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Guidebook1ST TIME LATERALzeregaconsulting.com

ZEREGA CONSULTING

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingAs a rst-me lateral associate, you hold the power to dene your career path. You’ve honed your skills, gained valuable experience, and now it’s me to leverage that foundaon to nd the perfect t. At Zerega Consulng, we know that taking the leap to lateral can feel like stepping into uncharted territory. Lateraling isn’t just about changing scenery; it’s about seizing opportunies that align with your goals. Making a lateral move can feel overwhelming, especially for rst-mers. Let’s walk through some key aspects of the process to make things a lile easier. What is Lateraling?Lateraling describes an associate aorney who transions from one law rm to another with established experience under their belt. It’s your chance to leverage your skills and nd a rm that aligns with your goals; whether it’s a specic pracce area, a beer work-life balance, or a faster track to partnership.INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

ZEREGA CONSULTINGAs you think about lateraling for the rst me, it’s important to approach the transion with careful consideraon. Here are some things you can do if you’re thinking about making a move: ▪ Thoroughly research potenal rms to ensure they align with your career goals, values, and desired work culture. Make sure to assess the potenal for professional growth and mentorship within your new environment. ▪ Take a step back and look at the big picture. When considering your future career goals, ensure you align your lateral moves with your long-term objecves. For instance, if your ulmate goal is to become a Partner in BigLaw, focus your job search on AmLaw ranking rms rather than small bouques. This approach might require paence, but it’s beer to take your me than to make a hasty decision and have to explain a short stretch at a rm due to impaence. ▪ If you haven’t started networking, now is the me. Connecons can open the door to unexpected opportunies. ▪ Be sure to maintain professionalism and condenality throughout the process, as discreon is key in preserving both your current and future relaonships. ▪ Speak to a legal recruiter. Even if you’re not sure you want to use one, it doesn’t hurt to have a conversaon. Recruiters oen have knowledge of jobs that aren’t listed on rm sites or LinkedIn. ▪ Good recruiters are well connected and experienced and can give you advice on any rms or jobs that you’ve already researched.MAKING A MOVEMAKING A MOVE

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingYour resume is oen your rst impression, so make it count! Here are some ps to craing a compelling resume:Tense is Important: ▪ Make sure to use the correct tense. When you describe what you do in your current role, be sure to use rst person, present tense (ex. “I dra moons…”). For past roles, use past tense, (ex. “Draed moons…”).Quality over Quanty: ▪ Remember, less is more! Keep your resume concise and limit it to a maximum of 2 pages. ▪ Avoid copying and pasng the same responsibilies for each role. Instead, highlight your key strengths and accomplishments for each posion.List your Achievements: ▪ Clearly state your educaon, including law school aended, degree earned, and any honors or awards received. ▪ Highlight relevant cercaons, bar admissions, volunteer or pro bono work, or publicaons.RESUMESRESUMES ▪ Make sure your LinkedIn prole is up to date. When you’re applying for posions, people will be looking at your LinkedIn page. Conrm that all relevant experience and skills are listed. If you want to make sure recruiters know you’re looking for new opportunies, consider selecng that you are “Open to Work”. Only those with Recruiter Account Access will be able to see this status.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGFormang is Key: ▪ Pay close aenon to formang, grammar and spelling. The formang should be consistent throughout your resume. Be sure to proofread thoroughly before sending! ▪ Even minor grammar or spelling errors can be red ags for potenal employers, especially for posions involving ligaon, contracts, or draing important documents.Less is More: ▪ Don’t overcomplicate your resume by adding mulple fonts in mulple colors, pictures or graphics. You want your resume to stand out for its accomplishments, not for distracng colors and fonts.  Professional and Long Term Contact Info: ▪ Use a simple email address that includes your rst and last name or inials. ▪ Steer clear of anything too personal, such as hobbies or pet names, which might distract from your qualicaons and experse. ▪ Avoid using your undergrad or law school email addresses, as they may become inacve over me. Instead, provide long-term contact details that employers can rely on.TRANSCRIPTTRANSCRIPTMost rms will require that you provide your law school transcript when applying for a posion. An unocial transcript will suce.

