Quit biglaw with no job (please don't quote) Forum

[Anonymous User]

Please don't quote. I've been in biglaw for a couple to a few years and I've pretty much had it. Recently the job has just gotten worse - the stress is higher, the people are more unpleasant. I've been thinking of quitting big law for awhile though, so this is nothing new.

I was initially intending to wait until I landed a job that I really wanted, but now I don't know if I want to do that anymore. I'm sort of burned out, especially mentally. I haven't been able to sleep recently, wondering if I should just quit with no job lined up.

As for my finances, my spouse and I have saved up around $200k. We have combined $40k student loan debt left. No mortgage, no kids, no other debt. Spouse has a sort of low paying job though, so we'd have to eat into the savings if I quit.

I have already lined up a volunteer attorney position in the public sector, but I'm wondering if I should wait until I have a paying job to leave. I just don't know if I can take it anymore or if its even worth it.

What makes the situation worse is that my parents and my in laws are advising me to stay until I have a paying job. Only my spouse is telling me that either way we will be fine.

Although parents are rich, they are very conservative with money and will probably not help unless we are destitute. They also care a lot about "prestige" etc. (in other words, pushing their kids into med school even if they don't want to be doctors, etc.) so they'd probably be disappointed if I quit. But I'm not sure if I should care about that either. Plus, they aren't in the legal field and have never worked a similar job, so I'm not sure they understand the situation.

Any advice? Would it be crazy to quit for a non-paying volunteer attorney position? I think I'm pretty much done with the type of work that biglaw firms do. If it were between sticking it out in biglaw, or changing professions, I would do the latter. I don't want to go to another firm, or else this decision would be really easy for me (just get a recruiter and move).

[BaiAilian2013]

How hard have you been looking for another job? What jobs have you been looking for?

[raven1231]

I would say the only way it wouldn't be crazy is if your spouse makes enough money to cover your combined costs until you obtain a new position. With that said however, from my experience as a hiring manager it always looks better to go into an interview in a current position, rather than unemployed. It makes the prospective employee not look like they're desperate, and removes any questions that might arise as to why they are unemployed.

So, if you can stick it out I would as long as possible. This will save you from not eating into your savings you've worked hard to obtain, and prevent any complications mentioned above.

*Disclaimer* I'm a 0L and have just been in the professional field since Freshman year of undergrad. I've been a GM/Hiring Manager for 6 years.

[Anonymous User]

How hard have you been looking for another job? What jobs have you been looking for?

Pretty much only government/public sector jobs...which take forever to respond, if they ever respond.

I really don't want to do corporate-related legal work anymore.

I haven't applied to many jobs recently, but last year I applied to more public sector jobs and didn't get any even though I got a ton of interviews. I got an offer from a bank though last year, which I turned down because I realized I didn't want to do that type of work.

[Anonymous User]

I would say the only way it wouldn't be crazy is if your spouse makes enough money to cover your combined costs until you obtain a new position. With that said however, from my experience as a hiring manager it always looks better to go into an interview in a current position, rather than unemployed. It makes the prospective employee not look like they're desperate, and removes any questions that might arise as to why they are unemployed.

So, if you can stick it out I would as long as possible. This will save you from not eating into your savings you've worked hard to obtain, and prevent any complications mentioned above.

*Disclaimer* I'm a 0L and have just been in the professional field since Freshman year of undergrad. I've been a GM/Hiring Manager for 6 years.

Right, but with our savings, we could still last probably 4 years here. I'm just burning out and at the point where I'm not even sure I want to stay in law.

I have a business/finance background and am considering going back to that since I enjoy working with numbers more than corporate-related legal work, although I may need to go back to school briefly (like one year) to revamp my resume.

If I were to quit law entirely, would it even matter?

[Anonymous User]

Also the issue is that I don't have much time to apply for jobs because they keep throwing work at me....so I've only applied to a handful of public sector jobs recently.

[raven1231]

If you were to go back to school for a year , and switch fields I don't think it would look unreasonable at all. Plenty of people find out they don't enjoy the field they're in and make a change. This is somewhat normal, and the school in place of just unemployment would not only help you academically but also would account for the time and reason you were unemployed.

Before doing this though, if you decide you absolutely can't hack big law and aren't going to have an opportunity to gain employment before leaving, then I'd quit. Then I'd devote all your time to finding a position you're interested in, and If you can't well then oh well you still have plans to go to school.

