The Attorney’s Guide to Relocating and Thriving in New York

By Law Firm Suites - September 19, 2023
The Attorney’s Guide to Relocating and Thriving in New York

If you’re an attorney looking to bump up your income, relocating to the state could be the perfect career move. 

New York is an exciting and lucrative place to practice law. Zippia.com ranks New York as the best state for attorneys thanks to the wide availability of jobs and high average salary. It’s important to note, however, that New York attorneys face fierce competition in the labor market, licensing and regulatory hurdles, and a high cost of living. We’re here to help you plan a smooth relocation to New York State so you can mitigate these challenges and thrive in your new home!

Embracing Shared Office Spaces

If you’re moving to New York from a state with a lower cost of living, finding an affordable office space may prove challenging. Consider embracing shared office spaces! Law Firm Suites offers office rentals, virtual offices, and coworking plans with locations around New York. Shared official spaces provide all the amenities and services you need in a law office, with several additional benefits that only come with shared office rentals. For example, working in a shared office space is a great way to get client referrals and connect with peers. And since you won’t have to lease a pricey New York office, pay administrative staff salaries, or waste time managing office equipment and technology, you’ll earn more in less time.

Navigating the New York Legal Landscape

Unfortunately, New York State does not have a broad reciprocity policy that automatically admits attorneys from all other states. Instead, the state uses a system called admission on motion, wherein lawyers can be admitted to a new state without taking the bar exam. To be eligible for admission on motion in New York, you’ll need to meet several criteria:

  • You must be licensed to practice law in another U.S. state or territory.
  • You must have actively practiced law for at least 5 years.
  • You must not have any disciplinary issues or restrictions on your license. 

It’s essential for attorneys considering a move to New York to review the specific requirements and procedures outlined by the New York State Board of Law Examiners, as these requirements can evolve and may vary depending on the circumstances.

Finding Work at a Firm

When seeking employment at a law firm in New York, especially if you’re not running your own practice, it’s essential to prepare your CV meticulously. Highlight your legal experience, skills, and any relevant qualifications. Tailor your CV to match the specific job you’re applying for, emphasizing how your background aligns with the firm’s needs. If you’d like to give your CV a fresh, modern design, a CV maker makes quick work of it. In today’s digital age, working from home as a lawyer can be advantageous while job hunting. Use this time to research firms, customize your applications, and practice interview techniques!

Securing New Clients

If you’re self-employed, finding new clients for your business will be a top priority after relocating to New York. Start by refreshing your website with your new location and contact information. Take the time to create some engaging, high-quality content that potential clients would find valuable, and use this to showcase your credibility and attract clients to your practice. You can learn more about content marketing from online resources such as Cornerstone Content

If you’re moving your practice to a new firm, send out letters to your clients notifying them of your relocation. Make sure your clients understand their options. Some of your clients may want to follow you to your new firm, while others may prefer to stay with your old firm. If some clients decide to follow you, do what you can to make their transition as easy as possible.

New York State offers a vibrant landscape of opportunities and challenges for attorneys looking to relocate. Embracing shared office spaces can be a practical solution to high costs while updating your CV and refreshing your law firm website with content will smooth your transition and help you get back to work as quickly as possible. As always, planning is key to success!.

Are you looking for a new office in New York? Law Firm Suites offers professionally managed shared office spaces exclusively for attorneys. Schedule a tour today and see if we’re the right fit!

About Law Firm Suites

Law Firm Suites is the leading NYC shared office space for solo attorneys and small law firms. At Law Firm Suites, attorneys get headache free sublet office space, virtual office rentals and litigation hotel services. Law Firm Suites has two locations in Manhattan, one in White Plains NY, and one in Annapolis MD. Law Firm Suites' community of self-employed lawyers are eager to help colleagues succeed, and routinely exchange over $2.5 million in legal business every year in each LFS business center. Connect with Law Firm Suites on Twitter and .

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>