Quit biglaw with no backup? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Currently experiencing intense biglaw burnout. Practice group is getting crushed, my primary work go-to for work is psychotic. There's just no real way to "coast" to sev in my group.

Starting to realize I will not last nearly long enough to pay off my loans and have begun saving accordingly. No real issue with being a wage slave but am having trouble finding something to exit into. I know I need something different but my schedule leaves literally no time to take a search seriously.

I'm starting to consider quitting without a backup. It would allow me to focus 100% of my efforts on finding a new career path, which is what I really want. I have some money saved up and could float the same lifestyle I have now for a while.

Any TLS folks know people who do this? Quit biglaw after a year or two (with outstanding federal loans) without an immediate job to exit into? Do these people land on their feet? My job is soul-crushing, and I'm willing to go to lengths to make a change.

[inkincorporate]

As horrible as it is, try to stick it out. If you are willing to go so far as to quit, then maybe just start doing a half-ass job. Don't volunteer for work and claim you're too busy to take on new work.

Also, and perhaps this is idealistic given how bad your work life sounds... but what about taking vacation? If you piss someone off by doing it, who really cares?

[Anonymous User]

Hard to explain, but ducking work isn't really an option where I am. Plus, as I'm sure many can attest, the stress/anxiety of letting work pile up can often be shittier than just sucking it up and getting it done. At least where I work, if people see any indication that you're less busy than others, you're an immediate target for more work with the billing partner CCd on the e-mail request.

[Anonymous User]

You know what, a bunch of 0Ls and summer associates are going to say you are crazy. But I am a third year and think you should quit. I nearly quit a year ago and continued to stay on. Things only got worse. Every year you become psychologically more risk averse and it becomes a little bit more difficult to leave as you become increasingly less marketable in other fields.

Go and don't look back. I understand it can be hard, everyone looks at you like you are on top of the world because of the salary, but those people don't have to live through the failed relationships, cancelled vacations and general insomnia and lack of sleep, not too mention the ungrateful clients and supervisors who treat you like a piece of capital and the general feeling of loneliness and not feeling alive anymore.

You work in biglaw, so despite the way you have been berated and made to feel like an idiot the past 2 years (this is the firm's best way of retaining associates), you should remember that as a biglaw associate you are smarter and more capable than 99% of the US population. Quitting biglaw will not land you underneath a bridge, businesses can always use another talented person. You will bounce back, good luck.

[sparty99]

HELL NO YOU SHOULDN'T QUIT. You have 5 hours a week where you can apply to jobs. FIVE HOURS a week. You quit, you will be losing out on $2-3k a week. Don't. Do. It. Also, take a vacation. Or take a day off and apply to jobs. Do not quit without having another offer. Just don't do it. Stop it.

[KidStuddi]

Quitting Biglaw for another field entirely or quitting Biglaw for some other attorney position?

If the former, hope you have an engineering degree or some other marketable skill to make the transition easier. I wouldn't do it personally, but if that's what you plan to do eventually, I don't see much upside (besides money) in sticking it out any longer.

If the latter, how good are your credentials? If you've got a COA clerkship, would be exiting an elite firm in your practice area, and have extremely solid references, maybe the reason you haven't been able to line up another job really is lack of effort. But I seriously doubt it. More likely, the reason you haven't been able to line up another position is because the entry-level legal market remains glutted and you do not standout enough to draw attention. I think if you take a longer, more reasonable look at the hordes of unemployed JD you'll conclude that putting "all your efforts" into finding a job is not all that is required. Furthermore, quitting now may (justifiably) give potential employers the impression that you can't handle the lifestyle they expect junior associates to deal with and essentially sign the death warrant for your career as a practicing attorney. Have you given any thought to what you'd say to interviewers when they inevitably ask why you quit?

[englawyer]

You should increase your search efforts while still employed, even if you are looking to leave the legal field. Being unemployed has a stigma to it and will hurt your job search. Use personal/medical excuses to cover while you go on interviews etc (e.g. "dentist appointment" or "best friend's wedding"). As far as time for actual applications, even if you are swamped you should be able to put together a decent resume and apply places.

[El Pollito]

If you hate it so much, why don't you hustle to line up another job before quitting?

You should increase your search efforts while still employed, even if you are looking to leave the legal field. Being unemployed has a stigma to it and will hurt your job search. Use personal/medical excuses to cover while you go on interviews etc (e.g. "dentist appointment" or "best friend's wedding"). As far as time for actual applications, even if you are swamped you should be able to put together a decent resume and apply places.

