[TRANSCRIPT] There Are Only Three Reasons an Attorney Should Ever Switch Law Firms

 
There are many reasons attorneys switch jobs, but most of these reasons are misguided. From my experience, I would estimate that only three to four out of ten attorneys have good reasons for making a switch, while the rest might be better off staying put. I'll also cover the reasons people commonly give me for switching jobs. These may be reasons you've considered in the past or may think about in the future. However, entering a new job with the intention of leaving soon is never a good idea, and I'll explain why.
 
Here are the three valid reasons you should consider switching firms:
 

• You are on the wrong side of the political climate in your office.
• You don't have access to enough work.
• You have the opportunity to move to a more prestigious firm (although this isn't always sufficient on its own).
• Each of these reasons has a lot of depth, and there are many factors at play behind the scenes. I'll be discussing each of them in detail.

 
One important point to remember is that you should never find yourself unemployed if one of these reasons arises. If you suspect you might lose your job, it’s wise to start looking for a new one before becoming unemployed. In the current economic climate, where job losses are common, even a short period of unemployment can make it much harder to secure a new position. This is because law firms might assume that you couldn't navigate the political landscape or secure enough work at your previous firm, making you less attractive as a candidate.
 
These are the intangible factors that often determine the future of an attorney within a law firm and ultimately impact their legal career. If you don't manage these three areas—access to work, office politics, and job security—well, you are likely to face the same problems in your next firm. Law firms want to know that you are busy and receiving work because this indicates that you are a good attorney producing quality work. Many senior partners, associates, and others often overlook the importance of having access to work and navigating firm politics, which is why many attorneys fail to succeed in large or even mid-sized law firms.
 

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When moving into a better, more prestigious firm, law firms are always open to candidates who are ambitious, eager to improve, and willing to challenge and push themselves to get better. You should always strive to advance and improve in your career.
 
Here are the three reasons you should consider switching law firms:
 

1. Political Climate: The tide of opinion in your office is against you, and you are not part of the influential group. In most law firms, certain individuals hold significant business and power, meaning they have access to a lot of work, which they distribute to others. They are also politically connected, receiving work from others and garnering support for their ideas. Being part of a group with substantial business and power can enable you to advance and even make partner without necessarily having your own book of business.

 
People in power surround themselves with allies—those who support them, make them feel secure, and prove they can be trusted. Building close relationships with powerful individuals in the firm is crucial. If you are connected to those with work and political influence, you will likely do well. During layoffs and recessions, those who lose their jobs typically lack strong political allies. Conversely, if you have powerful allies, they will likely protect your job and ensure you have consistent access to work.
Just as parents prioritize feeding their children and countries prioritize feeding their armies, powerful allies prioritize those who are closely connected to them. Therefore, it is essential to be well-connected within the firm. Being close to rainmakers—those who bring in substantial business—is particularly advantageous. Rainmakers are more likely to protect their allies and provide them with work opportunities.
 
If you are an associate or even a partner, being close to those in power can teach you how to develop your own book of business. Even if they don't teach you directly, you can observe how they approach prospective clients, market themselves, and build their reputation. Learning from them can help you develop your own rainmaking skills and advance within the firm.
Additionally, powerful individuals with business often move to new firms, and when they do, they typically bring their allies along. They value having trusted individuals by their side to support them in their new environment. I often see attorneys with multiple job moves on their resumes because they were brought along by someone in power. These powerful individuals want to bring their allies—their eyes and ears—to the new firm to continue supporting them.
 

2. Access to Information: Being connected to the right people also provides you with important information that can protect your career. Most law firms have many secrets, and those secrets are often tied to the people with power and business. They share this valuable information with those they trust and who are close to them, not with those who are distant or disconnected.

 
Insider information can help attorneys navigate their careers by avoiding certain people or matters, getting closer to others, and knowing when to look for new opportunities. By gaining access to this information before others, you can proactively manage your career rather than react to changes.
 
