Moving at Partner level in a law firm

[Squidthing]

Hi, I'm in a niche area of law, I've made it to salaried partner level and it's okay but I have been at the same law firm for a long time and am just feeling a bit restless. Did anyone make a move at this level?

I'm late 40s, the next level up is at least 5 years away but I'm not sure I even would want to push for it even if it weren't for the younger much more ambitious partners in my cohort.

I'm just feeling a bit meh about doing the same thing for the next 12 years, I'd be considered an expert in my field and I know I'm respected but I don't feel the joy I used to for the work and I'm getting increasingly irriated guiding my reportees.

I was thinking of sending my CV to a couple of firms but before I do just wanted to hear from others who made a similar move and how it worked out foe them.

Ime both as moving partner and a partner hirer, pretty much everyone uses headhunters at this level. Directly sending a CV is not the done thing.

I can recommend Norah Durrant if you want to have a chat with someone who specialises in senior women in the legal field. I know quite a few female partners who have moved via her.

www.norahdurrantrecruitment.com

I am a bit older and have moved twice at partner level. Also niche area of law, and haven't used headhunters either time. In both cases it was through network or direct approach and tbh my firm also avoids headhunters if we can avoid it. Generally It costs too much for the service you get. Do you where you want to move to? Do you know anyone there. If you do have a coffee and a chat, you don't even have to say you want to move. Find out if you like them. However I would also say without a nailed on following moving is hard. It takes a lot of effort and all the billing targets etc don't stop because you move. So think hard about whether you are up for a challenge and what moving gives you that staying wouldn't. In theory I think I have one more move in me, but I am also much less energetic than I was last time, and not sure I can be bothered to move again.

Thanks both so much for taking time to respond. It feels like if I don't do it now then I never will. I will look at the headhunter route just for the initial chat if nothing else.

Good luck!

I moved once into a partner role (after being counsel at my previous firm) and once as a partner. Both times in the City. I'm also in a niche area. I'm now done with BigLaw. I really didn't enjoy my last role so I'm doing something else outside a law firm and hope this is what I will do until retirement now.

I'm surprised by what the poster above says about not using headhunters. I've heard very occasionally of people being approached by their network but it is fairly rare in my circle. For my latest move I was approached for a role via a headhunter even when I knew the head of the department really well beforehand. It just seems to be the preferred way of doing things for the firms I am familiar with.