+1. It's not that time consuming to write a couple of cover letters, make your resume look nice, and fire off a couple of applications a day.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I think that if you are the type who is unable to dial it back at work (because it is still a choice - just an uncomfortable one), you will probably be the type to regret not having a job lined up. Nothing wrong with that, but know your own psychological tolerance for risk before you leap. I bet you'd be setting yourself up for a bad time.

[Anonymous User]

To add a little more detail to my situation..

My significant other has found work in a different part of the state and can't commute from the market I work in now. We've been together for a long time and, yes, will be getting married at some point (biglaw also fucking that up, thanks to our salary differential and her being on IBR). My plan has sort of been to bail when she goes and move with her, mainly because that is the last thing I will let biglaw fuck up. I have some savings and she'll have a salary, so it won't be complete financial ruin.

As for the stigma of unemployment, would it be that bad if it was only for a short period of time, and due to moving? I have no real desire to pursue another law firm, and have been looking into alternative careers entirely. My sense has been that unemployment wouldn't look as bad when you make such a drastic shift.

Also, regarding dialing back at work, it's not that I'm the type that can't do it (trust me I turn down work whenever I can), it's that it is so difficult to do where I'm at. I'm actually a bit surprised when people say it's so easy to do where they are. In my group, if you say you're swamped on something else or on this other matter, the partner/senior will flat-out call that person to see what exactly it is you're so busy with. When they're otherwise handing you work without asking, you can only get away with so much.

[Anonymous User]

OP: I'm strongly considering this too. You're not alone.

I'll read and write more here later.

[El Pollito]

To add a little more detail to my situation..

My significant other has found work in a different part of the state and can't commute from the market I work in now. We've been together for a long time and, yes, will be getting married at some point (biglaw also fucking that up, thanks to our salary differential and her being on IBR). My plan has sort of been to bail when she goes and move with her, mainly because that is the last thing I will let biglaw fuck up. I have some savings and she'll have a salary, so it won't be complete financial ruin.

As for the stigma of unemployment, would it be that bad if it was only for a short period of time, and due to moving? I have no real desire to pursue another law firm, and have been looking into alternative careers entirely. My sense has been that unemployment wouldn't look as bad when you make such a drastic shift.

Also, regarding dialing back at work, it's not that I'm the type that can't do it (trust me I turn down work whenever I can), it's that it is so difficult to do where I'm at. I'm actually a bit surprised when people say it's so easy to do where they are. In my group, if you say you're swamped on something else or on this other matter, the partner/senior will flat-out call that person to see what exactly it is you're so busy with. When they're otherwise handing you work without asking, you can only get away with so much.

I'm in biglaw and in a cross-country LDR and I still think quitting without a backup plan is a bad idea that you're going to regret in the long run. Don't screw up your future because you don't like your current job.

Is switching practice groups possible?

[Anonymous User]

Appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

Switching practice groups isn't an option. People I work for are too high in the food chain. They also work fucked up hours.

Typical day: forced to get up and start working ridiculously early because partner was working at 3-4am and sends me a flurry of emails to get everything done by "mid-morning" so they have it for afternoon calls. Constant followup emails until I get it done - don't hear anything until later at night when they have a million other things to do. Work on catching up for other peoples projects during the day, in constant anxiety that, yet again, my night is going to be ruined. This leads to regular 16 hour days with billables that don't reflect that.

It's really sorta been the nightmare burnout scenario and I just can't take it anymore.

[Anonymous User]

To add a little more detail to my situation..

My significant other has found work in a different part of the state and can't commute from the market I work in now. We've been together for a long time and, yes, will be getting married at some point (biglaw also fucking that up, thanks to our salary differential and her being on IBR). My plan has sort of been to bail when she goes and move with her, mainly because that is the last thing I will let biglaw fuck up. I have some savings and she'll have a salary, so it won't be complete financial ruin.

As for the stigma of unemployment, would it be that bad if it was only for a short period of time, and due to moving? I have no real desire to pursue another law firm, and have been looking into alternative careers entirely. My sense has been that unemployment wouldn't look as bad when you make such a drastic shift.

Also, regarding dialing back at work, it's not that I'm the type that can't do it (trust me I turn down work whenever I can), it's that it is so difficult to do where I'm at. I'm actually a bit surprised when people say it's so easy to do where they are. In my group, if you say you're swamped on something else or on this other matter, the partner/senior will flat-out call that person to see what exactly it is you're so busy with. When they're otherwise handing you work without asking, you can only get away with so much.

