New York Lawyer
July 30, 2002

Q:
I really want to stop being a lawyer.

I want to leave my large-firm mid-level litigation position in New York and move to LA to pursue my dream of becoming a motion picture talent agent.

I've done a lot of research and networking -- including a couple of due diligence trips to the coast. It's clear that -- unless I have some lucrative clients, which I don't -- I'll have to start at the bottom and pay my dues as an agent trainee.

This is a position many people take right out of college, and in my case, it would involve a 80 percent pay cut, as well as two to four years of fairly menial tasks. Don't suggest entertainment law as a segue; I dislike transactional work even more than litigation, and I'm wary of being trapped forever in a lawyer's identity.

So here's my question: Am I insane?

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A:

What is one person's insanity is another's intense ambition. Insane or not, it does not appear that you are hopelessly naive. You've scoped out the costs -- literal and figurative -- of making a fundamental career shift. I agree with your assessment that you probably will have to start at the bottom. I do not know your financial needs and resources are, but an 80 percent drop in earnings will make anyone catch their breath.

So. How badly to you want it? Are you clear about the difference between a dream and a fantasy? I think it ultimately is a doable transition, if you want it enough and are persistent enough. The very fact that you're doing it will serve as a testimonial to how much you want it. That's good news.

And look, LA is insane, so if you're insane, who will notice? That's not just a throw-away line. The culture out there is highly unconventional, strongly geared toward change and novelty, and focused strongly on the satisfactions of variety and excitement -- which clearly are some of the benefits you're seeking after the highly conventional and repetitive life of large firm practice. LA is more tolerant of career-changers than, say, Milwaukee.

Another bit of good news is that the technique you'll use to get a job out there -- networking -- is the same skill that lies at the heart of your intended profession. Conventional techniques for conventional job-seekers -- namely ads and headhunters -- are unlikely to work well for you, because you just don't see many ads or search assignments for "ex-lawyers." In any event, you'll learn real fast whether you are an attractive and persuasive schmoozer, if you can cultivate contacts and get people to trust you.

Other bits of good news: the fact that you were smart and articulate to get hired by a major firm will serve as strong evidence of your native intelligence and communication skills, even if you're no longer using them as a lawyer. It's not like you're a retread monk or marine biologist. And, as a litigator, you have worked in the "persuasive arts." You will be presumed to have good analytical and communication skills.

On the other hand, take pains to prove that by temperament you're not a litigator -- that is, not fundamentally a win-lose personality. Your new role requires you to be competitive, yes, but also to be a collaborative, win-win type of person. Litigators often get bad-mouthed as "deal-breakers," so you have to make it clear that one of the reasons for making the shift is to shuck the adversarial nature of your present role.

Also, even if you have to take an entry-level job, you're not entry-level in terms of life experience. You've been around more, negotiated more, faced down the phonies in high-stakes settings, experienced the art of the deal and the benefit of the bargain. There is a high probability, therefore, your advancement curve will rise faster than a totally green youngster. If they have a Ferrari, why should they drive it around in first gear?

Let's not sugar-coat this. You face a major transition, and you will encounter a lot of people who will tell you that you should have stuck it out in law: "Sure, things could be a little better, but they could be a hell of a lot worse. Why walk away from all you have?"

One of the best authorities on answering that question was Popeye the Sailor, was wont to say, "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!" If that is really true for you (and it sounds from your letter like it is), it may be more insane to stay where you are (and suffer permanent soul corrosion), than to admit that law is a misfit, take your lumps, and drive that Ferrari someplace you really want to go. When you make it, let's talk about a book deal.

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group