I took an in-house gig working with friends late last summer and I am about to get an offer from a biglaw firm for basically my dream position—I am feeling terrible because my current department is understaffed and I like the work, but the biglaw position has huge advantages including remote work and way higher salary. The actual workload will likely be the same. Someone tell me I am not a monster for leaving so soon!!!! Any advice, if you have jumped ship early and don’t want to burn bridges?

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Explain clearly why you are going, give long lead time before you leave, don't hide the ball and be up front more or less, it's your career and you can be honest about pay and ambitions, but do NOT expect workload to be the same - made that mistake.

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Have you worked in big law before? Do they have a billable hour requirement and BD expectations, because those would be different from inhouse, even if the work is largely the same.

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If the workload is actually the same (certainly some in-house jobs are a TON of work for very little pay, which folks on this bowl never seem to realize) there is really no reason for you to stay there for way less pay. You have to do what’s best for you. As others said, be polite and express gratitude for the opportunity/learning/experience, but tell them it’s your dream job for xyz reasons including pay and if they are really friends they will understand and support you. Maybe even send you work as outside counsel! People switch jobs all the time, it’s really normal and OK.

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I will say equivalent work hours are somehow worse at a firm. Did in house to biglaw and the billing, responsiveness, and just all around constant threat is like extra work

I never get why people feel badly for doing what’s best for them. It’s not your family it’s work. We exchange labor for a salary. It’s not personal. Believe me the firm will do what’s in its best interest despite yours.

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