For example, at many top law firms across the country, there are service partners who don't have their own book of business. A significant number of these partners are closely aligned with those who have major clients. You can remain a partner in most firms if you cultivate relationships with the right people, particularly those who control significant business. Partners with major clients tend to keep those without clients busy, ensuring their continued success within the firm.
 
If you lack your own business as a partner, it's crucial to stay close to the right people. Many attorneys have built highly successful careers, earning seven-figure salaries at major law firms, simply by aligning themselves with powerful individuals. In some firms, there may be only one powerful person with all the business, and everyone will try to get close to them. In other firms, there may be several such individuals. It depends on the firm and the office you are in.
 
The key is to be part of the "tribe" that controls the business and work flow. This will not only help you become a better lawyer by providing access to more work, but it will also significantly enhance your career. Those with business and power determine who makes partner, who gets compensated the most, who gets laid off, and who advances within the firm. If you're not part of that group, or if these individuals are against you and you can't change that, you will likely face significant challenges in advancing your career.
 
As an associate, it may not always be easy to identify who holds the power within a firm, especially if you are new. However, over time, it becomes easier to recognize these individuals. Often, they operate behind the scenes, and their influence may not be immediately apparent. I recall an experience from many years ago when I was a summer associate at a New York law firm. A partner I had never seen before, who was very polished, approached me at a cocktail party. He asked if I was enjoying the experience, and I replied that I was. He then said something along the lines of, "That's why I brought you here for the summer, so you could have a good experience," and then he quickly disappeared.
 
The interaction left me with an odd feeling, as though he was more concerned about the money the firm was spending on us than our actual experience. Later that summer, I learned that the firm had considered canceling the summer program due to a lack of work in the office. The partner who had spoken to me turned out to be the most powerful person in the office, with a $30 million book of business. In hindsight, it seemed like he was subtly expressing frustration over the money being spent on the summer program.
 
A few years later, I joined a different New York-based law firm. I noticed that many of the associates there spoke of working for a few years and then moving on to a different firm. This puzzled me initially—why would someone work at a well-respected firm with good pay only to leave after a short time? I soon learned that many prestigious New York firms, particularly early in associates' careers, review their work very harshly. This firm, in particular, had a reputation for being tough on young attorneys. When they made mistakes—especially political ones—they were criticized, and their reputations suffered.
 
In many large law firms, attorneys who develop a less-than-stellar reputation often feel compelled to leave in order to advance their careers. Instead of staying in an environment where they might be viewed unfavorably, they choose to move to another firm. Sometimes, this is the right move, as it allows them to start fresh, avoid past mistakes, and rebuild their reputation. This gives them the opportunity to impress those in power at their new firm.
 
One of the reasons attorneys often move between firms multiple times before finding a long-term home is that they are, consciously or unconsciously, searching for the right environment where they can thrive without repeating past mistakes.
 
Let's look at how our minds work in terms of self-preservation and the instinct to seek support. This isn't always a conscious process, but fundamentally, people want to find a group or individuals who will take care of them. This is one of the most basic human needs. From the moment we're born, we rely on our parents to take care of us; otherwise, we wouldn't survive. As we grow, we continue to seek support from others.
 
When young attorneys don't receive positive feedback or approval, they often seek out people who will support them. This is a common pattern. Senior attorneys might also benefit from switching firms if there's no one in their current firm to support them. The people with the most work and clients are the ones who control what happens in the firm. If you have business, you typically generate support within the firm.
Attorneys with business are like kings in a law firm, and everyone scrambles to be near them, to gain their influence and favor. Regardless of your political standing, impressing the key players in a law firm is one of the most important things you can do.
 
I know of an attorney who spent nine years at a major law firm, working hard but not making much progress. Then he joined a trial team with a colleague who had a huge book of business and was one of the most well-known litigators in the United States. For six weeks, they worked together in a hotel in a small Midwestern town during a trial. This associate worked tirelessly, anticipating the partner’s needs, discussing trial strategy, and preparing witnesses. He put everything he had into the case.
 
