In the wake of substantial budget reductions across federal and state agencies, a growing number of government attorneys are contemplating transitions into private practice or corporate legal departments. This shift is part of a broader reevaluation of legal careers as the profession adapts to changes driven by technology, regulation, economics, and generational shifts.
How should an attorney make this transition? The foundation is business skills. Traditional skills associated with business development—such as the ability to build credibility, visibility, and relationships—can provide attorneys at all levels with the clarity, options, and greater control that they desire in this rapidly shifting landscape. In other words, these skills not only enhance professional growth but also provide strategic advantages in navigating career transitions and organizational dynamics, and in creating opportunities to proactively shape career paths.
Building Your Career with Strategic Engagement—Now
Whether a lawyer is exploring new roles or trying to grow within their current one, the same truth applies: career-defining opportunities rarely appear out of nowhere. Many lawyers, especially senior associates and junior partners, are told to focus on their business development plan. But often, they are not sure where they are headed.
However, you do not need certainty to begin to prepare for the next phase of your career. Lawyers who feel uncertain about what they want in the future often assume they need clarity before they can act. In fact, the sooner you start to engage and to build credibility, the more momentum you can create in building a fulfilling, intentional career.
Action to Create Direction
Direction often comes from engagement, not introspection.
Instead of waiting, a better approach is to take small, strategic steps that bring clarity through action. Talk to people you admire. Say yes to opportunities that spark interest. Share what you are focused on and interested in. The more you engage, the more you will learn about what energizes you, what you’re great at, and where you want to focus.
For example, a senior associate trying to decide between pursuing partnership or going in-house is smart to develop a strategic plan to build credibility. Activities that generate ideal client work often create visibility with future employers as well. The same approach benefits in-house and government lawyers who are shaping their current role or exploring what is next.
For early-career lawyers, this work is essential. Reputation and relationships drive access to assignments, mentorship, and leadership. Doing good work is not enough if no one knows about it. Early credibility creates long-term opportunity.
Self-Assessment as a Road to Action
Lawyers do not have to be in a period of active career transition to benefit from taking stock. A few key questions can reveal where to focus:
- What kind of work do I want more of?
- Who sees that I’m good at it and passionate about it?
- What would need to be true for me to do more of the work that energizes me?
Answering these questions can spark a shift. For example, a finance partner feeling burned out by an unsupported practice at her firm might decide to pivot toward fund formation, an area that is better resourced at her firm and a better fit. From there, she can begin to position herself accordingly, drawing on her current experience and building relationships in that space. You do not need a perfect plan—you need movement that supports your desired direction.
Building Visibility for the Right Things
If people were asked to describe your expertise, what would they say? Would it match what you want to be known for?
Visibility starts with the basics. When people look you up, what do they find? Do your profiles and public activity reflect the areas in which you want to grow? How you show up in searches is shaped by how you engage, so be thoughtful about the reputation you are building through the articles you write, the panels you participate in, the associations and industry groups you align with, and the leadership roles you take on.
This is not about self-promotion; it is about alignment. If you want more of a certain kind of work, help others connect you to it. That might mean sharing an insight at a team meeting, writing a short post about a current issue, or asking to be staffed on a project that matches your goals. Visibility makes your value easier to recognize and easier to act on.
Build Relationships That Move You Forward
Most career turning points begin with a relationship. A colleague makes a recommendation. A client refers a friend. A former classmate makes an invitation into an opportunity.
As you consider your professional network, do not forget your nonattorney contacts and people you know outside of your immediate workplace. These relationships often span internal legal connections, such as colleagues in other departments or practice groups; internal nonlegal contacts, like business partners or operational leaders; external legal peers, including former colleagues and outside counsel; and external nonlegal allies, such as industry professionals, alumni, or connectors. Once you see where your network is strong and where it is thin, you can be more intentional about where to invest.
Relationships do not need to be deep to be useful. Start small. Be consistent. Approach people with curiosity and generosity. Over time, meaningful relationships will be built on mutual respect and a shared willingness to help.
Build Before You Need It
If you are satisfied in your current role and not thinking much about visibility or relationships, consider yourself fortunate. You are likely doing work you enjoy, with people you respect, in a role that remains viable and valued. But nothing stays unchanged for too long. Priorities shift. Leaders leave. Budgets change.
When things inevitably shift, the lawyers with strong reputations and broad relationships are the ones who land on their feet. Consistently investing in credibility, visibility, and connection gives you leverage, access, and options. It puts you in control of your career trajectory—not just when things are going well, but in every season of your professional life.
A Starting Point
Lawyers do not need to know their destination to make progress. What they need is intention, momentum, and a willingness to show up for their future even before it is clear what that future will look like.
So, stay in motion. Develop credibility and invest in visibility. Grow relationships.
Your future self will thank you.
