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No - sounds amazing. Do it.
You had me at on-site childcare!
Working from home with little one[s] is brutal. I did it for 6 months at the beginning of the pandemic and I think it’s why I’ve burned out on big law. Sending good vibes your way.
Go.
And don’t look back. You got the offer because THEY know that you can do it.
Exactly!
What, no! This sounds like a GREAT opportunity. You’ll do different things, but not necessarily boring (could also argue litigation and research are boring, though so to each their own).
Where is this place and can I work with you? This sounds incredible.
My question is HOW! Do it!! Congratulations
Do it without a moment’s hesitation. I made the same move — being an in-house litigator is all the fun and none of the drudgery of outside counsel work. And if you really want to stand up in court, do pro bono cases while in-house.
I cannot help here, as someone who would rather clean toilets than do litigation - if you really think you could never do the work (and have a proper basis for thinking so, having tried it), then I guess that’s a reason to refuse…
I agree with everyone that a big part of the equation is what makes you feel personally satisfied. That said, I think in-house is the holy grail. Hours are amazing and pay is great (especially given the work load). I have done insurance litigation then moved into transactional role (both at private mid-sized ) firms. When I accepted my in-house role I was nervous that I didn't have all the tools but if you've handled the stress of litigation you can handle in-house.
As for the "boring" issue some of that depends on if you have the ability to take on new challenges. One of the ways I have combatted boredom is learning new areas. For instance, our company is always talking about growth so I suggested we considered looking to acquire another company. BOOM - now the company is paying for me to do a deep dive into M&A. Think of in-house as a perfect training ground. There are so many areas you can dip your toes into and no one expects you to be the expert. Most of the time the company just wants a firm hand to guide them. Set expectations when you take on a new task, be honest and clear and you'll keep their respect.
Examples— Join the board of an organization of which you are passionate. I have colleagues who are into the performing arts. I know some attorneys who have started small businesses that are fun for them— Some are making real money and others are breaking even and having fun. Spend time mentoring. Choose something you always wanted to pursue, but didn’t have time to do. Once you have time to think about it, I’m sure you’ll find something.
Hate to be the devil’s advocate here, but I had the amazing opportunity to work with a client (basically go in-house) for six months as a third-year big law associate, and I absolutely hated it. I was in litigation but the in-house position was for regulatory work and I was bored out of my mind. I didn’t like how easy the job was (sorry for complaining) because I think I’m the kind that thrives under some amount of stress, if that makes sense. I’m also a mom of two kids and I must say the hours for the in-house position were fantastic (8 hours on busy days, 2-4 hours when slow). But I didn’t like always being the only lawyer in the room and having to either dumb things down or be fake and/or diplomatic (I tend to be more blunt, which drives my husband crazy, haha). I haven’t completely written off going in-house one of these days, but, at this stage of my career, I’d rather hustle a little bit and actually like my job then get paid to be comfortable… I hate the big law billable culture as well, but I did not find the grass is greener on the other side. I’m also hoping to move into criminal defense or family law in a few years so I do have a big law exit plan in place.
To sum it up, I’d advise choosing what works best for you. As parents, we often opt to sacrifice for our kids and our family, but my profession is one of the few things that is completely mine. I think knowing what’s most important for yourself (e.g., spending more time with kiddos) and then applying that to your job search is key :) Hope you find out what makes the most sense for you!
Omg please go and do this and live your best life. I’m so jealous. Take me with 😭
I’m making this switch in a couple weeks. But I’m really excited about the position and the new challenges it’ll bring so that might be different than how you feel. There is such a wide variety of in-house corporate positions that it’s hard to provide advice without more specifics, but I think you really need to consider what your priorities are and whether or not you find the new job boring. You don’t want to end up in a job that you also hate, but for different reasons.
How did you do this?! Congratulations
Apply?
In house is so much fun (I was in house once)
Are you me? I’m in the same exact boat
How do I go about landing these awesome gigs? Congrats to all of you! I’m seriously so jelly.
I just did it - 2 months in now. It’s definitely not as interesting or intense as litigation, but applying what you learn in litigation when drafting contracts is, at the moment, a rewarding experience. Also, you’ll learn /refine a whole lot of other stuff, such as corporate speak and contract drafting. If you don’t like it after a few months, you can always jump back in litigation.
It was tough. I made a list of every corporate matter I had to deal with whether directly or indirectly and just basically sold myself during the interviews based on that. The corporate matters I dealt with were really basic, but most interviewers don’t really grill you on the details, as long as you know what you’re talking about. To give some flavour, I had some experience with leases because I was working together with a corporate real estate team at one point, banking facilities because I was in restructuring and insolvency and my then clients were mainly banks so I had to work with the banking and finance team at times, and random joint venture and distributorship agreements because I was at one point in a small firm and had some friends who needed my assistance so I requested my partner to put me on those files.
(Pardon me for the many “and”s used)
I don't think it hurts to try! Even if you decide to come back to private practice because you want to litigate again (even typing that gives me the willies--I LOATHE litigation) you will be an asset to your client having gained perspective.
That said, trust your instincts, if it doesn't feel right--it probably isn't. I have known tried and true litigators who went in house and then came back out because they missed "just practicing law".
Do it. You will adapt quickly. Enjoy the win!
Is this Jabil?
Tony?
I’m sorry, what? What?
??
How did you get this offer? I'm interested in making this kind of move as well.
I just applied! Just go for it — even if you think your experience doesn’t tick every box.