Note: This post originally appeared in January of 2020. It has been updated as of June 2025.
If this is the year that you plan to make a significant career change, then figure out the bridge you need to take to get you where you want to go. Employers generally hire candidates who already have specific experience. Most firms and most corporations are not looking to train lateral hires.
That doesn’t mean you are eternally trapped doing the same kind of legal work you have been doing for the past 10 years. I’ve seen many lawyers make dramatic shifts in their careers. But you do need a plan.
I get calls all the time from attorneys who want to change practice areas, go in-house or transition into a non-practicing role. Sometimes they are responding to an email blast but they lack the experience. Sometimes it’s just lawyers looking for guidance on how to transition into a business role in a company.
While there are certainly instances where smart lawyers with good credentials make major shifts simply by submitting a resume and cover letter, this is not the norm.
Explore Without Committing
Start by talking to people in the field you’re considering. Conduct informational interviews. Read industry publications. Join relevant LinkedIn groups. Immerse yourself in the language and challenges of the new path you’re eyeing. Often, just by listening and asking questions, you’ll either grow more excited—or realize it’s not for you after all.
I’ve done a number of related podcasts on career change. Check out Counsel to Counsel wherever you get your podcasts or click here.
Leverage Internal Relationships
One strategy is to leverage the relationships you have already built internally at your firm or your company. If you have developed a strong reputation for being hard-working, reliable and for producing high-quality work in one practice area, the door may be open to you in another practice area if the other practice group is busy. If you are already in a corporate environment, there may be opportunities in other departments simply because you have proven yourself.
Many years ago, a friend came to me and expressed interest in making a lateral move to a new firm. He was interested in transitioning to corporate transactional work and he wanted to leave because he was in a regulatory practice group. I asked him if he was getting good performance reviews and if he was generally well-regarded by the partners in his group. He replied yes. I asked if the corporate group was busy. It was.
I then suggested that he approach some partners in the corporate group and broach the subject of making an internal lateral move. He happily retooled with the new group without having to transition to a new firm (which honestly might have been challenging.) Several years later, he took this experience and launched his own firm which combines regulatory practice and corporate work.
Retool with More Education and Build Your Own Reputation Through Speaking and Writing
More recently, I met a lawyer who was doing data privacy work for a large life sciences company in the Southeast. When I looked at his LinkedIn profile, I noticed that all of his prior experience had been insurance defense work. I was intrigued and asked him how he had made the transition.
It turns out that the bridge for him was education and networking. He was able to get some privacy work because his firm had an employment practice and these issues kept arising. He began attending seminars and reading articles about data privacy. He also began writing about data privacy subjects. Eventually, he began speaking on these topics. By attending conferences, he developed relationships with other professionals in the industry and because he had been speaking and writing, he developed a reputation in the field. Eventually, he landed a great position.
External Relationships can Also be Key
Retooling through CLE work, writing articles or making a transition from one practice area internally to another practice group can be good ways to move your career in a different direction. But building external relationships can also be key.
Another lawyer I know was working years ago for a small personal injury law firm but had interest in the financial services industry. A classmate of his in law school worked for a financial services company that was looking for someone in compliance role. His friend was able to get him the interview because he already knew, liked and trusted him. For this lawyer, the bridge was the relationship he already had with somebody who worked for the company. Despite his lack of experience with the subject matter, through his contact at the company, he had enough credibility that the company was willing to take a chance on him.
Volunteer
Volunteering is another way to get some of the experience that can serve as a bridge you into another career. Associates who are interested in professional development or marketing can volunteer to serve on committees at their firms. I know many lawyers in non-practicing roles in law firms who began as associates and spent some of their time with on campus recruitment or helping to organize training for their department. Eventually these individuals were able to transition out of practicing roles. And there are lots of nonprofit organizations who would be happy to have you donate your time (and writing, advocacy, and organizational skills), to help further their mission.
Use the In-Demand Skill You Have to Take on Other Practice Areas or Projects
If you have a core skill set that is in demand, sometimes employers will hire you for that skill and allow you to get up to speed in the other areas. For example, a corporate lawyer might be hired in an assistant general counsel role where there are contract issues but there are also employment, litigation management and IP issues. The attorney who comes into this role can get up to speed on these other practice areas.
You don’t need to quit your job to start something new. In fact, it usually makes more sense not to—especially if you don’t have the savings to carry you through a potentially long startup period.
Think in terms of side projects: Can you consult on a small matter? Can you freelance for a few hours a week? Can you create content, build a simple website, or test a product idea?
Even modest efforts can help you develop new skills, build confidence, and gain credibility in a different field.
Pursue Another Degree—But Be Strategic
Going back to school can be a great way to make a career shift, particularly if you’re moving into a technical or highly regulated field. Earning a new degree or certification can open doors and signal seriousness to future employers. But it’s not cheap. Before enrolling in a pricey program, make sure you’re reasonably confident the new field is right for you. And explore lower-cost or part-time options when possible—sometimes a few online courses are enough to get started.
Build a Financial Runway
Career shifts often involve a temporary dip in income. If you’re thinking about leaving your current job, make sure you’ve built up savings—or have some form of financial cushion in place. A smoother landing gives you more flexibility and reduces the pressure to grab the first available opportunity, even if it’s not quite right.
Of course the first step is figuring out what are your career goals. Once you know where you want to go, it is easier to figure out what bridges you need to cross.
If you feel like discussing this further, please drop me a note and I will be happy to speak with you about the bridges that you may want to build to help your career move in a different direction.