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingIf you’re a ligator, you will likely be asked to provide a wringsample. ▪ Wring samples must be from your current posion, showing your work as an aorney. This should be your best work. It should be no more than 10 pages, if possible. You should also include a cover leer with a 2 to 3 sentence summary of your analysis. ▪ Wring samples from law school are not acceptable. ▪ Firms understand that your work is being reviewed and you’re sll learning, so it’s perfectly acceptable to have a partner’s name on the sample. ▪ If your wring sample is not public, it MUST BE redacted. Not redacng your wring sample will most likely result in immediate disqualicaon for the role. ▪ A Moon for Summary Judgment is a great example of the type of wring sample that you can submit.WRITING SAMPLESWRITING SAMPLES

ZEREGA CONSULTINGThere are many benets to using a legal recruiter if you’re a rst me lateral. If you are considering using a recruiter, here are some things to keep in mind.Industry Insight:A great legal recruiter will have extensive knowledge and connecons within the legal industry. They can provide insights into rms, their cultures, and opportunies that align with your career goals. Tailored Matches:Your recruiter should take the me to understand your skill set, preferences, and career aspiraons. With this informaon, they will match you with rms where you’ll thrive both professionally and personally. A good recruiter should listen to your needs, wants and desires for future growth and nd opportunies that align with those needs.Condenality: Recognizing the close-knit nature of the legal eld, we priorize condenality in your job search. Any recruiter you work with should have the same level of commitment to your condenality. A professional recruiter will keep all of your informaon, including your resume, condenal and will only submit you for a posion with your permission.Support Throughout the Process:Lateraling for the rst me is overwhelming. From choosing the right opportunity to negoang with condence, our recruiters will be there for every step. A good recruiter should be responsive and willing to oer assistance throughout the process from your resume to interview prep, negoang an oer and more.ADADVANTAGVANTAGES OF USING A ES OF USING A LEGAL RECRUITERLEGAL RECRUITER

A Unique Approach to Legal Recruing SUBMISSIONINTERVIEW(S)OFFERCONFLICTS CHECKSTART DATE CONFIRMEDFOLLOW UP WITH RECRUITEROFFER RECEIVED OR NO OFFER RECEIVEDPHONE CALL WITH RECRUITERTIMELINETIMELINE

ZEREGA CONSULTINGPhone Call with Recruiter: If you’re working with a recruiter, one of the rst things that will happen will be an introductory phone call. This call will be roughly 10 to 20 minutes. The recruiter will go over the role and the rm. If you’re interested and it seems like a good t, they’ll ask you some of the following quesons:Are you acvely or passively looking? This helps gauge your level of interest in the role and how quickly you may be open to a new opportunity.What is your experience and how it relates to the posion? The recruiter knows the specic details of the posion and can gauge if you’re the right t.What are you looking for in your next rm? Are there pain points at your current rm that you want to avoid? This allows the recruiter to analyze the opportunies and the rms so that they can nd the best t.Have you been submied to or applied to any rms? A rm that you’ve beensubmied to or applied to will likely keep your resume on le for 6 months to a year. Due to this, you may not be able to be submied by a new recruiter, even for a new role, for up to a year.Are you currently working with or have you worked with another recruiter? It’s important to be honest with your recruiter if you’ve been submied for other posions. Applying or being submied to the same rm mulple mes is considered a red ag. What are your salary expectaons? Typically rms have a salary range based on JD year and area of pracce. Knowing where you’d like to be and where you need to be, can help the recruiter nd opportunies that align with those needs.What is your meline? Are you looking to make a move in the next few weeks, months or a year? It doesn’t make sense to be submied to a posion if you aren’t ready to make a move. Let the recruiter know so they can work with your meline and at your pace.

