lateraling to tech start-up and back to biglaw? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I am currently a second year at a v-7 firm and I am pretty much hating it (mostly because of the complete absence of work-life balance and nasty senior) - thus looking for a change. I was initially thinking to lateral into a different market but now happened to get into talks with a tech start-up looking for someone to do their in-house legal work. It seems that the work would be interesting and challenging but ofc much lower pay than biglaw.

What would it mean to leave biglaw at such an early stage? Could I e.g. work for the start-up for a year or two and then potentially go back into biglaw? Would leaving biglaw now mean shutting this door forever?

Appreciate any thoughts on the matter.

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I am currently a second year at a v-7 firm and I am pretty much hating it (mostly because of the complete absence of work-life balance and nasty senior) - thus looking for a change. I was initially thinking to lateral into a different market but now happened to get into talks with a tech start-up looking for someone to do their in-house legal work. It seems that the work would be interesting and challenging but ofc much lower pay than biglaw.

What would it mean to leave biglaw at such an early stage? Could I e.g. work for the start-up for a year or two and then potentially go back into biglaw? Would leaving biglaw now mean shutting this door forever?

Appreciate any thoughts on the matter.

I was at a V25 in LA and one of the corporate associates did exactly this (I think around his 4th or 5th year). The wrinkle is that he was very well liked by the partners and left on great terms so he always had an open invitation to come back.

That said, I think going back to big law may be tougher for you if your goal is to move to another firm and considering that you are a 2nd year.

But, if you are having a tough run of things at the firm and you don't see your situation changing in the foreseeable future, then it may be worth making the transition. Speaking as someone who is in house, once you go in house it seems to be much easier to land another in house job, even if you are fairly junior.

[Anonymous User]

It really depends on the work you do inhouse. I went from inhouse to biglaw. A coworker in my same group did as well. If there is a relatively high demand for the work, I don't see why you wouldn't be considered for a Sr. associate position. I've seen people at my V100 firm hire people that only have inhouse experience. I've seen a few hire counsel who came from inhouse as well. It also helps to have biglaw credentials which I assume you have since you are at a V10 firm.

Right now tech trans and privacy are relatively hot. If you do those two fields, I can see you getting back into the biglaw game if you ever want to....