I quit big law. now what? Forum

[uhwrestler]

Graduated t14 2020 well below the median. Got one offer from a large regional firm. Got really good experience with Corp M&A and some Tax work for a little over a year but couldn't take the racial abuse anymore so I rage quit with nothing lined up. been working with a recruiter but it's been about two months now with no offers. had some interviews but it seems large firms cant get over the fact I resigned. Also, it seems like recruiters only work with big firms. for smaller firms should I reach out directly? it seems im too inexperienced for in-house counsel jobs. I'm open to going back to a law firm, but what jd preferred options are out there for someone like me? im willing to take a large pay cut for some type of compliance or in-house jd preferred job but not sure exactly where to look.

[nealric]

You aren't a 3L, but I think a lot of advice in this thread would be applicable:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=192753

I'd generally recommend really honing your story for why you left. It will require a fine balance between being truthful and not badmouthing your former employer. "I rage quit" is not a story most prospective employers want to hear.

[Bimmerfan]

no need to depend solely on the recruiter. start applying on your own.

you went to a t14, have solid experience at a big regional firm, and while quitting would raise some eyebrows, you should have no problem finding another opportunity.

[Anonymous User]

Graduated t14 2020 well below the median. Got one offer from a large regional firm. Got really good experience with Corp M&A and some Tax work for a little over a year but couldn't take the racial abuse anymore so I rage quit with nothing lined up. been working with a recruiter but it's been about two months now with no offers. had some interviews but it seems large firms cant get over the fact I resigned. Also, it seems like recruiters only work with big firms. for smaller firms should I reach out directly? it seems im too inexperienced for in-house counsel jobs. I'm open to going back to a law firm, but what jd preferred options are out there for someone like me? im willing to take a large pay cut for some type of compliance or in-house jd preferred job but not sure exactly where to look.

What's your location? Are you willing to move?

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

Did you pass the bar? This will be easier if you are changing practice groups or cities — you can say you really wanted a change from that city or practice group and you’d be a lot happier in the new role

But you should also soul search a bit because whatever caused you to rage quit at old firm will likely be present at new firm to some extent

[uhwrestler]

Graduated t14 2020 well below the median. Got one offer from a large regional firm. Got really good experience with Corp M&A and some Tax work for a little over a year but couldn't take the racial abuse anymore so I rage quit with nothing lined up. been working with a recruiter but it's been about two months now with no offers. had some interviews but it seems large firms cant get over the fact I resigned. Also, it seems like recruiters only work with big firms. for smaller firms should I reach out directly? it seems im too inexperienced for in-house counsel jobs. I'm open to going back to a law firm, but what jd preferred options are out there for someone like me? im willing to take a large pay cut for some type of compliance or in-house jd preferred job but not sure exactly where to look.

What's your location? Are you willing to move?

yes willing to move. in texas large city but I have connections to midwest large city

[uhwrestler]

Did you pass the bar? This will be easier if you are changing practice groups or cities — you can say you really wanted a change from that city or practice group and you’d be a lot happier in the new role

But you should also soul search a bit because whatever caused you to rage quit at old firm will likely be present at new firm to some extent

yes passed bar with high enough score to transfer to any ube state

[ninthcircuitattorney]

Why would you disclose that you raged quit? What would prevent you from claiming that you left to move home, to take care of a relative, to do a part time MBA?

[pkeller]

Why would you disclose that you raged quit? What would prevent you from claiming that you left to move home, to take care of a relative, to do a part time MBA?

Can also say that you appreciated your big law experience and learned a lot, but it wasn't the right fit/you wanted to do something else.

[Anonymous User]

If you're looking for a non biglaw job like govt or whatever, might even be OK to say the hours were bad / burnout. At least it's better than ragequit.

[Anonymous User]

Graduated t14 2020 well below the median. Got one offer from a large regional firm. Got really good experience with Corp M&A and some Tax work for a little over a year but couldn't take the racial abuse anymore so I rage quit with nothing lined up. been working with a recruiter but it's been about two months now with no offers. had some interviews but it seems large firms cant get over the fact I resigned. Also, it seems like recruiters only work with big firms. for smaller firms should I reach out directly? it seems im too inexperienced for in-house counsel jobs. I'm open to going back to a law firm, but what jd preferred options are out there for someone like me? im willing to take a large pay cut for some type of compliance or in-house jd preferred job but not sure exactly where to look.

What made you rage quit?

[Sackboy]

Why would you disclose that you raged quit? What would prevent you from claiming that you left to move home, to take care of a relative, to do a part time MBA?

Yep, this is your life and livelihood here. No shame in lying.

[Anonymous User]

Why would you disclose that you raged quit? What would prevent you from claiming that you left to move home, to take care of a relative, to do a part time MBA?

Can also say that you appreciated your big law experience and learned a lot, but it wasn't the right fit/you wanted to do something else.

Agree with this. This was the line I used when I started interviewing for jobs after around 6 months in biglaw, and I was able to land multiple public interest/government job offers. It helped that it was true, but as long as you can make it believable it should work. I imagine it’d work for private sector positions as well, but I don’t have any personal experience with that.