I'm in biglaw and in a cross-country LDR and I still think quitting without a backup plan is a bad idea that you're going to regret in the long run. Don't screw up your future because you don't like your current job.

Is switching practice groups possible?

I know people on their third practice practice group and fourth biglaw firm just in my three years in. They are still miserable. Some people are able to tolerate a job where they work alone 95% of the time, have no personal boundaries which cannot be crossed and spend the day around some of the most unhappy people I have ever seen. This guy is not going to have the time and energy as a burnout to find a non-law job, and if he stays is just going to end up lateraling to another big firm (the only job search that is doable).

Go ask any senior associate why they are still at the firm. Unanimously it is because it is the path of least resistance and was the easiest way for them to continue making a solid living. Go ask some people who went in house who stayed a few more years, those people often work longer hours than biglaw and end up begging the firm for the job back (I have seen this).

I do not see why people see this decision as a "risk". The only thing that matters in life is being happy, if you live in the US and are not severely mentally ill in some aspect, you are not just going to end up on the streets and starve to death. The only risk here is STAYING in biglaw, as you are accepting a GUARANTEED outcome of being miserable versus taking a shot at being happy.

[hellojd]

Appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

Switching practice groups isn't an option. People I work for are too high in the food chain. They also work fucked up hours.

Typical day: forced to get up and start working ridiculously early because partner was working at 3-4am and sends me a flurry of emails to get everything done by "mid-morning" so they have it for afternoon calls. Constant followup emails until I get it done - don't hear anything until later at night when they have a million other things to do. Work on catching up for other peoples projects during the day, in constant anxiety that, yet again, my night is going to be ruined. This leads to regular 16 hour days with billables that don't reflect that.

It's really sorta been the nightmare burnout scenario and I just can't take it anymore.

This sounds truly awful man. You have my sympathy. Pre-LS I was working a high burn job like that with terrible supervisors that were not mindful of my time / space... but I was in consulting at least so I eventually rotated out.

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

[Anonymous User]

Appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

Switching practice groups isn't an option. People I work for are too high in the food chain. They also work fucked up hours.

Typical day: forced to get up and start working ridiculously early because partner was working at 3-4am and sends me a flurry of emails to get everything done by "mid-morning" so they have it for afternoon calls. Constant followup emails until I get it done - don't hear anything until later at night when they have a million other things to do. Work on catching up for other peoples projects during the day, in constant anxiety that, yet again, my night is going to be ruined. This leads to regular 16 hour days with billables that don't reflect that.

It's really sorta been the nightmare burnout scenario and I just can't take it anymore.

This sounds truly awful man. You have my sympathy. Pre-LS I was working a high burn job like that with terrible supervisors that were not mindful of my time / space... but I was in consulting at least so I eventually rotated out.

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I work in a biglaw firm (not the above anon) and my experience has been exactly the same. I am going to take a wild guess and say we probably don't practice at the same place. Nothing he said is unusual or even that bad for a big firm. This is what you will have to do if you want to get paid 160k starting with no valuable experience. If you are currently in a good relationship or otherwise have an enjoyable life, please consider this information before deciding.

[rpupkin]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

[El Pollito]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

It's really terrifying how your quality of life depends entirely on who you (often arbitrarily) end up working with. I've been pretty lucky, which is probably coloring my suggestion to not quit without a plan.

[hellojd]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

That makes sense, thanks for chipping in. I guess you're right that the individual partners and practice group will make a much bigger difference on your hours than what the overall firm "culture" for 500+ employees says it is.

I completely expect the possibility of 16-hour days for a few weeks on end (and having worked those hours before I know how much they suck), but at least for transactional work most associates I've talked to have said it's cyclical, in that some weeks you should be able to recover a bit and leave the office by 6 or 7. I guess what scared me about OP's anecdote is that it seems to be 16-hour days without break for months on end and no light at the end of the tunnel, and also the part about a partner calling around to see if he can slam you with more work sounds particularly obnoxious.

[Anonymous User]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

It's really terrifying how your quality of life depends entirely on who you (often arbitrarily) end up working with. I've been pretty lucky, which is probably coloring my suggestion to not quit without a plan.

Agreed, but sometimes even great people is not enough. I'm a second year at a big firm and I love everyone I work with, personally and in terms of their sanity (i.e. they aren't holding out on work and creating false deadlines). But the lunatic clients and staffing generally (read: constant understaffing) means things are still back-breaking.

