Quitting Big Firm After 3 Months Forum

[Anonymous User]

Reaching out for advice since I’ve been stuck for the past week. 3 months ago, I joined a big firm as a staff attorney. The position here isn’t used for doc review but for actual litigation on smaller dockets.

I came from a smaller firm where I did essentially the same work. I was just burned out from too much work and not enough help. My supervising partner was able to use my leaving to convince the other partners to expand the office, hire more people and distribute the workload. Essentially, all of the problems I had were fixed when I left.

Now, my boss has reached out and offered me my old job back. We were a small office and everyone was really close. They want me to help integrate the new attorneys and take on an expanded role. I’d love to go back but my concern is leaving my new firm after only 3 months.

The partner I work for is terrible and it’ll be a few months before I can transfer to another partner.

So my question is, is it worth burning this bridge forever to go back to a job I’d be happy in or stay at my current job and hope it gets better?

[Yugihoe]

Reaching out for advice since I’ve been stuck for the past week. 3 months ago, I joined a big firm as a staff attorney. The position here isn’t used for doc review but for actual litigation on smaller dockets.

I came from a smaller firm where I did essentially the same work. I was just burned out from too much work and not enough help. My supervising partner was able to use my leaving to convince the other partners to expand the office, hire more people and distribute the workload. Essentially, all of the problems I had were fixed when I left.

Now, my boss has reached out and offered me my old job back. We were a small office and everyone was really close. They want me to help integrate the new attorneys and take on an expanded role. I’d love to go back but my concern is leaving my new firm after only 3 months.

The partner I work for is terrible and it’ll be a few months before I can transfer to another partner.

So my question is, is it worth burning this bridge forever to go back to a job I’d be happy in or stay at my current job and hope it gets better?

Do you have to take a pay cut or will you be paid the same between the jobs? Does the new firm offer way better career advancement and exit opportunities compared to the old job? Are there other legal employers in your market so the burned bridge does not matter? If you'll be happy at your older job and be paid sufficiently, know that you don't need to list your brief 3 month stint at the new firm on your resume/linkedin so it won't really matter in that sense.

[Anonymous User]

There would be no pay cut between the jobs. I know I would receive more practical experience at my old job but the prestige of my current job might offer better exit options.

I’m in a major market and would have other options leaving the small firm- I just know they won’t be at this firm.

[estefanchanning]

There would be no pay cut between the jobs. I know I would receive more practical experience at my old job but the prestige of my current job might offer better exit options.

I’m in a major market and would have other options leaving the small firm- I just know they won’t be at this firm.

How big of a player is your current firm in your region? Is the partner you're working with in the field you want to practice in the long run? What particularly makes you unhappy at this firm?

[Anonymous User]

I jumped from a small firm to a big firm. After 3 months at the big firm I started applying for new jobs because I also worked for a terrible partner. While I joined as an associate, and not a staff attorney, I don’t think it made a difference.

I do think the big firm “stamp” on my resume helped me land my current federal gig, and while I didn’t land the federal interview right at month 3, I think my first round was at month 5. Everyone understood why I wanted out of the firm and it didn’t seem to be an issue (I’m here now).

[Anonymous User]

OP here: The firm is probably one of the top 10 in my market. The partner I currently work for doesn’t register with the top players in my field.

My main problem has been that the job was described one way during the interview but has turned out to be something very different. My interviewer emphasized that I would get practical experience and exposure to a wide breadth of cases and partners.

Once I got here, they said I’d be on this one particular docket (which is a type of litigation I was told I wouldn’t have to do) and have been told I am unable to work on other matters for the foreseeable future. My partner is also big on micro managing but isn’t good at it? A good example happened just this morning: He had me add in a bunch of commas that don’t belong into a letter we were sending the client. It’s a mess.

[objctnyrhnr]

OP here: The firm is probably one of the top 10 in my market. The partner I currently work for doesn’t register with the top players in my field.

My main problem has been that the job was described one way during the interview but has turned out to be something very different. My interviewer emphasized that I would get practical experience and exposure to a wide breadth of cases and partners.

Once I got here, they said I’d be on this one particular docket (which is a type of litigation I was told I wouldn’t have to do) and have been told I am unable to work on other matters for the foreseeable future. My partner is also big on micro managing but isn’t good at it? A good example happened just this morning: He had me add in a bunch of commas that don’t belong into a letter we were sending the client. It’s a mess.

Sounds like a toxic torts trap...?