New York Lawyer
September 3, 2002

Q:
After passing the bar exam in 1997, I had a brief and horrible experience in a small firm. I thought my boss was greedy and unethical and quit after six months. I felt totally disillusioned with law and decided to change careers.

Since then I have not had any legal jobs, but now I want to return to the law, perhaps working in a non-for-profit.

How do I explain my situation to potential employers?

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A:

By dropping to your knees, confessing the error of your ways and begging for mercy. I�m sorry, I don�t mean to be patronizing. Many people have suffered disillusionment at various aspects of Law in the Law, so you are not alone. That said, as you attempt to re-enter the "legal market," you must be prepared to utter "Mea Culpa" to a lot of folks -- and to be ready to explain what happened then and why now things are different.

I do not know what expectations or motivation led you to enter law -- and neither will any prospective employer. I do not know why you initially chose a small firm (Choice? Necessity?) over a large one. I do not know what career objectives you had then and what they are now. I do not know whether you were an advocate, professional adversary or collaborative advisor in your brief period in practice. And I do not understand why the failings of one boss were generalized into a black brush for all settings, all roles and all career paths within the profession. Until I understand all these things, I cannot make sense of your past decisions or your present objectives.

What this means is that the "conventional job market," the world of ads, internet postings and recruiters, is likely to give you a wide berth and turn a blind eye toward your re-employment efforts. There are a lot of job-seekers out there whose career path does not raise the motivational and performance qualms that your "six months in, four years out" pattern creates. Moreover, at this point you do not fit any conventional legal career category. You�re five years out, but you do not have five years of experience. So if I were to hire you, where would I put you in my organization? With my baby lawyers? With my more experienced hands? This is called the "age and stage problem." Right now, effective self-marketing is going to depend on focus. A lot of people will understand and forgive your initial career train wreck. Stuff happens, y�know? But that sympathy does not mean they will hire you. Employers need to know what value you can add to their organization. They�re also entitled to know why this avenue is appealing to you. You cannot default back to a vaguely-defined motivation map: "Well, I don�t know, it just seems like something I might want to do at this time. "Because your original exit appears reactive and unfocused, at this point you must appear particularly well-focused and highly-motivated. Be prepared to explain not only why you now want to "come home," but want kind of legal functions you now want to perform. If you can�t answer these questions yet, use networking and "informational interviews" (I hate that phrase) to learn the realities of various roles, functions and settings. You MUST be prepared to explain what you want to do, not just where you want to be. For example, you say that "perhaps" you want to work in a not-for-profit. Oh? What kind? Human services? Cultural? Medical? Foundation? Educational? And what do you want to do there? Draft contracts? Serve as compliance officer? Render legal advice? Design programs? Advise the organization -- or counsel its constituencies?

What have you been doing in the meantime? Have you picked up any marketable experience or technical expertise that supplements or frames your legal credentials? Anything that explains your current motivational preferences? Be ready to answer that pithiest of questions: "Why this? Why now?"

You will find your next job through networking. That much is almost certain, because that�s the technique that has you meeting face-to-face with people (rather than relying on a paper presentation), building rapport, getting� a little sympathy, and explaining yourself. With all your networking contacts, you will have to start by taking a gentle shot at yourself. Then get off it and get on with it:

Bob,
I got your name from our mutual friend Nan, and she suggested you might be a good person with whom to do a little informal networking in my efforts to re-enter the legal field after a couple of years away.
In brief, my first legal position -- working as an associate doing ________________________ in a small firm -- was like an acid bath, and I became very disillusioned. To put it simply, I checked out.
Now I realize that the failings and excesses of my first boss cannot be fairly generalized to the whole profession, and that there may be rich and satisfying career paths within law that I had not appreciated before.
I�d like to get your perspective about legal roles in ______________________, recognizing that if I were to find employment in that area, it would likely be in an entry-level position. That�s okay, because now I have a clearer view of my career priorities, and I�m prepared to pay some dues if I have to.
I would be very grateful if we good chat for a few minutes at your convenience so that I can reality-test my current thinking. At this point, I know I have the burden of persuasion of showing that I�m moving toward something, and not away from something.
Is that any chance we might arrange to meet?

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group