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Are you actually doing this, or "planning" on doing this? Have you taken any concrete steps?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
I accepted a PD offer last week. They were cool with me starting mid January so I could collect my bonus.LawrenceGazebo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:55 pmAre you actually doing this, or "planning" on doing this? Have you taken any concrete steps?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
I'm a transactional associate. I think I was able to land the job because 1) I've only been in biglaw for a little under a year and a half, so still early career, 2) a ton of criminal defense work in law school, 3) I've been able to do criminal defense pro bono at my firm, and 4) right place right time.lookatriffraffplease wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:12 pmare you a litigation associate and have you had substantive pro bono/other litigation experience? how do you plan to market yourself? I would like to transition from big law to criminal law
What did you hate so much to make this decision? You said biglaw is terrible right now. It won't be forever, will it? Isn't most of the legal profession terrible right now? The gra$$ is not greener on the other side, and that's not limited to the monetary loss.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
Very cool, congrats and good luck!Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:02 pmI accepted a PD offer last week. They were cool with me starting mid January so I could collect my bonus.LawrenceGazebo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:55 pmAre you actually doing this, or "planning" on doing this? Have you taken any concrete steps?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
I've hated it the whole time. It's boring, stressful, and constant. I hate almost all of my coworkers and the ones I don't hate I feel sorry for.avenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:53 pmWhat did you hate so much to make this decision? You said biglaw is terrible right now. It won't be forever, will it? Isn't most of the legal profession terrible right now? The gra$$ is not greener on the other side, and that's not limited to the monetary loss.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
Thanks!LawrenceGazebo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:10 pmVery cool, congrats and good luck!Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:02 pmI accepted a PD offer last week. They were cool with me starting mid January so I could collect my bonus.LawrenceGazebo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:55 pmAre you actually doing this, or "planning" on doing this? Have you taken any concrete steps?Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
Well, God speed. Sounds like this is what you want.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:25 pmI've hated it the whole time. It's boring, stressful, and constant. I hate almost all of my coworkers and the ones I don't hate I feel sorry for.avenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:53 pmWhat did you hate so much to make this decision? You said biglaw is terrible right now. It won't be forever, will it? Isn't most of the legal profession terrible right now? The gra$$ is not greener on the other side, and that's not limited to the monetary loss.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
The money part sucks, even though my new office pays decent for PDs. It's going to be a big lifestyle change. Luckily I love criminal defense work and am excited to be in court every day.
I know when people get older they look back at their decisions, and I have to wonder how much they'd be willing to pay to have those years back. Money comes and goes but you never get time back. I want to do something that I care about and that I enjoy instead of selling the best years of my life to a firm.
If I ever find the dickest post in a thread, it's always you lolavenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:47 pmWell, God speed. Sounds like this is what you want.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:25 pmI've hated it the whole time. It's boring, stressful, and constant. I hate almost all of my coworkers and the ones I don't hate I feel sorry for.avenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:53 pmWhat did you hate so much to make this decision? You said biglaw is terrible right now. It won't be forever, will it? Isn't most of the legal profession terrible right now? The gra$$ is not greener on the other side, and that's not limited to the monetary loss.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
The money part sucks, even though my new office pays decent for PDs. It's going to be a big lifestyle change. Luckily I love criminal defense work and am excited to be in court every day.
I know when people get older they look back at their decisions, and I have to wonder how much they'd be willing to pay to have those years back. Money comes and goes but you never get time back. I want to do something that I care about and that I enjoy instead of selling the best years of my life to a firm.
You should know that some of us actually love biglaw. We're used to jobs working upwards of ten hours, day-after-day, intense structure, hierarchies' benefits like generally clear reporting, ownership of work, and responsibility, etc., supervisors who don't know how to manage their emotion (you learn it's not personal, so no amount of screaming will hurt you), money which for some people can make almost any level of shit worth it, prestige, etc., and we don't just say we like biglaw because our boss/supervisor is watching. Knowing that, and knowing you value time over money, don't waste time feeling bad for people in biglaw who you like. Some of them might love it, and even feel bad for you.
I don't, since you seem to really be leaving on your own volition.
I’m about five years out. From what I’ve seen, people who did biglaw and then went some alternative route end up doing really well.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 3:21 amYeah, have a decent reputation so don’t think giving 70% for a few days will tank me.
But I’m also never going back to biglaw. I think if PD work ends up being too much for me I’m leaving the law. Basically went to law school to do work in the criminal legal system. If this doesn’t pan out I’ll get some government job and hang out.
But I think I’ll like it.
The fact that you love those things is what makes me--and probably a lot of people--feel bad for you. You can still pity the blissfully ignorant.avenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:47 pmYou should know that some of us actually love biglaw. We're used to jobs working upwards of ten hours, day-after-day, intense structure, hierarchies' benefits like generally clear reporting, ownership of work, and responsibility, etc., supervisors who don't know how to manage their emotion (you learn it's not personal, so no amount of screaming will hurt you), money which for some people can make almost any level of shit worth it, prestige, etc., and we don't just say we like biglaw because our boss/supervisor is watching. Knowing that, and knowing you value time over money, don't waste time feeling bad for people in biglaw who you like.
Also, this poster is still a stub year so their opinion is based on about 2 months of work, so they really don't understand the demands of the job yet because they're not running a deal or a case and the buck doesn't stop with them on anything, despite what they think.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:07 amIf I ever find the dickest post in a thread, it's always you lolavenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:47 pmWell, God speed. Sounds like this is what you want.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:25 pmI've hated it the whole time. It's boring, stressful, and constant. I hate almost all of my coworkers and the ones I don't hate I feel sorry for.avenuem wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:53 pmWhat did you hate so much to make this decision? You said biglaw is terrible right now. It won't be forever, will it? Isn't most of the legal profession terrible right now? The gra$$ is not greener on the other side, and that's not limited to the monetary loss.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:22 pmBiglaw is terrible right now so I'm posting about how I'm quitting my biglaw job as soon as bonus hits and moving to a public defender office. Starting mid January.
Can answer questions if anyone is interested.
The money part sucks, even though my new office pays decent for PDs. It's going to be a big lifestyle change. Luckily I love criminal defense work and am excited to be in court every day.
I know when people get older they look back at their decisions, and I have to wonder how much they'd be willing to pay to have those years back. Money comes and goes but you never get time back. I want to do something that I care about and that I enjoy instead of selling the best years of my life to a firm.
You should know that some of us actually love biglaw. We're used to jobs working upwards of ten hours, day-after-day, intense structure, hierarchies' benefits like generally clear reporting, ownership of work, and responsibility, etc., supervisors who don't know how to manage their emotion (you learn it's not personal, so no amount of screaming will hurt you), money which for some people can make almost any level of shit worth it, prestige, etc., and we don't just say we like biglaw because our boss/supervisor is watching. Knowing that, and knowing you value time over money, don't waste time feeling bad for people in biglaw who you like. Some of them might love it, and even feel bad for you.
I don't, since you seem to really be leaving on your own volition.
Come on, OP has NEVER said no one loves being at biglaw. Seriously it seems you do have a sort of a victim mentality.
I myself like working at biglaw. Sometimes it's a total shitshow, but there's definitely something rewarding. But if I ever become to hate this job, it will be the time when I need to work with a person like you.
OP, congrats you get an opportunity to do what you love to do. It's not easy regardless of whether you work at biglaw or not. Wish you best of luck.
I’m at a collar county of Cook County.