I've got an unbroken string of like six Mondays working until at least midnight without having any reason to expect Monday would be late for any reason.

I have learned to fear Mondays.

[Anonymous User]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

That makes sense, thanks for chipping in. I guess you're right that the individual partners and practice group will make a much bigger difference on your hours than what the overall firm "culture" for 500+ employees says it is.

I completely expect the possibility of 16-hour days for a few weeks on end (and having worked those hours before I know how much they suck), but at least for transactional work most associates I've talked to have said it's cyclical, in that some weeks you should be able to recover a bit and leave the office by 6 or 7. I guess what scared me about OP's anecdote is that it seems to be 16-hour days without break for months on end and no light at the end of the tunnel, and also the part about a partner calling around to see if he can slam you with more work sounds particularly obnoxious.

It's obnoxious and not that unusual, which is why ducking work and slacking in a big firm is not as easy as you read on here.

Regarding the cyclical nature of the work: it actually makes things worse. Unlike other jobs with ebbs and flows, the flows in BigLaw are brutal and the ebbs are often devoid of any work, usually negating that mammoth month you had previously and causing you to fear for making your hours despite feeling like you work constantly. It's a like a sick form of treading water.

[gk101]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

It's really terrifying how your quality of life depends entirely on who you (often arbitrarily) end up working with. I've been pretty lucky, which is probably coloring my suggestion to not quit without a plan.

Agreed. I primarily get work from 2 partners and I love working with one of them. However, the other partner is the MP, works from 7AM till midnight or later and expects me to be responsive for most of that duration. I have gotten emails late on Saturday night asking me to immediately update him on the status of projects that weren't due for a while. Every morning there is a period filled with dread right before I check my phone for emails from him.

[El Pollito]

As a rising 2L who's gonna decide on a firm soon, would you be able to PM me the name of this (and a couple of other peer firms if you want to preserve anonymity) firm? This is a data point I feel like I'd like to have if you wouldn't mind.

I suppose it doesn't hurt to collect data points, but keep in mind that the situation that the OP describes can happen at just about any big law firm. You're sure to hear a lot about firm culture and lifestyle at OCI, but if you get stuck with a maniacal partner and/or senior associate, your life is going to suck. It won't matter that your firm's web site says that it values an associate's quality of life outside of work. And it won't matter that the firm only requires you to bill 1,800 hours a year.

Of my law schools friends who are now in big law, the two associates I know with the most reasonable hours are at firms with "sweatshop" reputations. But they both work with chill partners who actually bother to plan work so that they can work efficient days during business hours. And my friend who hated big law the most (he quit after 8 months) got hammered despite going to a firm that has a reputation for caring about the quality of life of its associates.

A lot of this is luck. If you go into any big law firm, you're taking a substantial risk that what is happening to the OP will happen to you.

That makes sense, thanks for chipping in. I guess you're right that the individual partners and practice group will make a much bigger difference on your hours than what the overall firm "culture" for 500+ employees says it is.

I completely expect the possibility of 16-hour days for a few weeks on end (and having worked those hours before I know how much they suck), but at least for transactional work most associates I've talked to have said it's cyclical, in that some weeks you should be able to recover a bit and leave the office by 6 or 7. I guess what scared me about OP's anecdote is that it seems to be 16-hour days without break for months on end and no light at the end of the tunnel, and also the part about a partner calling around to see if he can slam you with more work sounds particularly obnoxious.

It's obnoxious and not that unusual, which is why ducking work and slacking in a big firm is not as easy as you read on here.

Regarding the cyclical nature of the work: it actually makes things worse. Unlike other jobs with ebbs and flows, the flows in BigLaw are brutal and the ebbs are often devoid of any work, usually negating that mammoth month you had previously and causing you to fear for making your hours despite feeling like you work constantly. It's a like a sick form of treading water.

It also sucks when you go through a period of slow weekdays and crazy weekends since you have to sit here on weekdays anyway.

[Anonymous User]

I did this. Junior associate, V50ish, major market. Significant other (non lawyer) had dream job which involved working from home half the time and then either traveling or commuting to an office in another state for one or two weeks a month. People in the firm knew that I wasn't happy. Insomnia, one or two panic attacks (not at work, thankfully), started to get indigestion -- it wasn't sustainable. Practice chair called me to talk about projects for the next 12 months and I told him that I was going to leave. He was nice about it and gave me 3 months to finish my open matters/job search from my office. In retrospect, I think that they were looking to make cuts and while I'm not sure that they would have cut me, I think that resigning saved me or someone else from being fired.

