Is in-house experience valued when moving from BigLaw to in-house and then back to BigLaw?
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 7:38 pm
Associate in funds here.
I’m currently in-house at a reputable financial institution, after leaving a top-of-the-market funds group. A few months ago, I cold-emailed some people at a BigLaw firm, and recently one of their practice groups (restructuring, a field I’ve long been interested in but never had the chance to try) took the initiative and approached me, likely because I left a good impression on some team members I grabed a coffee with, and they are currently looking to recruit.
The tricky part is timing. I only joined my current role recently, and while the practice group is highly appealing and I might have joined if I weren’t already here, I also feel that the experience I’m gaining now in-house is worth staying for a few more months until the learning curve plateaus.
I’m considering discussing opportunities with them later on, but I worry they may pass me (I told them I had recently joined, and they responded along the lines of "So you wouldn’t be able to join us by [X date]?".
Any thoughts on how to navigate this, so I can continue gaining experience here while keeping the door open with them? Also, is in-house experience viewed favorably by law firms (which might help me feel more comfortable if they pass) or is it largely irrelevant, in which case I might consider leaving my current role sooner to join them?
Any perspective on this (preferably from seniors) is highly appreciated. Thank you.
P.S. Compensation is not a priority. I genuinely enjoy transactional practice and am thinking primarily about learning opportunities and career growth.
P.P.S. I’m in a European jurisdiction, so no need to overthink logistics. I’m mostly looking for perspective.
I’m currently in-house at a reputable financial institution, after leaving a top-of-the-market funds group. A few months ago, I cold-emailed some people at a BigLaw firm, and recently one of their practice groups (restructuring, a field I’ve long been interested in but never had the chance to try) took the initiative and approached me, likely because I left a good impression on some team members I grabed a coffee with, and they are currently looking to recruit.
The tricky part is timing. I only joined my current role recently, and while the practice group is highly appealing and I might have joined if I weren’t already here, I also feel that the experience I’m gaining now in-house is worth staying for a few more months until the learning curve plateaus.
I’m considering discussing opportunities with them later on, but I worry they may pass me (I told them I had recently joined, and they responded along the lines of "So you wouldn’t be able to join us by [X date]?".
Any thoughts on how to navigate this, so I can continue gaining experience here while keeping the door open with them? Also, is in-house experience viewed favorably by law firms (which might help me feel more comfortable if they pass) or is it largely irrelevant, in which case I might consider leaving my current role sooner to join them?
Any perspective on this (preferably from seniors) is highly appreciated. Thank you.
P.S. Compensation is not a priority. I genuinely enjoy transactional practice and am thinking primarily about learning opportunities and career growth.
P.P.S. I’m in a European jurisdiction, so no need to overthink logistics. I’m mostly looking for perspective.