A few weeks after returning to the main office, the partnership voted on new partners, and this associate was made a partner. He had been on the brink of possibly leaving the firm or becoming counsel, but suddenly, he was championed by the most powerful partner in the firm. When the most powerful person in the firm supports someone, everyone else follows suit. This associate’s hard work and dedication paid off, and he became a successful partner.
 
If you’re just another worker drone in a law firm—a role often referred to as a "grinder"—nothing significant will happen for you. You're like a cow grazing in a pasture, eating grass and being fed, but eventually, things will go bad. The only way to rise above this is to understand the importance of getting close to the right people and playing the right political games to avoid trouble.
 
Here are some common political mistakes young attorneys make (though older attorneys can make them too):
 

• Careless Technical Mistakes: Making careless technical errors can make you look bad to those in power. These mistakes can severely damage your career and undermine the trust others have in you. Examples include filing the wrong document, failing to file a document, giving incorrect advice, or forgetting an assignment. Even something as simple as a minor error in a scientific equation or analysis can turn the tide against an attorney.

 
I've seen patent attorneys make small mistakes that led to their being blackballed within the firm and even across the city. Similarly, litigators who forget to file a document or file something late can find themselves frozen out, even if they are otherwise excellent at their job. Once those in power start viewing an attorney negatively due to a mistake, it becomes very difficult, often impossible, for that attorney to recover. This often leads them to start looking for new law firms.
 
As a young attorney, and even as a more senior attorney, you must be exceedingly careful to avoid mistakes and maintain technical competence.
 
In large firms, it becomes even more critical to be careful at all times. One major pitfall is making careless or thoughtless remarks, which can be career killers. For example, if someone assigns you a task and you dismiss it as administrative work, this can backfire—especially if the person assigning it is a powerful partner. I've seen this happen firsthand.
 
Once, at a firm that wasn't particularly healthy from several standpoints, I witnessed a senior attorney—a very powerful figure—ask a senior real estate attorney, who was 12 or 13 years out of law school, to complete a simple task. The senior real estate attorney replied that the task seemed trivial, something a first-year associate could handle, and suggested that someone else do it because he was busy. The powerful senior attorney, whose ego might have been bruised, simply said "okay" and walked away. Twenty minutes later, he returned with a check and a settlement agreement, saying, "You can either sign this and leave with the check, or be fired now and leave." It was a shocking and extreme response, but the real estate attorney ended up signing the agreement and leaving. This incident illustrates how a seemingly small remark can have drastic consequences.
 
Sometimes, people make comments like, "I'm not comfortable working on Saturday or Sunday," or "I did this kind of work as a junior associate." I once saw a Yale Law School graduate who had worked at a top firm but moved to another, slightly less prestigious firm. She was unhappy with the reduced responsibility and voiced her displeasure, which led to problems for her. Anything that suggests a lack of commitment to the firm is frowned upon, and a single remark can sometimes doom an attorney’s career. Even non-verbal cues like facial expressions, body language, or sighs can be misinterpreted and cause harm.
 
Law firms often view the work they assign as a privilege, something attorneys should be eager to do. The more work you have, the better, as it helps you build billable hours, succeed, and thrive. Anytime you turn away work or act as though you’re too good for it, you create problems.
 
Another major mistake is making negative comments about a superior that could get back to them. This can be harmful and potentially destroy your career. Racist or sexist remarks, or comments that could be interpreted that way, can have devastating consequences. Words have power, and once they cast a negative light on you, it can be very difficult to recover. You need to be exceedingly careful with what you say.
 
Choosing the wrong friends within the firm is another common political mistake. Law firm politics can be very tricky, and the smartest attorneys are usually cordial with everyone but careful about forming close alliances. The most politically savvy attorneys often maintain a friendly demeanor with many people while avoiding clear-cut alliances, which is often a smart strategy.
 
Choosing the right friends can help you, but choosing the wrong ones can be a significant mistake, especially for young attorneys. If you associate with someone who is upsetting people in power, you might be guilty by association, especially if you're not well-known to those with influence. It’s important to keep your nose clean, be friendly with everyone, but avoid overcommitting to any one group.
 