I moved to a secondary market with a lukewarm economy where SO's job was based. I was unemployed for 4 months. Collected a fee for a simple deal for a family member and a couple of non law side jobs. Mostly, I met with every lawyer in town who would give me a meeting, worked out every day, and tried to figure out what I wanted to do. I also sent my resume to every state judge within a 1 hour commute asking for a clerkship on the chance that their clerk was going on maternity leave or something. I also strongly considered hanging my own shingle and applied for some long shot jobs. Mostly, I identified the organization that I wanted to work for and waited around for the right job opening. I actually got the interview with my current job weeks after I initially applied because they interviewed 5 or 6 people who all had a specific qualification that I lacked but who apparently sucked in the interview.

I ended up with a management job in a state agency which is on the cusp of JD required/JD advantage (i.e. need knowledge of the law, technically don't need bar passage, but everyone else in organization who does this job is also a lawyer so I don't see how you would be a competitive candidate without a JD). I got the job because of pre-law school work experience that I spun as related, a good interview after they were frustrated with crappy interviews from other candidates, and two references from inside the organization which proved that I could get along with people there. I developed those references by spending 3 months doing 15-20 informational interviews with lawyers, businesspeople and nonprofit folks (I was unemployed for 4 months. I spent the 1st month on moving and related tasks and then basically 2.5-3 months job searching at various intensity). I sealed the deal when a non-profit acquaintance who gave me an informational interview got one of her board members (who I had not met) to email my boss on the afternoon of my interview. That guy worked in the organization, knew my boss, and the email basically said "I don't know this kid, but I heard good things from people I trust and I can vouch for their background." The non-profit person prevailed upon this guy because she liked me -- I didn't ask her to do that. It's not about volume of resumes, it's really about a specifically targeted resume and developing references.

I took a $100k pay cut the first year (but by moving SO got more money and better potential for future earnings -- not biglaw money but we get by totally fine.). After 12 months, I was in the right place at the right time to negotiate for a 20% raise which helps. Married filing separately for IBR and waiting for PSLF. I wouldn't say that I'm in my dream job because I didn't conceive that I would have this job at any point before I applied, but my SO thinks that it's a perfect match for my skills and personality and that it should be my dream job.

Thoughts:

"I'm moving to town following my SO" is a good story. It reads like "I'm a smart, capable attorney who is trying to put down roots and won't leave for greener pastures in 5 minutes." Also, your interviewer isn't supposed to ask about your family situation, so volunteer that info.

Down payment for a house in a secondary market is nice with savings from a biglaw salary. Mortgage brokers don't know anything about how IBR/PAYE or student loans work in general, though, so be prepared to educate them.

Don't disparage your old firm. Just shrug and say, "I don't have anything bad to say about them, it just turns out that law firm life (or XXX practice group) wasn't for me." Everyone who matters will know what that means.

Contact the state bar section chair for your practice area to get an overview of the players in your new market. Law school career office was surprisingly helpful (which is to say, I expected zero and they were better than zero. So not much, but a little helpful.) Not going to lie, T20 law school and V50 firm are helpful to open doors.

And, for other people reading this with the idea of planning for the future: it's tough to lateral as a junior associate (< 3-4 years out). You really need to have a marketable skill that you can handle with minimal supervision (i.e. managing a data room; handling a permit application; deposition experience; interfacing with particular types of experts) or the practice group you want has so much business that they are desperate for bodies. It would have been easier for me if I had the opportunity to develop a focus while I was at the firm instead of being a practice group generalist. What you have going for you as a junior associate are: work ethic, strong writing/editing/proofreading skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving in a logical framework.






I don't actively hate any of my coworkers in my new job and I can actually see myself advancing in this position whereas I never saw myself as a biglaw partner.

[Lexaholik]

This was me six months ago so I understand the misery. It's a problem but nothing unusual. Do the following:

1. Get your financials in order and have enough runway for at least 6 months of unemployment.
2. Figure out a target quit date where you'll meet that financial goal.
3. Start spending 30 minutes a day (there's no way you can't do this) on the job search. That means updating resume, writing cover letters, and sending them out. Do this every day until the target quit date.
4. When target quit date arrives, just quit.

Step 3 is key. You never know if you'll get lucky. Obviously it's a bad idea to rely on Step 3 alone, but your backup plan is your 6 months of savings. If your tolerance for risk is lower, extend it out to 12 months of savings. If nothing pans out in the first wave of applications, then you quit (on your pre-set target date), and ramp up your efforts.