Want to Switch Practice Areas? Here’s What Law Firms Really Look For

Description

In this Q&A video, Harrison Barnes discusses how attorneys transitioning from a niche practice to a more general one can make their skills and background more appealing to law firms. He explains that law firms generally prefer candidates with specialized experience, as clients value deep expertise in one area. Barnes advises focusing on one practice area in your resume to present a clear and consistent career path, rather than spreading experience across multiple areas. He emphasizes that attorneys should look for opportunities to specialize further and refine their expertise, as this can make them more attractive to hiring partners.

Question:
If someone is transitioning from a niche practice to a more general one, how can they bring their skills and background to a broader practice? What traits should they emphasize, and how can they make themselves more attractive to firms? Are there other qualities that resonate more with hiring partners?

Answer:
Law firms typically want people with specialized experience because it allows them to offer more value to their clients. Clients generally prefer attorneys with experience in one specific practice area, and the more niche the practice, the better. A person with five years of experience in one practice area is much more valuable than someone with five years split between three different practice areas, which would essentially be equivalent to one and a half years in each area. You should always try to find a niche practice area you can specialize in. Another piece of advice I would give you is that the resumes most likely to convert into interviews and offers focus on one practice area. For example, you may have worked in real estate, corporate, and employment law at your first firm, corporate and employment law at your second firm, and now corporate law at your current firm. This will help present a focused career trajectory to potential employers.