What Is the Best Time of Year to Make a Lateral Move to Another Law Firm? These 4 Months
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Answer: In my experience, firms are looking year-round for lateral needs, due to fluctuations in the amount of work firms will experience throughout the year. Further, departures from firms happen regularly and those vacancies will need to be filled. This means there are associate needs year-round. Depending on your practice area, there are often multiple needs in a strong market at any given time.
Another reason why lateral hiring is heavy during the first quarter of the year is due to the timing of associate bonuses. Many associate bonuses are paid out from December through February. Most associates will not leave a bonus behind and thus, will not give notice until their bonus has come in. Associate departures are heaviest during this period of the year, and consequently the firms will have significant needs to fill.
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