I remember an incident from high school that illustrates this point. One of my best friends was expelled for doing something he thought was funny, but it was taken the wrong way. My math teacher, who was on the receiving end of my friend's prank, wrote me a negative recommendation for college because he associated me with that friend. The college didn't understand why the recommendation was so negative, especially given my other qualifications, and eventually got to the bottom of it. The lesson here is that if you associate with the wrong people, it can definitely harm you.
 
If you’re friends with people who are quitting or have negative things to say about the firm, others may assume you're on their side. Negative opinions about the firm can rub off on you, leading you to leave when you might not need to or making you look like the wrong kind of person. People are tribal, and you don’t want to be associated with the wrong tribe within your law firm. Good organizations expel those who are antagonistic to their interests and keep those who support them. To survive in your firm, you need to avoid associating with the wrong groups and be smart about choosing the right people to align with.
 
Another critical point is not to avoid billing. Some people develop a reputation for working hard, while others get a reputation for not working hard or finding solutions too quickly. In most firms, certain clients require a lot of work, allowing associates to build many hours, while others do not. If you don't bill a lot of hours, the partner assigning you the work will make less money and will be unhappy.
 
When I was a young associate, I worked for a partner who handled clients like a Middle Eastern monarch and a deposed billionaire dictator of an Asian nation. I was the third associate to work for this powerful partner in a relatively short period of time. These clients had so much money that they hardly cared about the cost of legal disputes, which were often over trivial matters. For example, one dispute involved the monarch paying $8 million for a personal fragrance, while another involved the dictator’s $500 million in a Swiss bank account. These clients earned more in interest each hour than a large team of attorneys could bill in a day.
 
When I started working with this partner, I quickly realized why the two associates before me had run into trouble. They had told the partner that much of the work he was assigning was unnecessary and that the solutions were simple to find. As a result, the partner stopped giving them work because he wanted to run up the bills, not just find quick answers. One of those associates was eventually frozen out of work for six months before he realized they were pushing him out the door.
 
When I was assigned to the matter, I was tasked with writing numerous memos—lots of busy work that kept me working late and on weekends. I remember spending 70 hours a week sometimes, turning in memos on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. One night, around 9:00 PM, the partner stopped by my office. He praised my work in his own way, saying, "You're a good soldier, and I need a soldier." What he meant was that I was billing the hours and doing what was asked of me, without cutting corners. It didn’t matter that I could have found the answers in minutes instead of hours; he wanted the detailed memos and the billing that came with them.
 
Whether the billionaire clients actually wanted these memos or whether the partner needed to cover himself by producing them wasn’t my concern. The point is, I ultimately saved my job and earned the partner’s respect because I did what was expected. When he moved to another firm years later, he even hired me to help him. The lesson here is that you need to do what’s expected of you. If high billing is required, that’s what you need to do. You need to follow orders and do your best to help bring in money.
 
I've seen associates lose their jobs early in their careers for telling their superiors that the work they were assigned was unnecessary. Law is a business, and you gain political points and stay in the good graces of the right people by billing the hours expected of you.
 
Another key point is to pick the right "tribe" within the firm. If you choose to align yourself with a particular group, make sure it's the right one. Sometimes associates align themselves with a partner who works for a specific client, but this can be risky. If that partner loses the client, you might find yourself without work after spending years in that group. It’s often wise to be part of more than one tribe or to be aligned with a tribe that has access to multiple clients and lines of business.
 
Law firms often have multiple tribes, and some are more powerful than others. The tribe with the most business may want to push out another tribe, and you never know how these dynamics will play out. Being part of the wrong tribe can have severe consequences for your career.
 
