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Would you do in house? MidLaw? Also, would the salaries dip or does it depend?

How many years is it ideal to stick it out in biglaw before shifting laterally?

Depends on your practice area and the firm.

If you're in a corporate practice group, in-house is a normal exit. But for litigation/regulatory, government is a common path to take. Or you could continue in private practice elsewhere. Yes, your salary will dip. And the time you need to be in biglaw depends on which job you're trying to exit to.

Short answer: there's no formula. Be specific about your goals, and you'll get specific advice.

cavalier1138 wrote:Depends on your practice area and the firm.

If you're in a corporate practice group, in-house is a normal exit. But for litigation/regulatory, government is a common path to take. Or you could continue in private practice elsewhere. Yes, your salary will dip. And the time you need to be in biglaw depends on which job you're trying to exit to.

Short answer: there's no formula. Be specific about your goals, and you'll get specific advice.

To add to what cavalier says above (all of which is true), the salary dip usually also corresponds to a dip in your hours/workload. BigLaw pays a ton but also works you half to death. Most BigLawyers, as they age and start families, desire better work-life balance (or simply any work-life balance).