We understand why partners wait months before reaching out to us. Picking up the phone to talk to a recruiter is a big step. A lot of rainmakers assume the call itself starts something they can’t stop.
That concern makes sense, particularly if we acknowledge that lawyers are, as professionals, risk-averse. We’d rather protect what we’ve built than risk it on a change that might not pay off. That tendency lends itself to caution about first steps, and even a no-commitment inquiry can feel like a commitment to a course of action.
A first call doesn’t set any of that in motion. In this article, we’ll look at what this call really looks like, from the opening question to deciding what happens next.
Discussing why you picked up the phone
Let’s start with an important note. We don’t follow a script for these calls. Our team’s goal is to understand, first and foremost, what kind of questions you have. The answer to that will guide our conversation from there.
Sometimes, a partner is simply curious. Perhaps they want insight into how things work at another firm, or to understand their compensation better and whether it’s fair. Others have more specific issues; they’re uncertain about their pay relative to their book, the support behind their practice, or their standing in the group.
And sometimes, we talk to a partner who has thoroughly and completely made up their mind about leaving and wants a roadmap for how to do that.
These are all good reasons to call, but they’re not the only ones. And regardless of why you call, you get to lead the conversation. No one is trying to sell you on anything or looking to convince you to take a particular action.
Exploring where you stand
Once we understand why you’re calling, we look at where you stand, particularly if your question(s) have to do with making a lateral move.
To help you understand your position, we’ll spend some time talking about the broader legal market and what you would bring to the table if you were to move or advocate for more compensation, support, and resources at your current firm.
Putting your concern in context
Let’s say business development is your concern. You’ve built a book, and you’d rather spend your hours developing new relationships and keeping your current clients happy than hitting an arbitrary number. A lot of firms hold every partner to the same billable-hour floor, whether or not they bring in business.
That billable-hour floor can work against a rainmaker. Your most valuable hours go into bringing in new work and keeping current clients close, but your firm’s requirements might make you spend them on billing instead. Some firms don’t hold their partners to that kind of threshold, and part of my job is knowing which ones.
Or perhaps how your firm handles cross-selling is on your mind. You bring in new work, but someone else takes the credit because they originally brought the client in 20 years ago. Or no one will join you on a pitch, because there’s no way for them to share the origination.
We’ll look at your compensation structure and how your current firm handles concerns like these, then talk through whether another firm would be different.
Separating fixable problems from the ones that follow you
Part of the call is sorting what a different firm can fix from what it can’t. Concerns like staffing and associate support are fixable when you’re at the right firm. Other frustrations may follow you regardless of how invested a firm is in your success.
If you hate tracking your time, or you’d rather spend your days outdoors than behind a desk, it’s very unlikely that you’ll find a firm where that’s different. Practicing law comes with both.
Getting an honest read
During the call, we’ll give you a straightforward analysis of where you stand. Sometimes that means telling you your firm’s approach is unusual. Other times it’s closer to the middle of the road, and we point out where you could do better on associate help or marketing.
Imagining what you’d want if you moved
If a change makes sense (or if you feel like exploring it in greater detail; remember, there is no obligation to make decisions during this call), we can talk about what a better fit would look like.
For example, if you’re looking to shift your practice focus, we’ll cover which parts of your practice you want to keep and which you’d hand off.
We spoke recently with a patent lawyer who handles the full range of patent work, from prosecuting patents to litigating them. He wants to focus on the litigation and stop doing the rest. His full patent background puts him ahead of a general litigator who only occasionally takes patent cases. The right firm lets him do only the work he wants while treating that experience as an advantage.
Keep in mind that “better” means different things to different partners:
- Office setup: Would you like to have more colleagues around, or would you prefer more days working from home?
- Work-life balance: Is a more predictable schedule a must-have for you? More time with family or to pursue hobbies outside the office? Or are you fine with a nose-to-the-grindstone routine if it supports your practice’s growth?
- Team culture: Would you thrive in an environment with shared origination credit, cross-selling, and a group pitching together, or is an eat-what-you-kill culture your ideal?
- Rate structure: Are your clients rate-sensitive? Do you need greater flexibility for client retention? Or is there room to charge more than your current firm allows?
- Essential practice elements: Do you have associates or a service partner your practice depends on? A practice area you’re determined to build up (or perhaps dial down)? A geographic market you need to stay within or want to expand to?
No two partners will land in the same place on these answers, which is why the first call is so focused on understanding your practice and your goals (both inside the office and outside).
Ultimately, we want to help you find that sweet spot where a thriving practice meets a life you actually enjoy.
Deciding what happens next
What comes next is entirely up to you. You don’t need a plan or a specific outcome in mind before you call; curiosity is reason enough.
If you’re ready to explore a move, our next step is building your business plan, a process we’ll guide you through (the next post in this series details this).
But if you’re not ready for that, it’s perfectly fine. We frequently speak with partners who are juggling life events like a new baby, a move, or a child heading off to college. Alternately, sometimes you just need time to mull things over before you’re ready to make a decision.
Whatever the case is, we can simply pick up the conversation when the timing is right for you.
A first conversation is a low-pressure, 30-minute Zoom call where you set the agenda. If you’d like to talk, start here.
