Attorneys Taking Jobs With Their Clients - It's A Growing Problem

Losing lawyers to clients may have been a feather in the cap of law firms previously, but with increased deal flow and a tight lawyer market, law firms are much less inclined to view lateral moves with great relish. An article in The National Law Journal reports on recruiting partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal (Kara Baysinger)and the firm's issues with lawyers leaving, including Andrea Zopp, who joined Sara Lee Corp. and then moved to Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Brett Hart, who also went to Sara Lee. Several Sonnenschein attorneys followed their lead.

Particularly ripe for such moves are fifth-year associates at big firms, said Vanessa Alvarez, president of General Counsel Consulting, an in-house counsel placement firm based in Atlanta. Joining the ranks of in-house counsel with former firm co-workers is attractive to outside counsel attorneys, who often perceive in-house positions as offering more of a work-life balance, she said.

"It's much easier to make a pitch and have colleagues come on board when they see the advantages," she said. "There is less of a risk of making a leap when you know what to expect."

In addition, more clients are hiring their own help instead of outsourcing it to firms, she said, which has driven an increase in demand within corporate counsel departments.

Also, in-house positions may offer attorneys more "ownership" of their work than positions at firms, a factor particularly attractive to associates as attaining equity partnership status has become a longer and more demanding process.