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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Any other thoughts? Really appreciate it. [/quote]

You're already saying the pay sucks -- is it enough for you to live and be happy? Bc your paychecks will be smaller than you're anticipating as the gov't forces you to contribute to a pension (4.4%) -- whether you have millions in law firm retirement savings or not -- plus you pay for other benefits that were standard at least at my law firm (long and short term disability). Have they offered you the absolute highest pay they can? Bc it's very likely that you don't get a raise for a while -- just 1% COL increases here and there.

What agency? Is it one of the ones that has a good pipeline back to the private sector in case you needed it (SEC; DOJ trial sections etc.) or is it something super-nichey? If you've never been in gov't before (clerking doesn't count - it's a term job), I would consider this bc you don't really know how you'll feel about it until you're there. You could be like the PPs who love their work and their daily life or could be like the PP above who is hating life and missing biglaw. If it turns out to be the latter, could you go back to your firm or a similar one -- or would it be too hard to convince a firm that your experience writing policy about farming interests in the Midwest or whatever is relevant? (Point is -- there are a LOT of esoteric gov't jobs which just don't translate well in the fairly competitive private legal market right now.)

Also -- not sure you can know this upfront, but how micromanaged is your group? It WILL be a big change from being a partner bc most partners (and even most associates) can come and go as they please -- they're not asking permission to go to a doctors appt or run out for a haircut or coffee with a friend; you simply tell your assistant and go. In many (most?) places in the gov't, it isn't like that. It's a more "traditional" office culture of being in all day from x hr to y hr and taking leave if you have to go somewhere or whatever. (I'm not saying everyone does this -- some just sneak out; some use telework days to do these things etc. but it is not something most private practice attorneys at big firms are used to.)[/quote]

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