Post biglaw success stories

[Anonymous User]

I'm a junior litigation associate, coming up on the one-year mark at a big vault firm in NYC. I don't totally hate it but the hours and the work environment have steadily chipped away at my life satisfaction and I am afraid of what another couple of years of suppressing my personality and feelings might do. Most troublingly, I can't envision what my life post-biglaw will look like, and having a mental picture of the light at the end of the tunnel would really help me out.

I thought it would be really nice right about now to hear any "it gets better" stories from people who have made the after-biglaw transition and lived to tell the tale.

Thanks,

[NYSprague]

Ill let you know in the first quarter or so of 2015. Big law is killing me because I don't have the stamina. I'm lucky that because I was out for a long time with disability, I can still get some slack. But I have no future long term and I'm sometimes so tired I feel I could just go to sleep on the sidewalk while I'm walking somewhere. (Which is pretty fucking disgusting when you consider the filth of NYC sidewalks.)

I have no clue what I'm going to do.but,physically, I can't do this much longer. I have no debt, some savings, a supportive family and supportive partners at the firm. Just no desire to do in house corporate. So no obvious exits.

So I'm not sure. I will try to post what I end up doing.

[kalvano]

I was in a regional Biglaw firm for like 5 months, got a different offer at a small firm, took it, and it's awesome.

[Anonymous User]

One of my parents got pushed out of a big law firm when their practice area dried up. Moved to a federal agency working 9 business days out of every 10 and loved it until retirement.

[Anonymous User]

I was in a regional Biglaw firm for like 5 months, got a different offer at a small firm, took it, and it's awesome.

(OP) Awesome. How'd you get the offer? Something like this seems great, though I can already feel shitty risk aversion seeping in just at the thought of it ("but but but a pay cut! What if the hours are just as bad!")

[Anonymous User]

One of my parents got pushed out of a big law firm when their practice area dried up. Moved to a federal agency working 9 business days out of every 10 and loved it until retirement.

Though this sounds excellent, I find boomer success stories more depressing than anything.

[kalvano]

I was in a regional Biglaw firm for like 5 months, got a different offer at a small firm, took it, and it's awesome.

(OP) Awesome. How'd you get the offer? Something like this seems great, though I can already feel shitty risk aversion seeping in just at the thought of it ("but but but a pay cut! What if the hours are just as bad!")

I interviewed with the firm the summer before, and they went with someone else who didn't work out, then called me up. The nice thing about having a job (even one you don't like) is that it frees you up to be a bit more aggressive in the interview process. Ask whatever you want to know: hours, bonuses, facetime, whatever is important to you.

Eventually, though, you'll have to evaluate what they are saying and, if you think they are being upfront with you, take the leap.

[gk101]

I love the work so it hasn't been completely miserable for the last 2 years. I work with one hellish partner who is slowly destroying my will to live but I am not planning on staying here for more than another year. I need to start studying for the Illinois bar and hopefully take it in Feb. Goal is to move to a smaller firm or go in house somewhere by next summer