[Anonymous User]

^ Thanks. I may need to quit in order to take a couple pre req classes and take a standardized test in order to prep for school. I have most of the pre reqs given my undergrad major, but I wouldn't be able to start the degree itself until next year after I get these classes and the standardized test done. There would be a gap in my resume for a few months before the prereqs....so it looks like it wouldn't matter then based on your assessment?

Also, please don't quote. Thanks.

[raven1231]

^ Thanks. I may need to quit in order to take a couple pre req classes and take a standardized test in order to prep for school. I have most of the pre reqs given my undergrad major, but I wouldn't be able to start the degree itself until next year after I get these classes and the standardized test done. There would be a gap in my resume for a few months before the prereqs....so it looks like it wouldn't matter then based on your assessment?

Also, please don't quote. Thanks.

No, I wouldn't imagine it would be an issue at all with most employers. Best of luck with whatever you decide, it sounds like you have a good plan though.

[Anonymous User]

^ Thanks. I may need to quit in order to take a couple pre req classes and take a standardized test in order to prep for school. I have most of the pre reqs given my undergrad major, but I wouldn't be able to start the degree itself until next year after I get these classes and the standardized test done. There would be a gap in my resume for a few months before the prereqs....so it looks like it wouldn't matter then based on your assessment?

Also, please don't quote. Thanks.

No, I wouldn't imagine it would be an issue at all with most employers. Best of luck with whatever you decide, it sounds like you have a good plan though.

Ok, thank you.

[Anonymous User]

You could also try coasting for a while, just start being a bad employee and turn down work/ not give it your all. It will probably take them six months to fire you, and you could use that time to be actively job searching instead of doing good work.

That's not necessarily easy to do though, and it might not be your thing.

[zot1]

Things to consider:

It's generally harder to get employed when you are not working. Although you'd be quitting because you want to, other employers want wanted people. I hope that makes sense. It's early and I haven't had enough coffee.

It could take about a year to get a job (or more). So when your spouse says you will be fine, I think you two really need to sit down and plan out a worst case scenario budget without you working for a year and see if you will actually be fine.

If you are in a position to take a week off... Maybe say you're going away, maybe you could use that time to apply to openings aggressively. Even if your given work while you're "out", my hope is that it would be less work so that you can still apply.

Could your spouse help you with applications? I'm assuming all sorts of things here, but since you mentioned she has a low paying job, I'm assuming she doesn't work as much. Perhaps she has more time than you to do this for you?

Good luck!

[Anonymous User]

You could also try coasting for a while, just start being a bad employee and turn down work/ not give it your all. It will probably take them six months to fire you, and you could use that time to be actively job searching instead of doing good work.

That's not necessarily easy to do though, and it might not be your thing.

OP, I am pretty close to your situation as well. I work at a place that is known for its long hours (though also for its prestige). I have been feeling burned out the last couple of months, as well. For weeks on end, every day I would think about whether I wanted to quit that day. I haven't yet and I'm not sure that I'm going to, because it is starting to ease up some.

I would say the above advice isn't terrible, because you will likely stay employed for several months. The downside is that you probably burn bridges and will not get a good recommendation. Of course, many places have a policy that they will only confirm your employment, so this may not matter.

Another option is to give your boss(es) an idea of where you're at. Tell them you need a break, and see what happens. Or just tell them you're looking for another job and that, in the meantime, you will continue to work on your present assignments, but are not going to take on any new work. That way, you don't burn the bridge, but you get a little breathing room to look for a job. I guess they could fire you right away, but it's probably unlikely, especially if you have some knowledge of the cases/deals that cannot be acquired quickly by someone else. Good luck.

[Aeon]

Another option is to give your boss(es) an idea of where you're at. Tell them you need a break, and see what happens. Or just tell them you're looking for another job and that, in the meantime, you will continue to work on your present assignments, but are not going to take on any new work. That way, you don't burn the bridge, but you get a little breathing room to look for a job. I guess they could fire you right away, but it's probably unlikely, especially if you have some knowledge of the cases/deals that cannot be acquired quickly by someone else. Good luck.

