When I started out in this game, a lawyer leaving one offshore firm for another was akin to crossing enemy lines. Bridges were firmly burned. You had to be very sure. These were the days when one particular client flat out refused to interview an applicant simply because they had also applied to its main competitor.
Fast-forward 25 years and movement between offshore firms, and between jurisdictions, is commonplace. I think it’s a good thing (I guess I would!). It reflects a more mature market, the increasing global reach of the sector, and the opportunities created through the proliferation of its major firms into new locations.
It also symbolises that a move offshore is a bona fide long-term international career path, no longer tied, as it once was (or was perceived to be), to your happiness with a particular firm or island.
Offshore experience travels very well. Our clients jump at the chance to interview lawyers from another offshore financial centre. Yes, the legal systems differ, but firms recognise the many similarities in perspective and approach. Experience has shown the adjustment tends to be straightforward.
An internal move or time for a change?
I expect the starting point for many offshore lawyers is to consider whether an internal move is possible. Some firms are transparent in managing this process, but in others, it’s discouraged, and even asking the question might feel detrimental to your prospects.
If you’ve been with your firm for at least a couple of years (and ideally you will have been, if you’re considering relocation) you will probably have a decent sense of how it would react. If you don’t, best to err on the side of caution. Look into options in the market before going to a Partner to announce your grand plan.
Even if you think an internal move is likely to be supported, it pays to understand the market. Firms can differ dramatically between locations, particularly if you are moving from a large HQ to a smaller office, or vice versa.
Take the time to consider the firm’s profile in that market, look at the structure and team size, understand its strategy. Likewise, when considering alternative firms, do your research and judge them based on their operations in your target location rather than on preconceptions formed in your current market.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying you shouldn’t make an internal move. On the contrary, if you’re happy, settled, and like the look of your employer’s team in your target location, that is exactly the move I would recommend you make. What I am saying is that it’s a big move, and it makes sense to approach it from an informed position, not simply take the course of least resistance.
Understand the market.
In any case, whether it’s an internal move or a new firm entirely, there are a few things to consider before packing your bags.
How will your practice area transfer? In a bigger team you might get better support and become more specialist but lose some independence or responsibility; in a smaller team, will you take on a broader workload and enjoy more client contact, but face being dragged into all sorts of things because there is nobody else to pick it up?
Is the business growing at a pace to support your career ambitions? A small team with few seniors can mean plenty of scope for progression, but it can also signify a shoestring operation with no strategy for expansion. From the outside they can look very similar, so you will need to ask the question.
And although you’re an old hand at offshore living now, don’t forget to think about the relocation from a personal perspective. Cost of living, salary, accommodation, schooling, accessibility, admission requirements, and climate all merit some attention. Demonstrating that you have thought carefully is just as important as it was for your first offshore move.
Apply via a friend or a recruiter?
Finally, there is the question of how to make your approaches, and yes, you guessed it, I think there is usually a strong argument for using a good recruiter with specialist offshore knowledge.
Not always. If you have a very close contact at a firm you would like to approach, it can make sense to capitalise on that, but you need to be comfortable chasing them for answers if your CV sits on a busy Partner’s desk for a month. If their recommendation is likely to carry some weight, I would use it. If they are just passing on a CV, I would think twice.
A good offshore recruiter should offer you the opportunity to test the water with firms before sending your CV, preserving your confidentiality and ensuring that you are not left high and dry, with applications all over the island and no clear answers.
In summary.
Opportunities to change firms and/or location within the offshore world have never been better, and it can be highly rewarding both personally and professionally. But the process is not without its hazards. It needs to be handled carefully, confidentially, and strategically to give you the best chance of making the right move, whether with your current firm or elsewhere.
If you’d like to talk it through with someone who knows the market you’re in, and the market you’d like to be in, feel free to get in touch with Jason Horobin in confidence.
