Pregnant Biglaw attorney here - what are some more family-friendly jobs out there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to get a govt attorney position right now but keep getting rejected. Any advice?

Keep trying and plan long-term. I applied to 11 or 12 positions over the course of a year (as a 4th-year associate). I started applying before I was truly desperate to leave, knowing it would take a while. I was open-minded about where I applied -- I applied unless I knew for sure I would hate it. I got one position and, shortly after I accepted, was invited for an interview for another which of course I turned down. But who knows how that one would have turned out. So one position out of 11 or 12, at a non-sexy agency, is not a great success rate. It may just take a long time. My DH got the very first position he ever applied for, but he was a perfect fit and his agency is huge and hires regularly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm trying to get a govt attorney position right now but keep getting rejected. Any advice?

Keep trying and plan long-term. I applied to 11 or 12 positions over the course of a year (as a 4th-year associate). I started applying before I was truly desperate to leave, knowing it would take a while. I was open-minded about where I applied -- I applied unless I knew for sure I would hate it. I got one position and, shortly after I accepted, was invited for an interview for another which of course I turned down. But who knows how that one would have turned out. So one position out of 11 or 12, at a non-sexy agency, is not a great success rate. It may just take a long time. My DH got the very first position he ever applied for, but he was a perfect fit and his agency is huge and hires regularly.

I should add that this was 2-3 years ago and I was willing to take a massive pay cut (more than 60% and I would have taken more) to get out of the firm and get my foot in the door. Some people can't do that or are not willing to do that, and it will limit your options, particularly if you don't have related experience.

[Anonymous]

Do you have much experience with electronic discovery? I know a few women...and men...that left big law to work as e-discovery consultants for vendors. Vendors love having someone on payroll with a JD. They always brag about it to potential clients. Many of these women have work from home jobs. The downside is that vendor life can be unstable, companies buying each other out and such.

[Anonymous]

Most politically appointed position at DOJ are not that family friendly. Most line attorney jobs are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also work for DOJ GS 15, interesting work- 40 hours- used to include some travel every few months but none this year or next due to budget. OP I wish you luck, but seriously you are 2 years late to the game- hiring freezes, numerous competitive and over qualified candidates for every position...

PP, this isn't helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also work for DOJ GS 15, interesting work- 40 hours- used to include some travel every few months but none this year or next due to budget. OP I wish you luck, but seriously you are 2 years late to the game- hiring freezes, numerous competitive and over qualified candidates for every position...

PP, this isn't helpful.

Seems quite helpful to me. You may not like what PP has to write, but that doesn't mean her input isn't helpful.

[Anonymous]

OP, one thing to keep in mind is the difference in maternity leave at big firms vs the government. It's much more generous where you are now, as government does not offer any paid leave. You either take unpaid leave or use your vacation or sick time. It's just something to factor in if you think you might have another child in the near future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also work for DOJ GS 15, interesting work- 40 hours- used to include some travel every few months but none this year or next due to budget. OP I wish you luck, but seriously you are 2 years late to the game- hiring freezes, numerous competitive and over qualified candidates for every position...

PP, this isn't helpful.

Seems quite helpful to me. You may not like what PP has to write, but that doesn't mean her input isn't helpful.

Telling the OP she is two years too late is not at all helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finding a family friendly attorney job with decent pay is near impossible these days. Have you thought about staying home for a few years?

This is spectacularly bad advice if you ever hope to go back to practicing law.

Well I'm a NP but I worked with a woman who went from Biglaw to staying at home for a few years and she was able to get a federal lawyer position but I think the market was remarkably different then.

Yeah, it's pretty common knowledge that the legal job market has changed
dramatically in recent years. These days it is VERY difficult to get back to work if you've been out for a while, especially if, like OP, you don't have advanced experience or a specialized niche.

[Anonymous]

I went from biglaw to in house at a large nonprofit (around 125K salary, work pretty straight 9 to 5), but general litigation is not a great ticket to going in house. For the nonprofit world, litigation is primarily needed for staff atty-type jobs, doing direct impact litigation, and those jobs can be intense and pay for shit.

[jindc]

Hey Plum....what about contract law jobs with a staffing agency or something? As a fed, I do not recommend making the jump to fed these days. Your 'family friendliness' will vary by supervisor and there are no guarantees. I am a fed, can't telecommute and I can't even shift my schedule to work 8-430. It sucks.

Can you negotiate where you are? What about an in house for an org or association you have a personal attachment to (would mean a pay cut)?

Definitely not the Hill. There is a reason most there are 24. I worked there at 25 and was old

[Anonymous]

Fed agencies are a good bet, though competitive to get hired. Also, the work can be dull, and I really dislike that as someone who excelled in law school, has done a clerkship, etc. I think I could do s better job if my work were more challenging. But my hours are flexible, I work from home 2 days/week, and I can take leave when I need t (within reason).. With one under age 5 and two more on the way this year, I can't walk away from the work hours/lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Foreign Service Officer -- lots of former lawyers are my colleagues. The pay is lower of course but I hear that when you factor in benefits like free housing, free private education for your kids, etc. your take home is actually comparable to with Big Law.

[Anonymous]

Most politically appointed position at DOJ are not that family friendly. Most line attorney jobs are.

You really think so? I'm in a line attorney position and I find it very family unfriendly. My supervisors don't make it that way, they are very nice, but the oppressive volume of work does. Maybe I am in the wrong section!

[Anonymous]

Montgomery County Government. Don't neglect local government. Awesome benefits, and they are hiring, unlike the Feds. We did all our cuts, furloughs, and layoffs over the past four years. We are now in the process of restoring jobs. The Feds seem to be just starting to tighten their belts.