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I gave notice at my current firm a few days ago, and I've had a few people tell me afterwards that I was a "rising star" who had great opportunities ahead of him. I'm wondering if anyone else has left a firm where they were held in high regard, and if so, what their experience was like in their new firm / company. I'm leaving because I see the career prospects as pretty dismal and don't love the work, but as they say "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and its hard to walk away from a place where you're well-regarded for something unknown.

Anonymous User wrote:I gave notice at my current firm a few days ago, and I've had a few people tell me afterwards that I was a "rising star" who had great opportunities ahead of him. I'm wondering if anyone else has left a firm where they were held in high regard, and if so, what their experience was like in their new firm / company. I'm leaving because I see the career prospects as pretty dismal and don't love the work, but as they say "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and its hard to walk away from a place where you're well-regarded for something unknown.

Same thing happened to me when I left, a lot of people came out saying they really liked working with me and that I was held in high-regard (if only I knew, thought I was a pretty shitty associate that was definitely lazier than most juniors). Once I got this feedback and my review, I actually felt like I was making a mistake leaving, but I had already accepted the offer so I felt I had to follow through. I'm probably going back to that firm since my new job is less than ideal in terms of exit ops and ability to move around the country, and the work is just as boring.

I don't know if I was universally considered a rising star. But a good number of people liked me to work for them and they all said nice things when I left. They've been in contact every few months and they always tell me there's a job for me there if I want it. I think it's likely that you'll be in the same position as long as you didn't burn any bridges. So you might as well go explore your other opportunity and your old firm can hopefully provide a bit of a safety net in case the new one doesn't pan out.

OP here. I'm actually the same way - a few people here told me that they'd definitely be willing to take me back, and they've brought back two associates in the last year who left.

Why are you guys looking to go back? I'm choosing my new job because I like the practice area better and think there are way better options for the future (going from litigation to IP transactional). I think the die is cast at this point, but I'm curious of the perils that may await me.

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. I'm actually the same way - a few people here told me that they'd definitely be willing to take me back, and they've brought back two associates in the last year who left.

Why are you guys looking to go back? I'm choosing my new job because I like the practice area better and think there are way better options for the future (going from litigation to IP transactional). I think the die is cast at this point, but I'm curious of the perils that may await me.

First commenter from above - I took a non-legal role that has just been sort of boring. Hours can be just as brutal when things come up, which seems like it happens way more than I was told it would, and I'm realizing that while being a corporate lawyer is not going to lead to riches and great opportunities, at least it can give me the flexibility to move to a different city after a few years of practicing and I can always drop down a year and switch practice areas or go in-house as an actual attorney and not some random process-oriented person. At my current role, I'd pretty much be stuck in NY since its a financial services job and I'd be doing compliance/regulatory type work for the rest of my career (which I am finding to be incredibly boring). We'll see though, big law was pretty brutal, which is why I left, but I sort of miss having an office (not a cubicle), doing more commercial, deal-oriented work, and I miss not being in a giant corporation.

Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

Also most people who are really "great attorneys" still don't make partner.

Desert Fox wrote:

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

Also most people who are really "great attorneys" still don't make partner.

"You were a rising star" = "We were hoping you would make us more money for a few more years."

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JusticeJackson wrote:

dixiecupdrinking wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

Also most people who are really "great attorneys" still don't make partner.

"You were a rising star" = "We were hoping you would make us more money for a few more years."

Or it = bullshit niceties people say to avoid awkward silences.

Right. Mine is the most generous interpretation.

Desert Fox wrote:

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

Also most people who are really "great attorneys" still don't make partner.

Agree that most really great attorneys still don't make partner and of course partners will say nice things, but I've noticed that partners react with different levels of niceness depending on the associate that is leaving.

I also got an over the top reaction from my section when I announced I was leaving for a business role (which that in and of itself influenced partner reactions because they knew I was going to be picking outside counsel for my deals). The real affirmation for me, however, came from a partner at an opposing firm that I frequently worked opposite of. He did not know I was going to a business role but he told me that he would appreciate it if I called him before making a final decision on any subsequent job if things did not work out with my new position.