Additionally, avoid getting involved in a practice area that doesn’t generate much money for the firm or is on its way out. When I joined my first firm out of law school, it had initially been an employment law firm. However, by the time I joined, it was transitioning to focus more on commercial litigation. The firm started phasing out employment litigation because the billing rates were lower, and the cases weren’t as important. The employment attorneys were told they could only continue their work if they billed higher rates to their clients. Most of them ended up leaving because their clients wouldn’t pay the higher rates.
 
Law firms are constantly discarding attorneys in practice areas they consider beneath them, even if those areas helped build the firm initially. Practice areas that are risky or don’t generate high revenue, such as trusts and estates, are often the first to be eliminated when a firm decides to focus on more lucrative work.
 
Patent prosecution is increasingly becoming flat-fee work, which can be risky. Much of this work is now outsourced to other countries, where it's completed and then sent back to the U.S. for an attorney to sign off on. As a result, patent prosecution isn't as popular or lucrative as it once was.
 
Trademark law is another area where much of the work is routine and can be handled by staff attorneys or even paralegals, leading to lower billing rates. Immigration work, although currently a sought-after practice area, often involves flat fees, and many clients don't have the budget to pay much. As a result, law firms sometimes try to eliminate this practice area. Similarly, employment litigation and counseling, as well as family law, are vibrant practice areas but can face difficulties when clients struggle to pay bills.
 
Bankruptcy work can fluctuate widely in volume, and while it can be complex—especially in large bankruptcies—billing rates are often pushed down. Your practice area can be a sign of whether you're on the wrong side of the political equation within a law firm. For the most serious matters, law firms will hire the best litigators or corporate attorneys, but for routine work that's not complex, they typically won’t. It's important to understand where your practice area stands in the economic hierarchy of the firm.
 
You might be at a firm that specializes in trademark law and be the best trademark attorney there, which could be advantageous, but it all depends on the firm's priorities. The reason these kinds of mistakes can be fatal is that you don't have political capital. While you can often recover from these mistakes by working long hours, bringing in business, or doing great work, it's not easy. You need to be careful, stay in the right group, and align yourself with the right people.
 
If you're not part of the right group, you could find yourself in trouble. If you can’t get into the right group or feel you're aligned with the wrong one, it might be better to leave. Partners in trouble who lack business are often isolated and not getting work. Much of what goes on inside law firms is political, and being politically astute is crucial. If the political tide is against you, it might be time to look for a new job. Success in a law firm is difficult if you're on the wrong side of the political equation. You need to be politically aware, possibly even a student of politics, to understand what's happening around you.
 
The second common reason people leave is that they don't have access to work. This is the most important thing in any law firm. Without enough work, you can't bill enough hours, and if you can't bill enough hours, you won’t be able to keep your job. It's scary how often large law firms will work their associates to the bone, having them bill 3,000 hours a year on deals or large cases, only for the work to suddenly slow down. If they only bill 1,500 hours the next year, the firm may fire them for not having enough to do. There is often no appreciation for years of superhuman billing, and when the work dries up, you can lose your job very quickly.
 
Keep in mind that if you don’t have enough work to do, in most firms, you are almost certainly going to lose your job. Whether you’re a partner or an associate, in a well-run firm, they’re happy to make money off you when you’re working hard, but the moment it looks like they’re not making money, they will let you go.
 
The political climate in your office may also be a reason you don’t have work. As I mentioned earlier, political mistakes—whether it’s saying the wrong things, being in the wrong group, or other issues—can lead to a lack of work. If the political tide is against you and you’re not getting work, it’s probably time to leave. Sometimes, there are structural problems within the law firm itself that prevent it from getting work. The firm may be overpricing its services, which is common in many firms, and this can affect both partners and associates by leaving them without enough to do.
 
Satellite offices of large national firms can also be dangerous places to work. These offices may open in smaller cities but still want to charge rates comparable to larger markets, which often doesn’t work. This can leave associates and partners without sufficient work. Additionally, some law firms have partner compensation structures that drive away those with business. Partners with business typically want to work where they will make the most money, and if the compensation structure isn’t favorable, they may leave, taking their business with them.
 
