Expert Explains 3-Step Plan for Lawyers Seeking a Career Change

Laid-off lawyers can follow a three-step process to replace a job they may not have enjoyed all that much with one they like a lot better, a career coach told about 45 attorneys at a recent lunch seminar sponsored by the State Bar of Georgia.

The process involves answering three questions, says former practitioner Monica Parker: "What do you want to do? What's stopping you? What are you doing about it?" While this isn't easily accomplished, she admits, the results can be very rewarding, recounts the Daily Report in an article reprinted by New York Lawyer (reg. req.).

Avoiding the knee-jerk "yeah—but" response that comes so readily to mind for so many is critical to succeeding in this exercise, Parker notes.

To get started on answering the first question, she urged lunch seminar participants to start writing a list of careers that would interest them—or, especially for those who aren't sure of what they want to do, keep a list in a notebook of activities they enjoy. Once there are 150 items or so in the notebook, it's time to start grouping items together and looking for patterns.

For more tips, read the full article.

Earlier related coverage:

ABAJournal.com: "Tips for Laid-Off Lawyers Seeking Work: Focus, Network, Stay Positive"