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I'm a 4th year associate in NYC at a firm with a general corporate group (i.e., no specialty securities, funds, etc. groups) doing primarily M&A and completely miserable. I work all the time and I'm hating the transition to more senior role for the responsibility (pressure) that comes with it and just feel entirely incompetent and ill-prepared. I have recently-worsening anxiety that's making it very difficult to keep up with the increasing demands and pressure and need to get out before I snap. Any other M&A associates make the switch to a more specialized/different practice area and happier? I guess just looking for reassurance that there is hope for something better. I'm thinking fund formation might be more humane. I've looked for in-house jobs but it seems like everything in NYC that I'm seeing that's not employment/tax/IP is for fund formation lawyers or else for people with several years' more experience.

As a senior corporate associate here’s my take.

It keeps getting harder and harder until it gets easy.

Every time you get good at something you are asked to stop doig it so much and do something a little harder/more stressful.

Eventually you can do everything like a boss and they fire you because you haven’t brought in any business. At your seniority there is no wrong time to leave. Find a good landing spot.

The reasons you stated are why it's so hard for firms to keep mid-levels and seniors. Going into my third year and looking at the lives of those people, I totally I understand why. Seems miserable and you have to really value money and/or prestige to sacrifice your life like that. You have enough experience to jump and it sounds like you should.