The Lawyer Switching Firms Mid-Case: How to Communicate a Lateral Move Without Looking Like You're Poaching Clients

07 October 2026·6 min read

Quick answer: When a lawyer moves firms mid-matter, both the departing lawyer and the firm they're leaving need a short, calm, client-first script — not a tug-of-war. The client gets told once, by both parties ideally on the same day, that their matter is unaffected, they get to choose who continues acting, and nobody is trying to talk them into anything. Below is the script, three worked examples across family, commercial and conveyancing files, and the mistakes that turn a normal career move into a complaints-list entry. ✨

Here's the thing nobody says out loud: a lateral move is normal, but the way most firms handle the client conversation makes it look like a scandal. Silence from one side and a hard sell from the other is how you end up with an anxious client, a Law Society enquiry, and two firms that look worse than if they'd said nothing at all. 💖

What most firms get wrong

Treating it as a PR problem instead of a client-care problem — the client doesn't care about the firm's org chart, they care about their case.
Letting the client hear it from someone else first — a Facebook announcement or a mutual friend beats you to it, and now it looks like you were hiding something.
The departing lawyer "selling" the move — any language that nudges the client toward following you reads as poaching, even when it isn't meant that way.
The remaining firm going quiet — no contact for weeks after a departure makes clients assume the matter has been dropped.
No clear next step — "we'll be in touch" without a date or a name is the line that makes people start Googling complaint procedures.

The two-sided notification script

This works because it's boring on purpose. Boring and clear beats warm and vague every time a client's legal matter is involved.

From the departing lawyer (email or letter, sent the same day the firm notifies):
"I wanted you to hear this directly from me. As of [date], I'll be moving to [new firm]. This has no effect on the progress of your matter — [Firm Name] remains fully able to continue acting for you, and [colleague's name] is across the file and available from [date]. If you'd like your matter to move with me to [new firm], that's entirely your choice and I'm happy to talk it through — but there's no obligation either way, and no wrong answer. Either firm can also simply hand over the file if you decide to stay where you are."

From the firm (sent the same day, separately):
"[Lawyer's name] is moving on from [Firm Name] as of [date]. Your matter is continuing without disruption — [colleague's name], who has worked on your file, is your new point of contact and has a full handover. If you have any questions about your file or your options, please call [direct number] — we're glad to talk it through."

Worked examples

Family law matter, mid-litigation: A senior associate handling a contested property settlement moves to a boutique family law firm. Because the client is mid-litigation with court dates booked, both notifications go out with a specific name and number for "who do I call if there's a hearing next week" — timing anxiety is the real issue here, not loyalty, so the script leads with continuity, not choice.

Commercial/corporate client, ongoing advisory relationship: A partner with a book of SME clients moves to a competitor. For an ongoing relationship (not a single matter), the firm's letter adds one line clarifying what happens to retainer billing and outstanding invoices, since commercial clients will ask about money before anything else.

Conveyancing file close to settlement: A conveyancer moves firms three weeks before settlement. Here the departing lawyer's email drops the "would you like to move with me" paragraph almost entirely — moving a file that close to settlement is genuinely higher-risk for the client, and the honest, nuanced answer is to recommend staying put and say so plainly.

How the timing and sequencing actually work

Send both notifications on the same business day, ideally within hours of each other, and agree on that date before either is sent — this is the detail that prevents the whole thing unravelling. The departing lawyer should never contact a client about the move before the firm has been told internally that notifications are going out; a client hearing about it "unofficially" first is the single biggest trigger for a formal complaint. Keep both letters under 150 words. A long explanation reads as defensive, however well-intentioned.

💡 Heads up: check your state's legal profession conduct rules and your firm's own partnership or employment agreement before any client contact — most have specific requirements about client notification, file ownership and non-solicitation that sit above anything in this article, and they vary by jurisdiction and by whether the lawyer is a partner, associate or employee.

Mistakes to avoid

Including a "but I'd love to keep working with you" line in the firm's letter — it reads as competing with your own former colleague for the client, which looks worse than the departure itself.
Making the client choose on the phone, on the spot, during the first call — give them the letter, give them time, and follow up in a few days.
Posting the move on LinkedIn before clients are told — assume every client follows someone at the firm on social media.
Letting junior staff field "so is she gone?" calls without a prepared one-line answer — an awkward, improvised response spreads faster than any official statement.

Frequently asked questions

Can a client just choose to follow their lawyer to the new firm?

Generally yes — the client's file and their choice of representation belong to them, not to either firm, subject to outstanding fees being settled and any conflict checks at the new firm. The departing lawyer shouldn't actively solicit the move, but the client is free to ask for it.

Does this apply to junior lawyers and paralegals, or just partners?

The same two-sided notification principle applies at any seniority, but the stakes are different — a junior lawyer's departure rarely needs a formal letter at all, usually just a line in the next regular update, while a partner with direct client relationships needs the full script above.

What if the firm and the departing lawyer are on bad terms?

This is the honest limit of this approach: a script works when both sides are willing to prioritise the client over the dispute. If the relationship has broken down acrimonially, get advice from your professional indemnity insurer and the relevant law society before sending anything — a badly handled departure can create real professional conduct exposure, and no amount of good wording fixes that after the fact.

Should the notification go by email, letter or phone call?

For anything mid-litigation or time-sensitive, a phone call from the firm followed by a written letter covers both the human touch and the paper trail. For straightforward advisory relationships, a well-written email is usually sufficient — just make sure it's trackable as sent and read.

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Written by

Kate, founder of Chronically Online

I help Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses grow with branding, websites and marketing that actually works.

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