There are exciting opportunities for lawyers in Australia across a range of practice areas at the moment. However, the challenge faced by the majority of law firms is a general lack of good quality lawyers in the market to fill these roles.

Most of the roles currently available are for mid-senior level lawyers at top and mid-tier firms with busy practices. However, lawyers are taking a cautious approach and are not, generally speaking, taking advantage of some great opportunities to advance their career by making a lateral move.

One way in which lawyers can effectively advance their career is to move interstate to position themselves better for promotion, whether from lawyer to senior associate or from senior associate to partner.

There is no doubt that certain states are faring better than others in terms of economic growth. Such growth usually means law firm growth, which usually means prospects for promotion. Lawyers with the flexibility to move around Australia will be tomorrow’s candidates for promotion. There is a lot of lateral movement interstate where lawyers are looking for the next step.

There are some great “career roles” across the country at the moment and, in a climate where partnership is not just about being a brilliant lawyer but being in the right place at the right time, career positioning is key for the ambitious lawyer.

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Now is a great time to assess where you are and where you are going.

Greg Plummer is a director at Marsden Legal Search & Recruitment