Junior Lawyer Boosts Legal Career With Prestigious Clients
Only four years out of law school, Axiom attorney is leading a legal support team at a Fortune 10 company
Cameron didn’t follow the typical career trajectory many fresh-faced lawyers experience after graduating from law school where they fully expect to face at least a few years in a strait-laced firm, slowly building up their portfolio and reputation with the aim of eventually gaining access to interesting work and clients. After spending just one month with a local law firm, he knew his life was meant to take a different turn. He learned about Axiom and was intrigued by the opportunities presented to him. Now four years later, he knows there’s no looking back .
Imagine this: after spending only one month as an associate attorney straight from law school, Cameron pivoted to being immediately engaged with a globally recognized Fortune 10 company where he has been serving in various capacities ever since. How many of his law school peers could say the same?
While he was initially recruited as a privacy attorney to focus on privacy counseling and program management, he realized his niche was actually performing legal operations work, which both Axiom and his client encouraged and embraced. Cameron realized he could try out different practice areas more easily through the Axiom model: “We have opportunities to try new things and diversify our resumes because Axiom’s strong relationships with big-name clients open doors for Axiom legal professionals.”
Simultaneously building his legal career while expanding his business acumen
Since joining Axiom, Cameron’s long-term career plans have shifted from what he envisioned when he started law school. Now he views his career as a winding road with diverse experiences: “My career aspirations at Axiom may be broader than most individuals’. My goals are not linear (e.g., I don’t foresee myself moving from traditional attorney to senior attorney, then partner or general counsel).”
At Axiom, he sees other lawyers who have been with the company for a long time and considers them role models who show how one can transition from providing legal services to becoming a businessperson: “As a young professional, I hope to experience this same diversification and develop a holistic business mind. Long term, my goal is to contribute to Axiom’s growth, stepping on either side of the legal/business gamut as opportunities arise. I believe Axiom is better situated than any other company or firm to enable business-focused legal talent.”
Finding stability while still enjoying flexibility
Launching a legal career can be daunting for a new attorney, especially considering that law school debt can often appear insurmountable, which is why so many junior lawyers think they need to get their feet wet in a firm right away and begin earning a steady salary. Cameron worried joining a model like Axiom’s might result in unstable, inconsistent income, but he’s found the opposite has been true: “Since landing my first engagement with Axiom in 2018, I have not rolled off onto the beach [the time spent waiting for a new client]. In fact, most Axiomites I know share this experience. Leveraging existing relationships with clients in need of legal talent, Axiom identifies new roles where talent can thrive before existing engagements ever end. Axiom realizes this is key to attracting and retaining top legal talent.”
Cameron can’t imagine what his life would have been like had he stayed in the traditional law firm role: “My limited big law firm practice experience taught me that Axiom is a legal professional’s paradise. Axiom puts its talent in the driver’s seat. Here, we find the ever-elusive work/life balance that most law firm attorneys dream of.” He’s also been pleasantly surprised by receiving commensurate compensation in addition to the stability: “In my experience, Axiom’s compensation is at or above its competition. Management prioritizes compensation so happy legal professionals can focus on what matters – providing outstanding service.”
Advancing his career more quickly through Axiom
Cameron’s advice to a fellow junior lawyer on the fence about Axiom? “It’s not too good to be true!” He finds himself regularly exclaiming this to fellow young attorneys considering the switch. He goes on to say the Axiom proposition to talent pitches itself: “If there’s one recurring hesitation, particularly for young legal talent, it’s that it’s ‘daunting to switch to Axiom,’ where the pathway for career progression might not seem clear. To these doubts, I point out how fortunate I’ve been. I’m a new father, working from home for one of the largest clients in the world. I find clients have profound respect for my work because Axiomites add value and are not mere cost centers.”
Cameron began his first engagement by striving to make discreet and immediate positive impacts for his client. Four years later, he’s now leading and collaborating with a team of ten Axiom legal professionals whom he “admires and aspires to emulate, as each day working with them is a privilege.” Only a few years into his legal career and already Cameron is managing large projects and overseeing a legal support team for a Fortune 10 global giant.
“Drawing from my Axiom experiences and continuous learnings, I also help steer the ship for Axiom legal talent as part of the Legal Talent Advisory Board.” The Legal Talent Advisory Board (LAB) is a select group of legal talent in Axiom’s network who provide feedback and perspectives on Axiom and the overall legal industry through quarterly open discussions with leadership and participation in pilot programs: “If all of this has happened for me in just four short years, imagine what pathway you can make for yourself at Axiom. I cannot wait to learn what Axiom plans next for me.”
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