Q. I am a fourth-year associate at a large firm. My first three annual reviews were very positive, but my most recent review was not glowing. No one suggested at the review that I look for another position, but I am concerned about my future with this firm. What should I do?
A. In the November issue of the Bar Bulletin, we reviewed the seven termination warning signs. In January, we looked at what you should do if you honestly believe you are in serious danger of being asked to leave. In this issue, we will explore your career options in the face of termination and look at ways you can make a successful transition.
Being told, “things are not working out” can be a traumatic experience. This is especially true for lawyers, because we often have our identities wrapped up in our careers. But you do have options. In order to explore them, you will first have to let go of the frustration and anger you probably feel. A couple of good resources that will help you sort out your feelings are Managing Transitions-Making the Most of Change, by William Bridges (Addison-Wesley) Transitions-Making Sense of Life’s Changes, by William Bridges (Perseus Books) and When Smart People Fail-Rebuilding Yourself for Success, by Carol Hyatt and Linda Gottlieb (Penguin).
The first question you will want to answer is whether you want to pursue another associate position or whether you want to explore alternative career choices. Answering this question requires a great deal of objectivity-something you may not have in abundance at the moment. To gain some perspective, I would suggest talking to one of the partners in the firm who knows you and respects your work. This should not be the person who was responsible for your termination. Ask this partner for her honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Be sure you are prepared for the good and the bad. Encourage complete disclosure. The idea here is to build on your strengths and learn from your mistakes.
I have seen many associates who were asked to leave one firm and thrived and even made partner in another. Other associates found career satisfaction by exploring options outside the traditional practice of law.
Before you decide whether or not to give up on law, you will want to engage in careful self-assessment. One exercise that has been helpful for many of my clients is to prepare an “inventory” of past accomplishments. In completing this inventory, you will record those times in your life that you did something well, enjoyed it while you were doing it, and were proud of it when you were done. It is important that all three (well done, enjoyment and pride) are present in each accomplishment. Too often I see attorneys who have become proficient at something they don’t enjoy. Over time, they become disillusioned and their careers suffer.
When completed carefully, this exercise can help you understand your talents, skills, motivations, and values. Talents are those abilities that come naturally. Skills are the abilities that are learned. We are motivated when we are doing those tasks we most enjoy. Our values are reflected in the pride that comes from completing those tasks.
Sometimes we mistakenly believe that if something comes easily to us, it is not valuable and would not be rewarded in the work place. I have seen attorneys resist pursuing a career in an area for which they had natural talent because they don’t equate the practice area with being a “real attorney.” Some naturally gifted trial attorneys want to be securities lawyers and vice versa.
Not surprisingly, when we fight our natural talents, we are met with obstacles.
Looking over your inventory of past accomplishments, do you see a pattern to your successes? We are not looking so much for isolated incidents, but rather for the common threads that weave themselves through the successes in your work history.
Are your past successes in the traditional practice of law or have you found most of your satisfaction outside of the office? I know a young attorney who loved computers. He volunteered to test the latest software. He helped other attorneys in the office reconfigure their computers. He spent every spare moment “playing” with the latest gadgets. But his practice suffered, and eventually he was asked to leave his firm. In many ways he had been practicing law on the side. When he realized this, he began looking for a position that would incorporate his love of computers. Landing a quasi-legal job with a technology company was a dream come true, and his career is now thriving.
Another young attorney was asked to leave her firm and was told by her supervising attorney that she should consider alternatives to the practice of law. After careful self-assessment, she realized that she actually enjoyed many aspects of her litigation practice. Rather than abandon her dream of being a successful trial attorney, she found an associate position with another litigation firm. Not only is she well regarded in her new firm, some of the partners are even encouraging her to consider a judicial career in the future.
There are many examples of attorneys who have succeeded after an initial setback in their legal careers-and you can too. In making the critical decision about whether to practice law or to seek an alternative career, you will want to do your own soul searching. Resist the temptation to dwell on your recent failure. Focus instead on your past accomplishments, and you will be able to find career success and satisfaction.
Karen J. Summerville is a former Seattle law firm partner who now offers career counseling and outplacement services to attorneys. Karen welcomes confidential questions from readers and will answer as many as possible in her upcoming columns. She can be reached at her firm Legal Career Management by phone at (206) 224-7608, or by e-mail at kjsummer@comcast.net. Visit her website at www.legalcareermanagement.com.