I wouldn't do this.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't know, I think quitting for a non-paying volunteer position would be manageable. I think as long as you have something on your resume it's not really the same as a gap, even if it doesn't pay, and I also don't think a gap of a few months would be devastating, either. For some people (depending on workload/temperament) it's just really hard to find a new job while working. I get the idea that it's always more desirable to hire someone with a job than without, but that's where I think the volunteer gig can help. And even though it would eat into your savings, that's partly what savings are for - to allow you to make these kinds of changes.And if instead you go back to school, that's totally understandable and wouldn't even really count as a gap on your resume.

I understand everyone saying stick it out until you have a new job, and that's certainly the most economically secure thing to do. But I'm also a little more "follow your bliss" than many on this board, at least to the extent that if your job makes you miserable and you're 100% certain you don't want to be in anything like that job any more, I don't see any reason to stay when you have the means to leave.

[zot1]

I totes forgot about the volunteer job. Yes, that would take care of the gap.

OP, jump ship now!

[Cogburn87]

You could also consider asking for a leave of absence, even if you really have no intention of coming back. That way you could stay on the website while you look for something else.

[run26.2]

It's not hard to imagine a for-profit employer that was presented with a resume that had showed a biglaw position followed by a stint at a volunteer position thinking exactly that the volunteer position as a gap-filler. That sequence could raise questions about the person's judgment and commitment (at least a little bit). On the judgment front because why not just take a short time off? (The natural answer is, as others have stated, because it probably is harder to find a job when you're unemployed.) On the commitment front, because why someone would take a position they didn't intend to keep?

[Anonymous User]

It's not hard to imagine a for-profit employer that was presented with a resume that had showed a biglaw position followed by a stint at a volunteer position thinking exactly that the volunteer position as a gap-filler. That sequence could raise questions about the person's judgment and commitment (at least a little bit). On the judgment front because why not just take a short time off? (The natural answer is, as others have stated, because it probably is harder to find a job when you're unemployed.) On the commitment front, because why someone would take a position they didn't intend to keep?

I guess it might matter for for profit, but OP wants to do public interest or gov. Nothing you do in biglaw is really applicable to public interest....

[run26.2]

It's not hard to imagine a for-profit employer that was presented with a resume that had showed a biglaw position followed by a stint at a volunteer position thinking exactly that the volunteer position as a gap-filler. That sequence could raise questions about the person's judgment and commitment (at least a little bit). On the judgment front because why not just take a short time off? (The natural answer is, as others have stated, because it probably is harder to find a job when you're unemployed.) On the commitment front, because why someone would take a position they didn't intend to keep?

I guess it might matter for for profit, but OP wants to do public interest or gov. Nothing you do in biglaw is really applicable to public interest....

OP said they were applying to those jobs, but not that they were only interested in that. OP also said they got an offer from a bank, so clearly OP is not pursuing only those jobs.

And in any case, the point about commitment is relevant regardless of the type of employer.

Also, I am not saying these are the prevailing considerations in every employer's mind, but things that might come up.

[Borhas]

sounds like you have a safety net that will prevent you from going destitute which helps a lot

it is always easier to get a job while you have a job, but I think the volunteer gig will alleviate some of those concerns

I think you should pull the trigger and leave

[Pokemon]

I would not quit unless you physically cannot stand it. Can you take a vacation so that you get removed for a week from the flow of deals and when you come back just coast until they ask you to leave or you get a job you want.

[Anonymous User]

Given the amount you guys have in savings, you could afford to not have income for some time. Not recommending leaving without a job lined up, but if there was ever a situation one would do it, yours seem to be it.

[A. Nony Mouse]

It's not hard to imagine a for-profit employer that was presented with a resume that had showed a biglaw position followed by a stint at a volunteer position thinking exactly that the volunteer position as a gap-filler. That sequence could raise questions about the person's judgment and commitment (at least a little bit). On the judgment front because why not just take a short time off? (The natural answer is, as others have stated, because it probably is harder to find a job when you're unemployed.) On the commitment front, because why someone would take a position they didn't intend to keep?

I think a lot of employers would look at that and see it as the move of someone looking to make a career change, and not see it as a problem.

[zot1]

Given the amount you guys have in savings, you could afford to not have income for some time. Not recommending leaving without a job lined up, but if there was ever a situation one would do it, yours seem to be it.

Only if OP and spouse don't have crazy monthly expenses.