Keeping-Tabs-Winter-2024

PRACTICE PIVOT
The Pursuit of Practice:
Changing Practice Areas
as a Junior Lawyer
Narmada Gunawardana (she/her), Davies Howe LLP
While I was in law school, I got it into my head
that the area of law I began working in would
be my area of practice in for the rest of my
legal career. This was misguided. I have since
learned that lawyers often move around. However,
changing practice areas as a young lawyer
can be daunting. I changed practice areas
within one year of being called to the bar and
these are the things I found most helpful.
Learn the law
Learn the substantive law of the practice area
to which you wish to change. This will give
you the knowledge you need in your future
position while also equipping
you with the ability to
show your interest to potential
employers. In my experience,
a genuine interest in a practice
area and a willingness to learn will
open many doors. There are a
number of resources you can use
to gain this knowledge: events
run by one of the 15 practice
groups at The Advocates’ Society,
set up alerts on CanLII
for new decisions, or sign up for
articles on mondaq.
Pitch your transferable skills
This is an exercise in advocating for yourself.
As a lawyer, you have already begun to develop
the skills that will make you effective in any
practice area. However, the onus is on you to
show the employer how your skills are transferable
to their specific practice area. This is
particularly true if you are working with recruiters,
who may be looking for a specific list
of past experiences. Even if you don’t have
specific experiences, you likely have comparable
experiences and other assets that will help
you succeed in that role. Keep a list of those
experiences and skills at the ready.
Network, network, network
This can be stressful, particularly if you are
cold-contacting partners or attending events
where you don’t know anyone. However, for
me, nothing was as helpful in changing practice
areas as networking. Every communication
I had, whether it was an email, phone
call, or coffee chat, led me to gain valuable
insight on how best to maneuver the change.
Networking helps you build connections and
informal mentors who can refer you to firms
that are hiring. These connections can also
give you real insight into the experience of
working in that practice area. This allows you
to make a more informed choice on your potential
move.
Be patient and keep at it
If you are determined to move to a new practice
area, I personally believe it is a question of
when and not if it happens. I recommend that
you are realistic with your timeline and patient
with the process. When I was looking to make
the change, I was given the following helpful
advice - you will get your shot and when you
do, take it and run with it.
WE ARE
LCM ATTORNEYS.
WE SPEAK
LITIGATION.
In less than a decade since its founding in
2014, LCM Attorneys has established itself
as one of the most trusted litigation
boutiques in Montreal.
With wide-ranging expertise and true
commitment to understanding our clients’
needs, we can handle the most challenging
matters, providing skilful advocacy,
insightful advice and practical solutions.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary,
we decided to refresh our image.
New logo, new website.
Visit lcm.ca
6
Ed. note: For TAS members, the online Mentoring Portal is a great place to connect with other
members who practice in a variety of areas of practice. Learn more about the portal here.