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingSubmission: If you have made the decision to be submied for the role and the recruiter has determined you to be a good t, the recruiter will conrm they have your permission to be submied.Once they have your resume, law school transcript and wring sample (if applicable), they will reach out to their hiring contact and submit you for the posion. This process depends on the rm or company but typically takes about 1 to 2 weeks.If you’re not working with a recruiter, you should follow the submission process that the rm or company has explained in the job details.Interview: If the rm would like to interview you, the recruiter will coordinate a day and me. The amount of interviews dier from rm to rm. Some only require one or two while others require mulple rounds. If you’re working with a recruiter, they’ll let you know what to expect. This process can take roughly 3 to 4 weeks. Visit the next secon in this guidebook for interview ps and tricks.Oer: If the rm has decided to extend an oer, typically a partner will call you with a verbal oer. You’ll then receive an email with your ocial oer leer which will indicate your base salary, billable hour requirement (prorated or not), bonus structure, and benets informaon. Oers will typically have a deadline aached to them.If you are working with a recruiter, they can help you navigate negoaons or help you get answers to any quesons you have. Not all posions or salaries will be negoable due to set salary ranges, JD year, etc. The recruiter can give you advice based on their knowledge of the rm and compensaon structure.No Oer: If the rm has decided not to move forward with an oer, the recruiter will let you know. Depending on the rm, they may or may not have feedback to provide you. If you are sll interested in exploring new opportunies, the recruiter will discuss your opons and next steps with you.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGConicts Check: If you’ve accepted an oer, you’ll need to do a conicts check with the rm. For this, you’ll typically write down all of the cases you have worked on which the rm will review for conicts. This typically takes a few days to a week. If a conict arises, the rm and/or your recruiter will let you know the next steps based on the specic situaon and the severity of the conict. You should not give your noce to your current rm unl the conicts check is complete.Start Date: Once the conicts are cleared, the rough start date you were given in your oer leer is nalized.Resignaon: Once your conicts are cleared, background checks are complete and your start date is nalized, you should give noce to your current rm. The best way to give noce is in person with your supervisor (remember, you want to leave on good terms, when possible). If you work remotely, scheduling me with them for a video call will suce.The standard amount of noce to give is 2 weeks. However, some rms may ask you to leave the day you give noce so be prepared for that scenario and make sure any company owned equipment or items are ready to be returned. Once you resign in person you can follow up with a resignaon leer. There are resignaon leer examples at the end of this guide.Follow Up: If you worked with a recruiter, they should follow up with you roughly a week or so aer you start to make sure the on-boarding process has gone smoothly and you’re seling in nicely.Interviews are one of the most important parts of the job search process. It’s your way to make a connecon and show that you’re interested in the posion. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re preparing for your interview.INTERVIEWSINTERVIEWS

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingPre-Interview Prep: ▪ If you’re working with a recruiter, they will reach out to you prior to your interview to help you prepare and answer any quesons. ▪ Research the rm/company you are interviewing with and thoroughly review the job descripon. ▪ Prepare any quesons you have about the job details or rm/company. ▪ Print copies of your resume and oer one to each interviewer you meet.Interview Day: ▪ Aim to arrive at least 10 minutes early to the interview locaon. If you are running late, you need to contact the rm or your recruiter directly to let them know. ▪ When introduced to each interviewer, stand up if you are seated and oer a rm handshake. If the interview is virtual, greet them with a condent and friendly tone. ▪ Make sure to ask at least one thoughul queson. Acvely listen to the responses and ask follow ups as needed. ▪ Towards the end of the interview, politely ask each interviewer for their business card. ▪ Thank the interviewer for their me and the opportunity to interview. Reiterate your appreciaon for the chance to learn more about the role and company.Post-Interview: ▪ If you’re working with a recruiter, touch base with them to provide feedback and discuss your overall impression. ▪ Within 24 hours of your interview, e-mail a thank you note to each interviewer you met with (using the email address from the business cards you gathered during the interview). Express gratude for the opportunity to interview and learn more about the company and the role. Keep the email concise and focused, ideally no more than a few paragraphs. A thank you note example can be found at the back of this guide.For more in-depth advice and ps on interviews, contact us for a copy of our Interview Guidebook.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGRelocangIf you’re applying to a posion at a rm and you’re looking to relocate you should include this in a cover leer. Consider updang your LinkedIn prole with the “Open to Work” banner in the city you are relocang to so recruiters can nd you when doing a search.Check the state reciprocity for the state you are barred in. If you are working with a recruiter, they may be able to help you look up the reciprocity informaon for the state you wish to relocate to.Some rms are open to hiring those who can sit for the bar but remember, the bar is only oered twice a year so you should make sure you have me to prepare before accepng a new oer. A benet to working with a recruiter when relocang is that the recruiter will be able to communicate the circumstances of the relocaon with the internal recruiter at the rm. Another benet is that the recruiter may know of addional opportunies in the area that you are relocang to.Digital FootprintOne of the rst things a recruiter or rm will do aer viewing your resume will be to go to your LinkedIn prole to ensure the informaon is consistent with what you listed. Be sure to keep your informaon up to date. Remember, if your social media accounts are not set to private, any future employer can look you up. It’s best pracce to review your proles to ensure they show your best, professional self.TIPS & TRICKSTIPS & TRICKS

