January has a reputation in the legal market
It is often seen as a quiet month. A time to clear inboxes, reset after year end deals, and ease back into the pace of fee earning life. As a result, many lawyers assume it is not the time to think seriously about career moves.
In reality, January is one of the most strategic moments in the year for lawyers to reassess their position and consider whether they are still in the right place for the year ahead.
This is not about rushing into a move. It is about being informed, open minded, and intentional.
January is when firms make real decisions
While December is dominated by year end targets and bonuses, January is when law firms quietly reset.
Budgets are finalised. Hiring plans are signed off. Practice heads reassess resourcing gaps. Teams that were stretched in Q4 are reviewed properly for the first time.
For lawyers, this matters. Firms may not advertise aggressively in January, but this is when lateral needs are identified internally and when conversations start. Being open minded at this point in the year puts you ahead of the curve rather than reacting later under pressure.
Open minded does not mean actively looking
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear from lawyers is that speaking to a recruiter or reassessing your options means you are somehow disloyal or halfway out of the door.
That simply is not the case.
Being open minded means understanding:
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How your experience is viewed in the current market
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Whether your remuneration reflects your value
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What other firms would offer in terms of work quality, progression, and platform
Many of the strongest moves happen when a lawyer is performing well, settled, and not urgently looking. January provides the space to have these conversations without the urgency that often builds later in the year.
The market moves before lawyers do
Another reality of the legal market is that firms often move faster than individuals.
Teams are built, merged, or restructured. New partners arrive with followings. Client strategies shift. By the time a lawyer realises their role has subtly changed, the opportunity to reposition themselves on the front foot may already have passed.
January is when you can step back and ask:
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Am I developing, or just delivering?
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Am I getting the exposure I expected at this stage?
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Does my current firm still align with where I want to be in three to five years?
These questions are much easier to answer calmly at the start of the year than in the middle of a demanding summer or during year end reviews.
Reassessment is part of a modern legal career
Legal careers are no longer linear. Progression, development, and satisfaction rarely come from simply staying put and waiting.
That does not mean frequent moves are right for everyone. But it does mean that periodically testing your assumptions about loyalty, progression, and opportunity is healthy and increasingly normal.
The most successful lawyers we work with do not move impulsively. They stay informed, understand their options, and make decisions from a position of strength.
A strong start to the year is not just about workload
January is often framed around productivity and performance. But a strong year is just as much about direction.
Taking time now to reassess your role, your trajectory, and your market value does not commit you to change. It simply ensures that if opportunities arise later in the year, you are prepared to assess them properly.
Overall, January is not about making a move. It is about making sure you do not miss the right one.
