Uncertainty

Wherever there is change, and wherever there is uncertainty, there is opportunity.

                                                                                                            -Mark Cuban

The market is shifting.  You feel it in your current position.  You hear it time and time again on the news.  A looming recession.  Inflation.  Layoffs.  Chilling business news.  Political chaos.  International standoffs.  And yet, we get a booming jobs report and all is forgotten.  The whiplash you feel is real.  What can you do to prepare for (potentially) rough seas ahead?

The bottom line is this – no one knows what the legal market is going to look like tomorrow, several months, or a year down the road.  The best thing you can do is prepare for a volatile market now. 

1.     Brush off your resume and be ready to make a move.  With all change and uncertainty comes opportunity.  Be ready for it.  If your current firm is struggling, another firm may be booming.  Be ready to make a move when the right opportunity is presented to you (or better yet, go seek it out). 

2.     Get as much experience as you can!  If you have experience gaps in your resume, work hard to fill them now. If you haven’t taken a deposition, work to get that skill.  If you haven’t been client-facing in your practice, work to get in front of clients!

3.     Start networking.  You shouldn’t wait until you need your network to start networking.  Use your lunches, coffees and cocktails wisely to stay top-of-mind with your peers.

4.     Stay calm.  This too shall pass.  We are coming off one of the biggest boom cycles in the legal market.  Any market correction will quickly pass.