Contract Work — Legal Career Impacts
If you’ve been working in the legal industry for the past decade, then you’ve likely come across the growing trend for alternative working arrangements — increasingly, even Biglaw firms are offering non-partner career paths, part-time options, and occasional remote days. There are also more contract-based positions than ever before. Many attorneys find themselves initially interested, but confused by what it could mean for their career — what are the advantages and disadvantages and impacts of contract legal work in today’s industry?
Let’s take a closer look.
Testing Different Workplaces
Many attorneys get into contract work as a temporary solution to having been “through the wringer” with various law firms and in-house departments. In other words, attorneys who feel as though they’ve suffered in negative workplace environments often seek contract-based projects in an effort to escape the grind of office life.
The ever-shifting nature of contract work allows attorneys a unique benefit: they can test workplaces with short-term contract work and thereby determine which organization is the best fit for their personality and background. Once they identify the best fit organization, they can look to secure full-time employment with the same.
More Results, Less Workplace Politics
Generally speaking, contract workers do not have to engage (or at least, only minimally) with the dreaded battlefield that is workplace politics. Your value as a contract worker is measured almost entirely by your output — not by your “commitment” to the company or by some vague and murky notion that you are an important member of the team. This frees contract workers from the pressures typically associated with the legal workplace (e.g. workplace politics).
It’s worth noting, of course, that this is a double-edged sword, in the sense that your disengagement from workplace politics also precludes you from developing into a valued member of the organization.
Minimal Organizational Imprint
In truth, contract workers rarely integrate into the larger organization for whom they provide services — this can lead to a minimal organizational imprint, even if they are doing extremely polished work. If you have a more “mercenary” sensibility with respect to your work, then it may not bother you that the impact of a contract position is not appreciated to the same degree (as if you had been working in a full-time position with the same organization).
It’s important not to downplay the value of having a perceived impact on a legal organization (firm or in-house department). Leaving an organizational imprint is relevant if you are attempting to grow your career organically — a
High-Level vs. Low-Level Contract Work
Contract work is quite variable. Though contract legal work has long been associated with low-level projects (i.e., volume document review, etc.), there are — increasingly — projects available that are seeking out high-level attorneys to work in a “consulting” role with the organization. While these roles are technically contract-based, they do not carry with them the same negative perceptions traditionally associated with contract legal work.
For example, if you are brought on-board by a firm to provide high-level consulting services with respect to a particular industry, then that short-term role will present favorably on your resumé for future positions (whether you continue with contract work or move into full-time employment).
As such, we encourage our clients not to make early assumptions about a given contract position. The position should be evaluated fully on its own merits. High-level contract legal work can actually help you develop into a unique, standout attorney-candidate for future endeavors.
Contact Garb Jaffe & Associates for Professional Guidance
If you have been considering a job transition in the legal industry, then we encourage you to connect with the team here at Garb Jaffe & Associates for guidance on how to proceed. Our Los Angeles legal recruiters have decades of experience helping attorney-candidates secure ideal working arrangements, including contract-based work and full-time employment.
We provide comprehensive recruitment assistance to attorney-candidates — from identifying great organizations and positions that are suitable for the candidate’s background, to the provision of resume editing/drafting services and interview prep services. Quite simply, our team is committed to engaging attorney-candidates at an early stage in the recruitment process so that we can better understand their career goals and secure the “best fit” position for their needs.
Ready to speak to a legal recruiter at Garb Jaffe & Associates? We encourage you to call us at 310-207-0727 or complete an intake form through our website. As our services are free of cost to attorney-candidates (we are paid by employers to assist with hiring), there is no risk to reaching out and getting started with your job search.