This thread just makes me sad. A few off hand, basic human-decency sort of comments to say adios to a little tadpole and it's like... A real big thing. A real shock. An event. 'People were decent human beings to me? I must've been better than I ever thought.'

Or, perhaps put a slightly different way, what else could they have said?

"Yeah, you made us some money. I'd say I'm sorry to see you go, but realistically we already have the administrative staff on getting in the replacement cog associate later this afternoon."

wow much rising star many potential wow such smart wow

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My experience is in a different professional services field so take that for what it's worth.

Anybody who leaves of their own volition will be told that they are a superstar. Words are cheap and if there's a .001% chance of you changing your mind it's still worth it for them to tell you that you are great.

For example, I was told in no uncertain terms that I would make partner when I left as a 4th year. The partner track at my old firm was 13-15+ years so this was obviously 100% bullshit.

Anonymous User wrote:My experience is in a different professional services field so take that for what it's worth.

Anybody who leaves of their own volition will be told that they are a superstar. Words are cheap and if there's a .001% chance of you changing your mind it's still worth it for them to tell you that you are great.

For example, I was told in no uncertain terms that I would make partner when I left as a 4th year. The partner track at my old firm was 13-15+ years so this was obviously 100% bullshit.

to be fair, there is a partner at my nyc v20 firm who supposedly gave notice as a 3rd or 4th year, but was basically guaranteed by the head of his group if he stayed he would make partner. just another anecdote to through into the mix here

ruski wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:My experience is in a different professional services field so take that for what it's worth.

Anybody who leaves of their own volition will be told that they are a superstar. Words are cheap and if there's a .001% chance of you changing your mind it's still worth it for them to tell you that you are great.

For example, I was told in no uncertain terms that I would make partner when I left as a 4th year. The partner track at my old firm was 13-15+ years so this was obviously 100% bullshit.

to be fair, there is a partner at my nyc v20 firm who supposedly gave notice as a 3rd or 4th year, but was basically guaranteed by the head of his group if he stayed he would make partner. just another anecdote to through into the mix here

I guess the thing when you tell it to everyone, one of those everyone will eventually hit.

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

not necessarily true. sometimes people put in their 2 weeks notice and the firm lets them know they can leave now if that would be easier.

JohannDeMann wrote:

Pokemon wrote:Wtf? Of course they will say nice things when you leave. That is common courtesy. Does not really mean much more than that.

not necessarily true. sometimes people put in their 2 weeks notice and the firm lets them know they can leave now if that would be easier.

I wonder if they tell that person that they're filling their job with a rising star from another firm?

ruski wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:My experience is in a different professional services field so take that for what it's worth.

Anybody who leaves of their own volition will be told that they are a superstar. Words are cheap and if there's a .001% chance of you changing your mind it's still worth it for them to tell you that you are great.

For example, I was told in no uncertain terms that I would make partner when I left as a 4th year. The partner track at my old firm was 13-15+ years so this was obviously 100% bullshit.

to be fair, there is a partner at my nyc v20 firm who supposedly gave notice as a 3rd or 4th year, but was basically guaranteed by the head of his group if he stayed he would make partner. just another anecdote to through into the mix here

Yeah, but that's not this guy though. This guy is more of a *pat on the head* rising star.

I was given the rising star speech by my direct supervisor and a few main partners of my firm several year ago when I left. I took it with a grain of salt. Years later when I was less than thrilled with where I had wound up, they got wind of that and invited me back and put me right back on the partner track. I always billed well, had a string of solid wins and have developed some clients, so financially it made sense for them - but it was flattering in some way to see that they actually weren't full of it when they said they were sad to see me go in the first place.

Caveat - not biglaw - large mid-sized firm.

I've seen this with other friends / associates at other firms too. Never burn a bridge. If you leave in a very professional way and the old firm really liked you; you never know what my come in the future.

The rising star speech is bullshit lip service unless the employer is actually willing to back it up with a salary increase or some other tangible benefit to try to get you to stay.