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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thanks for the feedback. The salary issue doesn't concern me (not that I'd say that to them) because we don't need my salary, I'd be going back because I miss practicing law. The firm approached me with this staff attorney offer after[b] I turned down an offer to return as an associate last year because an associate position wouldn't offer me the scheduling predictability/flexibility I was looking for[/b], so I feel pretty comfortable that they're not undervaluing me/my skills. It sounds like the group is very busy, though, so I'm concerned that regardless of what they're promising now, once I've started there will be pressure to increase my working hours to more closely resemble an associate's.[/quote]

I'd go back and try to negotiate a PT associate position rather than accept the staff attorney offer.  Better for your resume; if they've already offered you an associate position and need the help for a busy practice group it shouldn't be a hard sell; and your hours requirements will be explicitly spelled out, not just "predictable hours."[/quote]

I was a part-time associate before I left five years ago. I left because even though I was technically part-time, there was a lot of pressure to work full-time hours, including late nights and weekends, when the workload demanded it. That’s what I’m trying to avoid this time.[/quote]

Was this at the same firm?  If you were getting that pressure with a delineated PT hours commitment and associate in your title, [b]it will DEFINITELY be worse as a staff attorney with amorphous "predictable hours" promises and as the lowest person on the totem pole[/b].[/quote]

Same firm, but the people who gave me grief previously have left. However, I have friends who have also done the part-time associate thing at other firms, and had the same experience. This is why I'm looking for people who have worked in staff attorney positions at big law firms to find out their actual experience.[/quote]

And I am that person.  I'm telling you you'll have much less ability to push back against unreasonable expectations in a position where you are less respected as a rule and the hours requirements were never explicitly spelled out to begin with.[/quote]

Not OP, but this seems weird in OP’s situation. These people she worked with before want her back badly enough they’re making her a second offer, and think that even though she already turned down the associate offer due to the hours expectations they can now give her less money and prestige than their previous offer while still making the same hourly demands and she won’t quit over it? That would be extremely irrational behavior.[/quote]

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