advising them on legal issues. However, advising on legal issues is not the same as running a business. While most businesspeople could never be excellent attorneys, most attorneys could never be excellent businesspeople.

Because most attorneys are selling their time by the hour, they very rarely have good understandings of the sorts of calculations that must be made when running a business in order to appeal to the market, manage cash flow, plan for the future, motivate employees, motivate themselves, get repeat business from clients, and more. Due to a lack of skill in this regard, attorneys who get into power and start exercising control over significant financial resources often make serious mistakes.

United States
This happens most commonly with young partners who are thrust into positions of authority at rapidly growing firms. I have seen more young partners than I can count "lose control" over their stations. I have seen them become addicted to cocaine and prostitutes and become habitual and chronic lawyers. These transformations have seemed profound, due to the fact that many of these same partners were hardworking and somewhat "bookish" sorts of attorneys just a few years previously. Watch out for up and coming law firms headed by young partners with too much power.

The clearest signs of a flash in the pan are sudden reductions in staff, stories about the inability to pay vendors, and other signs that the law firm is unable to meet its expenses. When the law firm starts making public statements about its lack of problems, you generally know something is seriously wrong.

Many people recall the U.S.S.R. collapsing over what appeared to be a short period of time. Finley Kumble, Brobeck, and many other firms have met the same fate. The existence of the signs of a flash in the pan does not always signal that the end is coming, but it is a reason to look out. The first thing a legal organization should be doing is telegraphing financial strength. When a law firm fails to telegraph financial strength and you see other signs it is on weak ground financially, it is appropriate to be alert. Mass turnover at a law firm that appears to be a flash in the pan is a clear warning sign that you should stay away.

The Conformist Firm

Conformist law firms typically are older law firms or made up of associates and partners who are from older/conformist law firms themselves. The conformist law firm is the most common type of law firm out there today. I would estimate that conformist law firms make up more than 90 percent of existing law firms.

In the conformist law firm, the associates, partners, and others will be very concerned about appearing to be doing the right thing at all times. They will watch what others are doing and make judgments about whether what they are doing is the correct thing. Is it uncommon for law firms to have law firm brochures? If so, the conformist law firm will not have one and will cite this fact as a justification for not having one. Do most of the law firms in the city have formal dress codes? If so, the conformist law firm will have a formal dress code, as well.

Law firms become somewhat conformist for many reasons. Generally, however, law firms will be conformist due to the economics dictating their existences. The conformist law firm likely works for a large number of successful, traditional clients, rather than small entrepreneurs, who in most cases are somewhat, if not very, "established." Because the law firm's clients are established, the law firm is likely to be made up of many "older" partners who have worked in the geographic area for some time. If the firm is a newer firm, then the relationships with these clients are most likely the products of "older" relationships. Conformist law firms can be large or, in many cases, smaller in some geographic areas. However, they are almost always built upon client relationships that have existed for some time.

It is important to note that the business cycles of America are reflected in the law firms that serve this country. Are you aware that there are law firms that specialize in railroad law? Predictably, most of these law firms are shrinking and dying off. These law firms are from a different time. New law firms specializing in intellectual property law are doing much better than they would have done 20 to 30 years ago.

When you see a rash of departures from a conformist law firm, it is usually not a good sign. In most cases, conformist law firm departures occur due to the fact that the firm is "losing its edge" or its clients are going out of business. The transition can be slow, as it has been with the erosion of work in the railroad law field, or it can be more rapid. Older partners may be losing interest in their work. The clients may be slowly going out of business. Multiple things might be occurring.

One thing that may be occurring is a generation shift. The expectations that partners in many conformist firms have of associates are not always in sync with the expectations associates have of what their workplaces should be like. There has been a lot of news coverage recently about the fact that people in the younger generation are not as interested in work and need a lot more coddling and hand-holding. If there is a lot of turnover because the law firm is not willing to provide such therapy, you need to ask yourself whether this is a reason for you, too, to leave for different pastures.

Summer associates and other young attorneys are easily lured to join conformist law firms because they often have good names. Some of these names may have been established a long, long time ago. While the trends I am referring to here are "macro" in all respects, you need to understand that when turnover occurs on a widespread basis in a conformist law firm, it is generally not a good sign.

The issues to consider will be where the work is coming from, where the new work is coming from, whether there is new work on the horizon, what sort of new work is anticipated to come into the firm, and whether the law firm is in a position to create new life. If this does not appear to be the case, then you should look at mass turnover inside such a law firm as a major warning sign. Notwithstanding, you need to ask yourself whether the law firm has weathered similar storms in the past. If it has, what did it do to get through the storm last time? Would this be a realistic solution now?

*This is the first of a two-part series. Check back next week for more.
 

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Click here to contact Harrison


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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