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingResponsivenessSome rms move through the hiring process quickly so any requests from your recruiter should be handled promptly.Switching Pracce AreasThis isn’t impossible but it is dicult to do. If you’re applying to a posion without a recruiter, a cover leer detailing your experience and how it relates to the pracce area you want to switch to is your best approach. If you’re working with a recruiter, they will ask you detailed informaon about your background, experience and law school transcripts. Many rms will look at a candidate’s transcripts when considering them for a pracce area that they don’t have experience in. Depending on the role and the rm, opportunies can arise where it’s easier to make the switch.Staying OrganizedIf you haven’t lateraled before, you’ll need to update your resume and gather your law school transcript and wring samples. A best pracce is to keep all of this in a dedicated folder on your computer so it is easily accessible for any future opportunies.Resume Red FlagsSome things that may be considered resume red ags are gaps between posions or leaving a job before a year’s me. The best way to handle potenal red ags is to be open about them.When working with a recruiter, they’ll discuss these things with you and address them with the rm before subming your resume.Paence is KeyFrom start to nish, the lateral process can take months depending on the rm and the circumstances. Being paent and maintaining a posive atude during this me can help you navigate the waing period.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGThe lateral process may present its challenges but remember, it’s not just about transioning from one rm to another, but rather about strategically posioning yourself for long-term success and fulllment. Embrace the journey, recognizing that each step forward brings new opportunies for growth and advancement.If you’re interested in exploring new opportunies with the guidance of experienced legal recruiters, we’re here to support you in your career aspiraons and help you navigate the excing possibilies that lie ahead.

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingWith more than ve decades of collecve experience in legal recruing, Zerega Consulng is a recognized leader in the industry. We take pride in our personalized, relaonship-driven approach that has consistently produced results for both our candidates and clients. Our dedicaon to providing exceponal service is the driving force behind our success. If you’re interested in exploring a new opportunity, please contact us today.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGSubject: Thank You - [Your Name] – [Position Title] InterviewDear [Interviewer’s Name],I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to interview for the [Position Title] position at [Company/Firm Name] on [date of interview]. I enjoyed learning more about your rm and the opportunity to discuss [mention a specic area of discussion].The conversation with [mention the interviewers’ names] further reinforced my interest in this role. My expe-rience in [mention relevant skills and experience] aligns well with the rm’s needs, and I am condent I can contribute to the team.Thank you again for your time and consideration. I am very interested in this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you soon. Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide.Sincerely,[Your Name]THANK YOU E-MAIL THANK YOU E-MAIL EXAMPLEEXAMPLEAn eample of a thank you e-mail is below. Please feel free to use this as template but make sure to personalize to you and what the interview(s) discussed and make sure to ll in your informaon and the rm/company informaon.

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingResignation Letter Sample - Two Weeks NoticeYour NameYour AddressYour City, State. Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameJob TitleName of CompanyAddressCity, State. Zip CodeDear [Mr./Mrs. Last Name]:Please accept this letter as formal notication that I am leaving my position with [Company/Firm Name] on [date - at least two weeks from the date of the Letter of Resignation].Thank you for the professional and personal development opportunities you have provided during my time with [Company/Firm Name]. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the organization and sincerely wish [Company Name] continued success in all its future endeavors.If I can be of any assistance during this transition, please let me know.Sincerely,Your SignatureYour Typed NameRESIGNATION LETTER RESIGNATION LETTER EXAMPLESEXAMPLESSome examples of resignaon leers are below. Please feel free to use these but make sure to ll in your informaon and the rm/company informaon as needed. To download the word le, please click the buon below.

ZEREGA CONSULTINGResignation Letter Sample - Two Weeks NoticeYour NameYour AddressYour City, State. Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameJob TitleName of CompanyAddressCity, State. Zip CodeDear [Mr./Mrs. Last Name],I am writing to formally inform you of my resignation from my position as [Job Title] at[Company Name]. In accordance with the period of notice agreed within my contract, my last day will be [date].I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all of the opportunities presented to me during my employ-ment. I have enjoyed my time working at [Company Name], however, in the best interests of my career, I feel that the time is right to move on.Sincerely,[Your Signature][Your Typed Name]

A Unique Approach to Legal RecruingResignation Letter Sample - Short NoticeYour NameYour AddressYour City, State, Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameTitleOrganizationAddressCity, State, Zip CodeDear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:Please accept this letter as formal notication that I am resigning from my position with[Company/Firm Name]. I understand that two weeks’ notice is standard. However, if at all possible, I would appreciate you releasing me from employment with the company as soon as possible. If I could provide any assistance with training my replacement or otherwise facilitating the transition, I would be happy to do so.Thank you for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you haveprovided me during my time here. I have enjoyed working for [rm/company name] and appreciate the support provided me during my tenure.I’m looking forward to hearing from you regarding the end date of my employment.Sincerely,[Your Signature][Your Typed Name]