While many factors influence where a partner chooses to work—such as the variety of practice areas, quality of associates, support staff, the number of offices, and the firm's reputation—most partners are ultimately motivated by money. Unfortunately, this means they will often move to where they believe they can generate the most business or where they are paid the most. Firms have formulas for compensating partners, and when these formulas change, partners may leave.
 
Sometimes law firms overemphasize the wrong practice area or have done so in the past. For example, a firm may hire too many litigators, as happened with Heller Ehrman. This firm went out of business when several large litigation cases settled quickly, pushing the firm over the edge. Similarly, Dewey Ballantine went out of business after hiring too many corporate attorneys at high rates, only to be hit by the 2008 financial crisis and the burden of guarantees.
 
Law firms can also face problems after mergers, which can create infighting and other issues as two firms are forced together. These mergers can cause significant disruptions and conflicts.
 
Over-hiring is another issue that can lead to problems. As firms grow, they can become top-heavy or bottom-heavy, with too many partners without business or too many associates. Losing important clients or facing an economic recession can also hurt firms. Recessions, in particular, can impact different types of firms in various ways. Some firms, like ours, tend to do well during recessions because clients move from large firms to smaller ones, seeking to save money.
 
Other reasons to consider moving might be related to your seniority level. As attorneys become more senior, their billing rates increase, often approaching those of partners. Clients typically prefer partners to handle their work, especially at those rates. Additionally, partners make more money when they work on matters directly rather than delegating them to others. As a result, senior associates or counsel may find it increasingly difficult to get work.
 
Regardless of your situation, it’s crucial to remember that you need access to work. If you don’t have enough work, you need to figure out how to generate it. One of the most important skills attorneys can develop is the ability to create work. The best attorneys are proactive in finding things to do for clients. They might revisit files that have been sitting idle, call clients, and suggest additional work. This is a smart strategy and something every business needs to do. From tech companies to television shows, businesses are always creating new work to stay relevant.
 
Law firms often view attorneys who lose their jobs due to a lack of work poorly because these attorneys are seen as not being proactive enough to sell additional services. Creating work is vital for staying employed and advancing in a law firm.
 
The best attorneys truly understand how to generate work. I’ve shared this story before, but it’s a great example. I was at a graduation party with a high school friend, whose father was an attorney who had attended a local law school in Detroit. He ran his own solo practice handling small cases—representing petty criminals, divorcing couples, and people with traffic tickets—and yet, he had just built a huge, modern house on a lake. He made a lot of money doing what many might consider mundane work.
 
When I received a traffic ticket, I decided to talk to him about it. He went into a long monologue, stressing how serious the ticket was, and told me he needed to do some research. He warned that I shouldn’t just pay the ticket, as it could cause my insurance rates to increase. He even asked for my parents’ phone number so he could call them and handle the situation. The ticket wasn’t that serious, but after our conversation, I was ready to ask my parents for a retainer of a few thousand dollars because he had convinced me it was a grave matter.
 
Ultimately, when I went to court, the ticket was dismissed because the officer didn’t show up. The reason this attorney was so successful, even with small cases, was that he created work at every opportunity. He made me believe I needed the best possible representation, which led to more work for him.
 
Law firms value attorneys who know how to create work and bring in clients. This is what the partner who had me writing all those memos was doing—creating work. Creating work generates income and wealth, not just for the individual attorney, but for the firm as a whole. It’s crucial to find ways to create additional projects and work. The more you explore an issue, the more likely you are to succeed in negotiations, cases, or deals.
 
In the largest law firms, the best attorneys examine all aspects of their cases more closely than their competitors. This thoroughness is what sets them apart. Although these firms and attorneys may be more expensive, they offer better service because of their attention to detail, like drafting comprehensive memos. The partner who had me write all those memos, for example, never lost a case in his career. He settled many cases and won some trials, but he never lost—largely due to his ability to conduct thorough research.
 
The final reason to move to a different firm is the opportunity to join a more prestigious law firm. This is a core aspect of what I do in my career—helping people move to more prestigious firms—and it’s a good reason to make a change.
 
