Our firm is organized around several business units, and early in an associate’s career, they choose which group they want to belong to. How did you go about making a choice?
There were a couple factors that went into my decision. First, I looked at the breakdown of my clients and work by business unit provided in the monthly metric reports we receive. I also looked at the overall fit and where I would have the most internal marketability for my niche. When I selected the business unit, I also attended the retreat they were having in order to get a better feel for the group – which turned out to be a great idea!
Are you able to work with partners outside of the group you chose?
Yes. I routinely work with partners outside of my group. My clients are pretty evenly split between a number of business units.
Was there much of a transition from being a general assignment associate to being a member of your new group?
Overall, the transition was very smooth. I’ve found myself more focused on meeting other attorneys within my group and paying more attention to the information presented at the monthly lunch meetings.
What advice would you give an associate when considering a business unit? How should he/she prepare for the move?
Do your homework! Attend the monthly update lunches to get a feel for who is in the business unit and how it meshes with your current practice. If there is a retreat coming up that you’re interested in, talk to someone about attending. Talk to partners or associates that are in the business unit to learn more about their experiences and the factors that went into their decision to join a particular group. And of course, think about your practice and the kind of niche that you want to carve out for yourself at the firm.