Fitting in is incredibly important not only for your emotional wellbeing, but also for your professional success.
Ask lawyers in the area about the secondary market’s legal culture. For example, certain legal markets are known for having stricter or more lenient standards when it comes to civility amongst lawyers in the community, which can really influence your day to day life – especially if you’re a litigator!
Also, in New York, lawyers tend to arrive at the office later in the morning and stay until late at night, whereas in many secondary markets, it’s the opposite – attorneys arrive around 8:30 a.m. and leave around 6 p.m. (although obviously both groups also work from home quite a bit).
Finally, consider the diversity, or lack thereof, in the secondary market you are considering and how that may affect your ability to find mentors you can look up to.