How does your job actually make you feel? I left my Big Law firm six months ago for an in-house counsel role, and even with the 20% drop in salary, my hourly value feels 100x higher. I traded the midnight fire drills for 9-to-5 stability and actually seeing my kids before they go to sleep. My old colleagues keep telling me I’ll plateau too early, but honestly, I don't miss the prestige of being miserable.

likeuplifting
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Moved to a boutique firm with 25% drop in salary. But I get to have dinner with my family and help my kids with homework, and am able to read them a few stories, all of which put huge smiles on their faces - every night. This is a drastic change from balking at them with thousand things to do in my head from a complex deal and having to check my phone every 5 mins.

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It was the right choice for me too. What does all that money matter if you can’t do what you want with your time

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Which in house roles these days have just a 20% drop from biglaw? Unless you were a junior associate. Otherwise, most seem closer to 50%

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Did the same. Traded 24 hour availability doing healthcare M&A for working 9-5 most days (or less) in Pharma. I also like the work I’m doing a lot more now and the pay is really good. Lots of PTO I can actually use too.

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My job makes me feel nothing at all… Lol. Every time I take time off I feel myself “unthawing” and becoming a person again. Then I start working again and that goes away immediately. My time in big law is getting closer to the end, just not sure what’s next. Hopefully in-house

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A5 - it could just be working in Big Law. That model is problematic. Felt that way all the way through partnership. And when being partner didn't change things, I left for a different model. Maybe look into distributed models if you have relationships with clients that could send you work. I've definitely felt more human, work less and made more than when I was in traditional BL. Happy to chat about it if you're interested.

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What year were you when you left big law?

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In-house was the best move ever for me and my family.

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ditto

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I don’t care about plateauing because I get so much more out of life now that my job holds so much less value to my self-esteem and sense of “purpose.”

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Is it bad to plateau? What do you care about - titles and prestige or having a good life?

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I left prestige to go to a small firm, 3 attorneys and I feel a lot less numb. Small firms are an alternative if you find a good one.

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