Jumping from Big Law to Foreign Service-- Advice Forum

[Anonymous User]

I just graduated law school and will start as an associate in big law in the fall. I also just passed my foreign service oral assessment, meaning that I have a conditional offer of employment to join the foreign service pending my security clearance. This is a dream job for me and I'm very excited. The foreign service hiring process literally takes years, so my plan is to do 1-2 years in big law and then jump ship to the foreign service.

The problem is, the state department will definitely need to contact my firm during the security clearance process to verify my employment. So the firm will basically be alerted that I'm looking to leave for a state department job. I'm scared that once the firm learns that I plan to jump to the foreign service, they'll fire me or at the very least be super pissed at me for looking to leave before even starting the position. I definitely want to avoid souring my relationship with them, and I really don't want to start the job with co-workers and supervisors already angry at me.

Does anyone with experience in big law have any sense how this would be received by the firm? Will HR definitely inform all partners that the state department contacted them about me? Will they 100% be angry at me, even if I explain that state department hiring takes 1-2 years, and sometimes longer? Is there any actual risk I could be fired? While the foreign service is my dream job, I may reject this conditional employment offer if it would completely ruin my relationships with people at the firm.

[sparty99]

I just graduated law school and will start as an associate in big law in the fall. I also just passed my foreign service oral assessment, meaning that I have a conditional offer of employment to join the foreign service pending my security clearance. This is a dream job for me and I'm very excited. The foreign service hiring process literally takes years, so my plan is to do 1-2 years in big law and then jump ship to the foreign service.

The problem is, the state department will definitely need to contact my firm during the security clearance process to verify my employment. So the firm will basically be alerted that I'm looking to leave for a state department job. I'm scared that once the firm learns that I plan to jump to the foreign service, they'll fire me or at the very least be super pissed at me for looking to leave before even starting the position. I definitely want to avoid souring my relationship with them, and I really don't want to start the job with co-workers and supervisors already angry at me.

Does anyone with experience in big law have any sense how this would be received by the firm? Will HR definitely inform all partners that the state department contacted them about me? Will they 100% be angry at me, even if I explain that state department hiring takes 1-2 years, and sometimes longer? Is there any actual risk I could be fired? While the foreign service is my dream job, I may reject this conditional employment offer if it would completely ruin my relationships with people at the firm.

You haven't started at the firm so you aren't employed right now. Submit your information now. If they ask for further proof tell them you can confirm employment as the last step, years from now.

[Anonymous User]

Yes, but because I was a summer associate with this firm last year, they'll still be contacted by state department to verify my summer associate position. So they'll be alerted regardless.

[sparty99]

Yes, but because I was a summer associate with this firm last year, they'll still be contacted by state department to verify my summer associate position. So they'll be alerted regardless.

Okay, well you do everything else I said. And even if you get fired or pissed, who cares. You are leaving. You can also always get another law firm job. I guess you should be saving a 6 month emergency fund.