For
many
lawyers,
there
comes
a
moment
when
the
grind
stops
feeling
like
a
phase
and
starts
feeling
permanent.
The
culture
is
off.
Compensation
is
closed
and
confusing.
You
are
stuck
on
the
billable
hour
hamster
wheel
with
five
partners
directing
your
work
and
10
demanding
clients
pulling
you
in
every
direction,
none
of
whom
are
truly
yours.
You
are
busy,
stressed,
and
capped,
and
eventually
you
reach
the
same
conclusion
many
lawyers
come
to
quietly
and
reluctantly.
Enough
is
enough.
So,
you
start
thinking
about
a
move.
A
different
firm.
A
different
platform.
A
place
where
you
can
build
something
instead
of
endlessly
servicing
someone
else’s
book.
And
while
changing
firms
is
never
easy,
the
bigger
question
is
whether
you
can
do
it
in
a
way
that
actually
improves
your
career
instead
of
simply
resetting
the
same
problems
under
a
new
logo.
Before
you
even
begin
evaluating
firms,
you
need
to
be
honest
about
your
book
of
business.
If
your
portable
book
is
under
$500,000,
you
should
still
explore
your
options
and
talk
to
recruiters,
but
realism
matters.
Unless
a
firm
has
a
very
specific
need
for
exactly
what
you
do
at
your
level
and
experience,
the
road
can
be
challenging.
If
your
book
is
in
the
$500,000
to
$1
million
range
or
higher,
engaging
a
recruiter
early
is
often
the
smartest
move.
They
understand
the
market,
the
internal
politics,
and
which
firms
truly
deliver
on
what
they
promise.
That
said,
do
not
underestimate
the
power
of
your
own
network.
One
of
the
biggest
advantages
of
staying
visible,
building
relationships,
and
consistently
showing
up
is
that
people
know
you,
trust
you,
and
respect
your
work.
Some
of
the
best
lateral
opportunities
never
come
through
recruiters
at
all,
but
through
quiet
conversations
with
peers
who
know
of
a
firm
that
is
growing,
healthy,
and
aligned
with
how
you
want
to
practice.
Once
you
find
the
right
platform
and
make
the
move
for
the
right
reasons,
better
support,
a
healthier
culture,
transparency
around
compensation,
and
a
genuine
commitment
to
business
development,
the
real
work
begins.
Your
First
Month
Matters
More
Than
You
Think
This
is
no
longer
the
era
where
onboarding
means
a
desk,
a
computer,
and
a
quick
tour
of
the
office.
You
need
to
take
ownership
of
your
integration.
That
means
meeting
with
business
development,
marketing,
IT,
and
firm
leadership
to
understand
how
things
actually
work,
not
just
how
they
were
described
during
interviews.
It
also
means
identifying
a
mentor
who
understands
the
firm’s
culture
and
unwritten
rules.
The
first
15
to
30
days
should
be
intentional
and
structured,
focused
on
helping
you
feel
integrated,
supported,
and
positioned
for
success.
Control
the
Narrative
with
Your
Clients
and
Contacts
Do
not
assume
the
market
knows
you
moved
or
understands
why
you
made
the
change.
Prepare
a
thoughtful
outreach
plan
right
away!
For
key
clients,
referral
sources,
friends
and
family
that
may
mean
personal
calls
or
meetings.
For
broader
groups,
it
may
involve
a
carefully
written
message
explaining
your
move
in
clear,
client-centered
terms.
Silence
creates
confusion,
and
confusion
slows
momentum.
The
goal
is
proactive
outreach,
clarity
and
confidence,
so
people
understand
how
this
transition
benefits
them.
Build
Internal
Relationships
Before
You
Need
Them
If
you
are
joining
a
firm
with
multiple
other
practice
areas,
internal
relationships
are
just
as
important
as
external
ones.
Take
the
time
to
meet
lawyers
across
complementary
practice
areas
who
can
support
you
and
whom
you
can
support
in
return.
Ask
real
questions
about
collaboration,
responsiveness,
and
how
work
is
shared.
Learn
who
is
easy
to
work
with,
who
genuinely
supports
others,
and
who
tends
to
create
friction.
Referrals
only
work
when
you
trust
that
your
clients
will
be
taken
care
of
properly
and
not
handed
back
damaged.
Lean
Into
the
Firm’s
Advantages
Every
platform
has
strengths,
whether
that
is
better
rates,
stronger
support,
a
deeper
bench,
or
a
more
recognizable
name
in
the
market.
Whatever
those
advantages
are,
lean
into
them.
Use
them
as
part
of
your
conversations,
your
positioning,
and
your
outreach.
This
is
not
about
selling
the
firm.
It
is
about
confidently
leveraging
what
makes
your
new
platform
a
better
solution
for
your
clients
and
referral
sources.
A
smart
move
is
to
ask
your
partners
which
questions
you
should
be
asking
your
network
to
uncover
issues
they
are
best
positioned
to
solve.
Do
Not
Become
the
Best-Kept
Secret,
Again
This
is
the
most
important
point.
You
must
market
yourself,
build
your
brand,
and
make
business
development
a
priority.
If
you
came
in
with
a
book
of
business,
your
job
is
to
grow
it.
If
you
did
not,
your
job
is
to
start
building
one
immediately.
Otherwise,
you
risk
finding
yourself
in
the
same
position
a
few
years
from
now,
servicing
other
people’s
clients
with
little
control,
leverage,
or
freedom.
This
is
at
the
heart
of
the
BE
THAT
LAWYER
credo.
This
move
is
a
second
chance
to
build
something
meaningful.
Treat
it
that
way.
Write
a
real
marketing
plan,
stay
consistent
for
a
full
year,
and
commit
to
visibility
and
relationship
building.
Nobody
benefits
from
a
lawyer
who
moves
firms
every
year
or
two.
The
goal
is
to
land
somewhere
you
can
grow
for
three
to
five
years
or
longer
and
create
something
sustainable.
If
you
are
considering
a
move
and
want
to
talk
through
strategy,
positioning,
or
how
to
avoid
common
mistakes,
you
can
reach
me
at
[email protected]
or
visit
www.bethatlawyer.com.
If
you
are
going
to
make
a
change,
do
it
right
and
make
it
stick.
Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
“Be
That
Lawyer”
podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.