Struggling to Break Into U.S. Law After Working Abroad: Here’s How to Start Over Strong

Description

In this Q&A video, Harrison Barnes offers advice to a lawyer who has spent their career in the Middle East and is struggling to transition back into the New York legal market. He explains that it can be challenging to secure a job in a big law firm when all of the experience is overseas, as firms may not see the experience as relevant. Barnes advises starting at the bottom and taking whatever job is available, emphasizing the importance of deeply evaluating the legal market and targeting firms that could be a good fit for one's background. He encourages a strategic approach, focusing on finding the best possible opportunities, even if they aren’t immediately ideal.

Question:
I'm a lawyer licensed in New York City. I spent my entire career in the Middle East, and I'm having a hard time getting clients or a job. I'm so motivated by your talk, and I'd love to hear what you would do if you were in my shoes, but with a three-step plan. What can I do to shake things up?

Answer:
Okay, so the first thing is, you're not going to get a job in a big law firm if all your experience has been in the Middle East. That's a very common situation. People often go overseas after law school, and then when they try to come back, law firms aren’t always welcoming. What do you do? You start at the bottom. You get the best job you can, even if it's not exactly what you want. Often, you won’t even get interviews for jobs because firms might not think your experience will translate into the kind of work they do. But you need to take whatever job you can and also look deeply at your options. When you examine the legal market, try to look at it from multiple angles. Don’t just apply to jobs; focus on firms that might be a good fit for your background and experience.