Law firms often advertise for staff on the basis that they offer a good mix of work, yet in practice it can be difficult to see evidence of them following through on this offer. An associate at a law firm can be easily persuaded to join a certain practice area, if it’s what the firm needs. As a junior lawyer re-training is still a possibility, so such a move encourages the idea of gaining better work and a higher salary.

Once inside a practice area, however, legal work can become repetitive and training and development can be insufficient. Some lawyers feel like they are being ‘pidgeon-holed’ into a particular area without the right support, such as IPO or regulatory and insurance work in Hong Kong or litigation or arbitration in Singapore. This can force lawyers into a specialisation they might not have chosen for themselves.

One associate describes their experience of trying to leave corporate practice, saying the problem began with a shortage of mid-to senior-level associates to learn from. “Seniors are helpful and willing to train when they can, but it is a luxury for both the senior and the junior, as the corporate firm is like a war zone 24/7. Everyone's running here and there with little time to breathe, let alone coach,” said the unnamed associate.

The problem also extends to other practice areas, according to the associate, as lack of experienced lawyers means that trainees and associates from different practice groups are pulled into corporate practice to work on deals they know nothing about. This continues the cycle, according to the associate.

Moving internally to another practice area can be difficult to achieve though, as the unnamed female associate said they have so far tried unsuccessfully to move into the litigation practice of their current firm. “Many lawyers are dissatisfied with their practice area, and most of those I know have moved in-house or are looking to move in-house, rather than seek out a different area of practice,” she said. Other recruitment executives also agree that the most common pathway out of corporate practice is to move in-house. The associate confirmed that other law firms do take into account transferable skills in interviews.

However, there is still something that can be done to help lawyers who want to find different work. Carmel Huber, Atticus Legal, mentioned that some of the client firms have implemented policies to limit the number of IPOs corporate lawyers work on in a row and introduced work allocation partners, who work directly with HR and junior lawyers, to make sure that juniors get experience in a mix of work, policies that have proven successful in 2010 in increasing staff lawyer morale.