[Anonymous User]

Graduated t14 2020 well below the median. Got one offer from a large regional firm. Got really good experience with Corp M&A and some Tax work for a little over a year but couldn't take the racial abuse anymore so I rage quit with nothing lined up. been working with a recruiter but it's been about two months now with no offers. had some interviews but it seems large firms cant get over the fact I resigned. Also, it seems like recruiters only work with big firms. for smaller firms should I reach out directly? it seems im too inexperienced for in-house counsel jobs. I'm open to going back to a law firm, but what jd preferred options are out there for someone like me? im willing to take a large pay cut for some type of compliance or in-house jd preferred job but not sure exactly where to look.

What made you rage quit?

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

[Lacepiece23]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

[nixy]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

You know a lot more about the legal aspect of this than I do, but I read it as the standard advice "don't badmouth your former employer in a job interview." Plenty of people leave jobs because their bosses are genuinely abusive, but telling a prospective employer that you left because your former boss was abusive just isn't a good way to get hired. I don't know how you get around that in this situation.

[Res Ipsa Loquitter]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

You know a lot more about the legal aspect of this than I do, but I read it as the standard advice "don't badmouth your former employer in a job interview." Plenty of people leave jobs because their bosses are genuinely abusive, but telling a prospective employer that you left because your former boss was abusive just isn't a good way to get hired. I don't know how you get around that in this situation.

Right this is what I was saying. It’s not something OP should take on the chin, and if it happens again he should address it through the proper reporting channels. But in terms of interviewing I think it’ll spook potential employers.

[Anonymous User]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

You know a lot more about the legal aspect of this than I do, but I read it as the standard advice "don't badmouth your former employer in a job interview." Plenty of people leave jobs because their bosses are genuinely abusive, but telling a prospective employer that you left because your former boss was abusive just isn't a good way to get hired. I don't know how you get around that in this situation.

Right this is what I was saying. It’s not something OP should take on the chin, and if it happens again he should address it through the proper reporting channels. But in terms of interviewing I think it’ll spook potential employers.

Agreed. Whether or not it's illegal for someone to drop an interviewee for discussing prior discrimination and whether or not someone actually will are two totally different things.

Chiming in to say this is the second time in like a week where I've seen someone imply a poster is racist for literally just identifying ways in which racism may/may not play out in the real world. I just don't understand what's the correct way of raising this type of thing?

[Lacepiece23]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

You know a lot more about the legal aspect of this than I do, but I read it as the standard advice "don't badmouth your former employer in a job interview." Plenty of people leave jobs because their bosses are genuinely abusive, but telling a prospective employer that you left because your former boss was abusive just isn't a good way to get hired. I don't know how you get around that in this situation.

I agree with you. It's just the irony. The same reason that people do not come forward in interviews with these types of concerns is the same reason that they do not do it during their employment, it's just generally a bad idea at the professional level and increasingly so when it comes to being a lawyer. Law firms are rampant with discrimination and never get sued because of the blackball effect. I hate it.

But that's probably the reason why OP never said anything during employment. Same reason why OP won't say anything in future interviews.

[Lacepiece23]

Also OP, bears saying that racial abuse is illegal and no biglaw firm is interested in having that conduct take place at their firm. There should have been a way to report it at a large firm without needing to rage quit — but I would not mention that or even hint at it in future interviews. They may assume you’ll discover “racial abuse” at their firm too.

Wow, so OP should have been able report racial illegal racial abuse not is not able to report illegal racial discrimination in job interviews, which is also protected activity.

See the problem with that?

You know a lot more about the legal aspect of this than I do, but I read it as the standard advice "don't badmouth your former employer in a job interview." Plenty of people leave jobs because their bosses are genuinely abusive, but telling a prospective employer that you left because your former boss was abusive just isn't a good way to get hired. I don't know how you get around that in this situation.

Right this is what I was saying. It’s not something OP should take on the chin, and if it happens again he should address it through the proper reporting channels. But in terms of interviewing I think it’ll spook potential employers.

Agreed. Whether or not it's illegal for someone to drop an interviewee for discussing prior discrimination and whether or not someone actually will are two totally different things.

Chiming in to say this is the second time in like a week where I've seen someone imply a poster is racist for literally just identifying ways in which racism may/may not play out in the real world. I just don't understand what's the correct way of raising this type of thing?

I'll be very explicit. I was not implying that there were any racial undertones in the post. I was implying that it's fucked up both ways and that attorneys have very little protection to come forward - whether during employment or otherwise - with discrimination allegations.

If I think that someone is being racist, you will know. You can check my post history lol.

[nixy]

I agree with you. It's just the irony. The same reason that people do not come forward in interviews with these types of concerns is the same reason that they do not do it during their employment, it's just generally a bad idea at the professional level and increasingly so when it comes to being a lawyer. Law firms are rampant with discrimination and never get sued because of the blackball effect. I hate it.

But that's probably the reason why OP never said anything during employment. Same reason why OP won't say anything in future interviews.

Oh yeah, that's all totally fair. It sucks that to get any kind of recourse for these problems you have to be willing to go scorched earth and be willing to burn a lot of future opportunities, it seems.