Media Coverage
Source: Above the Law
Media Coverage
10.15.14
In a “Pathways to Partnership” profile, Above the Law’s David Lat interviewed Global Security partner Brian Finch to find out what advice Finch has for achieving success at a major law firm by establishing oneself in a particular area of the law.
Finch, a well-known authority on cybersecurity and a “rising star” in the Washington DC legal community, focuses his practice on advising clients about managing the inevitability of cyberattacks and dealing with the damage should they become victims of a data breach. Finch explained to Lat how he unexpectedly became involved in this niche area of the law.
“My goal was to go into the FBI and perform counter-terrorism work. [But then] I decided to take a few years to work at a firm and pay off law school and then enter the FBI,” he said. “When my firm indicated that they were going to start a homeland security practice, I immediately immersed myself into that evolving practice.”
Finch advises young lawyers to pursue a specialized practice in order to make themselves more valuable, but he also points out that being too specialized can become a problem.
“There will always be a great amount of work in general practice areas such as litigation, and that usually equals greater career security due to the volume of work that will typically be available. However, it makes it difficult to stand out when there are a myriad of lawyers who share your skill set,” he said. “So, specialization helps you by giving you a more unique skill set. Still, one has to consider whether the specialty is one that has enough work to sustain a career. “Niche” practices can be so narrow that it becomes difficult to find steady work.”