When you’re in law school or just out of law school, law firms primarily evaluate you based on your school’s reputation and your grades. That’s almost all they have to go on, aside from some personal background information. However, after you’ve been practicing for a few years, your practice area, the skills you’ve developed, and your experience become much more important. At this stage, many attorneys who were not marketable to large firms right out of school suddenly become attractive candidates because they have gained valuable experience.
 
This experience can allow attorneys to move from small to midsize firms or from midsize firms to major firms. As you gain experience, you’ll have access to more work, and you’ll get to work for larger clients. The most important work typically goes to the largest and most prestigious law firms, making them an attractive destination for experienced attorneys.
 
When you work at a large law firm in a major city, you often get the opportunity to work on high-profile matters that make headlines. For example, if you're a corporate attorney wanting to handle IPOs or capital markets work, being at a large law firm is often essential. The larger and more prestigious the firm, the better the skills you’ll develop because larger clients can write large checks, allowing for in-depth exploration of matters and requiring meticulous attention to detail. This environment helps you become sharper, more detail-oriented, and ultimately a better attorney.
 
Working at a large firm often means being surrounded by highly motivated and competitive people, which pushes you to improve your own skills and political acumen. It's similar to training as an Olympic athlete—you can’t reach that level of performance by practicing with high school athletes; you need to train with other Olympians. Large and prestigious law firms attract the best talent, the biggest clients, and often have the attorneys with the best educational backgrounds. While educational pedigree might seem superficial, it does reflect historical motivation, which is important.
 
At a large firm, you’ll be surrounded by attorneys who think about issues differently and who understand the political dynamics of the legal profession. This experience will give you a pedigree that can make it easier to move to another large firm or even to smaller, prestigious firms later in your career. When law firms hire laterally, they care more about the quality of the firm you’re coming from than your law school credentials. Many top attorneys at the best firms may not have attended top-tier law schools, but they’ve been trained by the best, which is invaluable.
 
Working at a good law firm, especially early in your career, is critical. You should strive to work with the best attorneys you can find to learn their skills. Large law firms, and good law firms in general, prefer to hire attorneys from other large or reputable firms. Even smaller firms value attorneys with large law firm training because they bring a high level of expertise and experience.
 
If you decide to move to a smaller firm later, having experience at a large firm can make you a more attractive candidate. Small law firms value the training and exposure you get at large firms, and this experience can set you apart. Additionally, working at a large firm will hone your political skills and attention to detail, which are essential in any legal environment.
 
Moving up to a better firm can have significant benefits. It’s not uncommon for attorneys to move from a smaller regional firm to a large national firm and triple their salary. This increase in earnings can help you pay off student loans faster, qualify for a larger mortgage, or open up other financial opportunities. Moreover, large law firms often place their attorneys in-house with big companies, giving them allies within those organizations. Corporations typically prefer to hire in-house counsel from prestigious law firms because they believe these attorneys have received superior training and represent a better economic value.
 
A strong pedigree from a major law firm can also open up opportunities to work internationally or in other sectors, such as government or non-profit work. Law firms and organizations around the world recognize the value of experience at a big-name firm, and this recognition can lead to career opportunities that wouldn’t be available otherwise. For example, attorneys with experience in capital markets or international arbitration at a major national firm can easily secure positions with international firms through a simple Zoom interview.
 
Finally, working at a major firm gives you the chance to attract and work with big-name clients who prefer to hire well-known firms. Large, prestigious companies want to be represented by the best-known firms because it reflects well on them and gives them confidence in the quality of legal work they receive. These firms can charge a premium for their services because clients are willing to pay extra for the security of having a trusted name behind them.
 
When you move to a more prestigious firm, you gain access to bigger brand-name clients, which can significantly enhance your ability to bring in business. Attorneys who move from good firms to excellent or stellar firms often find it easier to attract clients because of the firm’s reputation. Just like a reputable school, a prestigious law firm’s name carries weight and stands for something valuable.
 

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