US Gov Isn't Only One Laying Off Lawyers - Microsoft Also Cuts Legal

 Those skeptical of the employment vulnerability of professionals in the legal sector just got shaken up. 

In its home state of Washington Microsoft has laid off 32 company lawyers and five paralegals. AI is generating new staffing strategies. Obviously, lawyers' employment security is not only threated by the aberrant purges in US Gov. 

Meanwhile, landing a lawyer job in-house has been increasingly tough. A poster on Reddit Big Law observes:

"This [being hired in-house] is one of the most competitive markets in recent memory. Lateral hiring has been down and so has in house hiring. Every single in house job now gets triple the resumes and tons from fourth and fifth years.

That means the traditional plan of getting about four+ years experience working for a large law firm, then transitioning in-house may not be in the cards. Discontented lawyers might have to figure out another kind of exit plan. That was not the situation years ago when I coached those who had left major firms such as Kirkland & Ellis.

However, those exits, whatever form they take, may not be voluntary. Or that first law-firm job might not even be available. 

Like IBM, chair of law firm Paul Weiss Brad Karp has been candid in projecting that Gen AI may eliminate jobs. As is well known, that technology can already perform well in document review, research and creating simple contracts. A&O Shearman has developed an AI app that can perform the analytic tasks of partners in practices ranging from antitrust to cybersecurity.

The "safe" job may be for a lawyer to develop deep expertise in Gen AI. Then take a staff strategic position in a law firm or in-house. Cleary hired litigator/AI expert Kyle Bahr to be the AI product lead. Eventually selling AI services/products to other law firms and in other sectors could become a major profit center for both law firms and in-house legal departments. 

In coaching, I hammer that advanced skills in AI are necessary for most knowledge-work jobs.

Rattled, maybe the first time since you started working? Faith-based Coaching. Special expertise with transitions, reskilling and aging. Psychic/tarot readings, upon request. Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova (Text 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com). Yes, test out the chemistry.


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