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Second year in secondary market lateralling from mid size firm to V100. Put in notice on Friday and over the weekend I couldn't stop feeling guilty about it. I know that this move is in my best interest but can't help feeling like a traitor.

Any advice on how to deal with this?

dab your tears with the extra $50,000 you'll be pulling

alternatively: "can't spend loyalty"

I think it's normal to feel this way, especially if the partners/associates at your old firm were good to you. But you have to remember that they would do the same thing to you if it was in their best interest to let you go.

Inevitable if you're a decent person. You spend a lot of time with colleagues and you're leaving those relationships behind. Some of them will probably have to pick up your work. But that's how it is.

Be grateful, actually, that you are leaving on such good terms. It's much better than the alternative.

glitched wrote:I think it's normal to feel this way, especially if the partners/associates at your old firm were good to you. But you have to remember that they would do the same thing to you if it was in their best interest to let you go.

TCR. My old boss gave me a short research assignment 10 mins before he let me go. This isn't about being a nice guy. It's purely business decision and your firm would do the same to you if the time came.

You simply can't let it get to you. Your firm wouldn't hesitate to cut you if they had to and while they'd probably feel bad about it they would still do it. As long as you gave proper notice and didn't leave things you were working on in disarray you have nothing to feel guilty about, it's the way the industry works. Congrats on the move!

You firm may actually appreciate the fact that one of their associates is lateraling to a V100. Aside from this being a business decision (like any other business decision), it may actually benefit your old firm.

Oddly enough that is probably true. Probably not so much if you were going to Bubba’s firm, located next door to Mindy’s tattoo parlor.

Chances are that you will still stay in touch with a few of your besties. Easy to do these days.

You should never look down on any practice. The next thing you know they are feeding you a $1M case they can't handle.

r6_philly wrote:You should never look down on any practice. The next thing you know they are feeding you a $1M case they can't handle.

This. big law associate here. Partner I work for in regulatory practice was randomly gifted a contingency litigation case from a small firm that eventually paid off in the tens of millions. Partner didn't even do any work, once he got it, he passed it on to the firm's litigation team but retained a high 6 figure finders fee