Will there be an exodus from Executive Agency positions in the new Admin? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone think there might be a significant number of attorneys who decide to leave agency positions because they don't want to work for the new administration? Or perhaps more people looking for other positions because they don't trust the job security of their positions if the new admin cuts jobs? Or are the benefits and quality of these positions still good enough for most of the attorneys, and therefore people will stay on? I'd be especially interested in getting the opinions of people working at agencies now. Thanks!

[jphiggo]

Attorneys gotta eat. So I'm guessing there won't be a mass exodus to the food lines.

[Anonymous User]

Nobody knows and this would also apply to other positions and not just attorneys. I do not anticipate an exodus and it's more like a wait-and-see mode right now since nothing of the new administration has been put into action. Re: job security, again, nobody knows but there doesn't seem to be rhetoric of any cuts from the man himself yet.

*Disclaimer my opinion does not apply to all agencies and applies only to the agency and folks I know*

I wouldn't say that the benefits and QOL are great for all executive agency positions, especially the attorneys I know. My former colleagues in the EOP division at which I used to work worked very hard and I'd say 90% of them came from Biglaw. They took the position because they had true passion in what they did and not because of a cushy gov job. Of course, hours are not comparable to Biglaw but the stress can be. Furthermore, we're still talking about work weeks that would easily and regularly rack up to around 50-60 hours with occasional all nighters to put out fires--of course, this is very specific to my agency and not applicable to all. Moreover, the turnover rate is pretty high here and many attorneys really treat this as a revolving door.

[zot1]

There are way too many factors to reach a conclusive answer. However, there will be some people who are preemptively looking to leave. Those people are probably applying and interviewing right now. That number is bound to be small though.

For most agencies, the work simply won't change. Therefore, I presume less people would leave voluntarily.

For some others though, the work could potentially change quite a bit (think law enforcement, immigration, and environmental). For those attorneys, it might make sense that they'd test the waters first, and if the work becomes just too much, they'll eventually look to leave.

Will it be a mass exodus? Probably not. But if WWIII happens and people start fleeing because US is a target, maybe.