Q:          I have more than 15 years of experience as a litigator, and three months ago left the job I had for six years.  I am in the process of looking for another job, and am going a bit stir crazy sitting being at home all of the time.  I am considering contacting a temp agency for contract work, but do not want to work on a document review.  If I want to do more sophisticated work, is a temp agency a viable option for me? 

JoAnn in Texas

A:  One of the most common myth lawyers have about contract work is that it almost exclusively involves large-scale document reviews.  To be sure, temp agencies and contract work have been a mainstay of filling positions for document reviews.  But the economic benefit to employers has made contract work an attractive and feasible option for a wide range of legal work.  This includes everything from legal research to brief writing, court appearances, and even trial work.  Likewise, some transactional work is performed on a contract basis, such as when employers contract with corporate attorneys to act as outside general counsel on a project basis. 

Many lawyers also wrongly assume that all contract work is handled through agencies.  But nothing prevents lawyers from directly contracting with law firms and other employers to handle work on a project or temporary basis.  And contacting legal employers directly can benefit both the attorney and the legal employer.  For example, the lawyer may receive more money and the employer can reduce its overall costs by eliminating the fees paid to the agency.

Thus, JoAnn, you should consider contacting potential employers directly about working on a project or temporary basis.  Because agencies tend to look for candidates who can work on a full-time basis, contacting potential employers directly can be especially helpful if you are looking for a part-time arrangement. 

If you are interested in pursuing temp or contract work--either directly with the employer or through an agency--the following tips may make your efforts more fruitful.

1.          You will increase your chances of finding better contract positions if you work to develop good working relationships with a few agencies rather than sending your resume anonymously to many.

2.           Where possible, try to meet directly with decision makers at agencies (or the person at the legal employer who has the power to hire you).

3.           When meeting with an agency, find out how they will handle your resume.  The best arrangement is one in which they won’t send your resume to potential employers without your prior consent.

4.           If you are negotiating directly with the employer, after you receive an offer, but before you decide whether to accept it, find out how malpractice insurance and conflicts checks will be handled. 

5.           Don’t wait until a project or assignment ends to begin looking for a new assignment.

6.          When you accept a more traditional position, let your contacts at the agencies know where you are; they can be a good networking source in the future.

JoAnn, hope this proves helpful.  Good luck with your job search.

Copyright © 2008 Successful Career Strategies, Inc.  All rights reserved.

Tel. 310.499.4668 • Info@scslawcareers.com • Toll Free  877.727.3399