Today's increasingly active legal recruitment landscape is an advantageous time for attorneys to explore lateral opportunities. Law firms across the globe are aggressively searching for lateral talent to strengthen their firm's service capabilities, grow their external marketability or broaden their geographic reach. Most laterals spend a great deal of time strategically considering such opportunities before officially making a leap. It's equally important that they spend just as much focused time preparing for the opportunity they ultimately accept. With that in mind, this article addresses five fundamental actions a lateral is recommended they take, in advance of joining a new firm, to ensure they "hit the ground running"  and ultimately increase their likelihood of a successful start at their new firm.