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Today is the kickoff for Well-Being Week in Law, which is about raising awareness around mental health and encouraging action and innovation across the legal profession to improve well-being.
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Frame it around growth. Say you’ve learned what kind of work environment helps you perform best and you’re looking for that alignment.
You can also talk about firm culture. If the culture at your current job has you feeling burnt out and stuck, then talk about wanting a culture where there is mentoring, training, opportunities for growth. Perhaps you could benefit from talking to a coach or mentor who can help you formulate your thoughts on what you do want in a career. When you are burnt out, you feel like “anything but this”, but that’s a disservice to yourself and your career. Perhaps take a vacation and do some soul searching, as hard as it is. It’s important for your career to actually make a step that leads where you want to go and not just away from what you don’t, if that makes sense. Been there before and wish you clarity, confidence, and success as you make this next step.
OP - I’ve been in your shoes and can relate…but wanted to let you know there is a better life out there! So - sorry for the long post but hopefully it’s encouraging / helpful.
I agree about “seeking challenges / pivoting to X specialty or emerging sub-niche of my practice area after realizing how much I enjoy it as opposed to Y” being a solid go-to answer, and it’s an important question that can make or break your interview. It focuses on your desire to work and expand, while also demonstrating your existing competence and self-awareness….without sounding like a whiny baby. And seasoned practitioners who understand biglaw dynamics (burnout and stagnation, suboptimal firm culture) or even know your existing firm’s rep (if applicable) may even read between the lines and connect with you over what you’re looking to move toward or get away from, while appreciating your tact.
I was in this boat for a couple years (was at a meh biglaw firm for years in a transactional field I love; but was starting to feel increasingly under-appreciated/disrespected by my direct partners despite being their (and the firm’s) go-to for the most complex matters in my field - and the work was starting to become too constraining / frustrating by way of firm-created fee constraints and market limitations. On top of that, the firm brass and culture were subpar, to put it mildly. At the same time, I loved my team, our substantive work and my clients, and enjoyed being the resident expert on certain aspects of my practice, so I was hesitant to leave until I found a lateral opp that would actually be a significant step up with no sacrifice.
By some miracle, I got cold called by a recruiter for a role at a better firm, to work with partners whose practice overlapped heavily with my experience. I was skeptical about the prospect of interviewing and lateraling (for same reasons as you mentioned - burnout and ennui and inertia), but 10 minutes into my first round, I realized that these folks were “my people” and that I actually wanted to work with them.
What sparked my excitement was hearing them talk about their work - it’s challenging but creative and interesting and they are field experts who are able to accommodate a variety of deal structures and needs - and that teed me up to enthusiastically state my case for why I wanted more of what they do and less of what my old team did and what my skills could bring to the table if better utilized. By the end of the initial interview, it was clear that we were all on the same page and that I would be a good fit with this group. In subsequent rounds we got into more of the “real talk” about needing to leave to a different firm despite loving the work and people (partners had similar stories to share). I got my offer in record time a few weeks later.
Flash forward almost a year and I couldn’t be happier. Work is challenging and hours are still long - but the fatigue doesn’t feel like burnout; it feels like I ran a marathon (the “good” kind of tired, if that makes sense). These people are kind, supportive, brilliant, and appreciative. I am growing and learning every day and I love it.
Actually loving your practice - but not necessarily under your present conditions - and wanting to do more/different elsewhere - is a great reason to lateral, and focusing on that (and how much you’d crush it in a better environment) helps a prospective hiring team evaluate you based on your self-described strengths rather than your gripes.
Try to stay positive and hang in there - and best of luck to you!!