Leaving biglaw

[Anonymous]

Take it because $200K plus in-house jobs are not easy to find and there is a lot of competition for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take it because $200K plus in-house jobs are not easy to find and there is a lot of competition for them.

+1. I'm in house now and would never want to go back. I left as a 7th year as well and the pay cut has been more than worth the quality of life change. In house jobs don't come around all that often in your desired area looking for people with your skill set.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are in the DC area, take the in-house opportunity. Those are rare birds.

More importantly, I would take it if you hate the current job. I was biglaw for nearly 8 years. I liked it for 7 of those years. Then, I hated it. I had a 4 year old and a 1 year old when I quit. I was fine continuing to work like crazy after my first was born, though obviously it wasn't great, but there was something about having another one and watching him grow up so fast... I wanted out. And I started to hate the kind of work I was getting. An opportunity fell in my lap, I took it, and I'm extremely happy.

[Anonymous]

I am 10 years out and in-house with a mid-sized company. I make $180K plus another $30-$40K in bonus. I left big law and a lot of money on the table. But I am home every single night for dinner with my husband and kids. I almost never work evenings, and I never work weekends. I don't check my email on vacation. I never miss a school performance, doctor's appointment, etc. My husband makes about as much money as me. It is more than enough, and way more than so many people in this area make. I feel so blessed! Maybe we would drive nicer cars or splurge more on fancier vacations if I had stayed in big law-- but I don't feel like my life is missing anything because I drive a Honda instead of a Lexis. Do you really need that much money, or are you just going to leave it behind when you die? I'm not asking that to be morbid, just saying that at some point the extra money isn't worth the time that you are giving up in return. Only you know where that balance tips for you.

[Anonymous]

Take it because $200K plus in-house jobs are not easy to find and there is a lot of competition for them."

Exactly. 200K + bonus for someone with 7 years of experience is an outrageous salary, if you're actually being offered that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years out and in-house with a mid-sized company. I make $180K plus another $30-$40K in bonus. I left big law and a lot of money on the table. But I am home every single night for dinner with my husband and kids. I almost never work evenings, and I never work weekends. I don't check my email on vacation. I never miss a school performance, doctor's appointment, etc. My husband makes about as much money as me. It is more than enough, and way more than so many people in this area make. I feel so blessed! Maybe we would drive nicer cars or splurge more on fancier vacations if I had stayed in big law-- but I don't feel like my life is missing anything because I drive a Honda instead of a Lexis. Do you really need that much money, or are you just going to leave it behind when you die? I'm not asking that to be morbid, just saying that at some point the extra money isn't worth the time that you are giving up in return. Only you know where that balance tips for you.

Not all in house jobs are this low stress. You might find you have a comparable level of stress for alot less money.

[Anonymous]

I left biglaw right as a senior associate about to make partner. I went in-house with a client and am still there 8 years later, very happy. Major corporation and I had to leave DC for the job. The work itself is much more interesting and I have more responsibility. It was a huge quality of life increase because even though it is a little intense, it's not the rat race of billable hours, and I don't have to track my billables, etc. The major trade-off is $, though it's a good living. I can take vacation and actually enjoy it, be there for my kids, etc. I'm very glad I didn't "hang in there" as I'd considered doing. I did the calculation of how much money I was "losing" by leaving the firm, but I snapped out of that, thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

Leave at the first chance. Life is too short. You will be miserable, especially if you hate the job. It will show. Don't sell your soul

[Anonymous]

Are you really going to make 750K as a partner right away? I doubt it, but if you are sure this is the case I'd stick it out for a few more years before you jumped ship. I mean sure the work sucks, but you in 2 years of making 750K you could earn what you would make in 6 years working in house.

[Anonymous]

Are you talking about making income partner next year? Because the chances of an 8th year associate making equity partner in biglaw are small.

I wouldn't bank on any promise of partnership at this point. They could bring in a lateral who will fill your spot, the economy could turn. Any number of things can happen. Plus, you're not going to be making anything clsoe to 700K as an income partner if that's what you're talking about.

Take the other job. You don't even like your biglaw position, and I've seen so many people in your position who were told the same thing never get promoted by the firm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing is that when you make partner, you life will not change. Sure, you will have more $, but you will work just as hard and will be just as miserable. Do you want 30 more years of this? Your choice depends on the answer.

As they say, the prize for winning the pie eating contest is more pie.

Indeed. OP doesn't sound like she needs more money, but more time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a seventh year biglaw associate with two young children and a nonlawyer husband who works normal 40-hour weeks. I always thought that I wanted to make partner, and my firm tells me that I will next year.

Problem is that I hate the job. I hate dealing with clients. I hate supervising junior associates. I hate working crazy hours and rarely spending quality time with family.

So I have an offer to go in house at a client. Really nice GC and attorneys. The hours are 9-5ish (I know because I work with them). The pay is decent 200k plus bonus and equity, but not the 700k+ I would be making if I stayed on as partner.

I am leaning toward taking in house job. But I worked for so long to make partner that it seems insane to quit now.

LOL they don't tell you a year in advance if you're gonna make partner.

And 700k? Try less than an 8th year associate.