Should you move interstate for a Top Tier opportunity?

For a lot of lawyers, the chance to work at a Top Tier firm is a significant milestone in their career.

Of course, it is not as easy as just applying and getting a role, as competition for positions is often fiercely contested.

I regularly speak with lawyers from boutique and mid-tier firms seeking to move to a Top Tier firm in their home cities of Melbourne or Sydney. Some are successful and a large number are not so fortunate.

Should you move to Brisbane or Perth for a top tier opportunity?

Our Top Tier clients regularly mandate us on roles in Perth and Brisbane and specifically ask for interstate candidates who would consider relocating.

Often, it is easier to obtain a Top Tier role outside of Sydney or Melbourne, as the supply of candidates in Brisbane and Perth is significantly less and demand remains high.

Making an interstate move, even for a couple of years, opens up a number of future opportunities which would advance your career, including:

• The ability to transfer back to Melbourne or Sydney with the Top Tier firm;
• Moving in-house: Many clients are after top-tier trained lawyers and it is far easier to move in-house with this experience;
• Moving in to government roles: Given that top-tier firms tend to advise the government on relevant legal areas, this opens up a number of opportunities for you to go in to government roles and often enjoy a much better work-life balance.
• Greater Partnership opportunities: You would have the ability to market yourself as a top tier lawyer to clients, and even if you moved to a smaller firm after a few years, this would hold significant value when pitching to clients.

If you would like to know what interstate roles I am currently working on, please get in touch at Neil.Street@beacon-legal.com.au.