Related Posts
Anyone hiring a sustainability or program manager/ninja? A bit about me:
1. Trained as an urban planner, I am a public policy and sustainability professional with 5+ years of global experience working with UN entities, governments, private companies, and communities
2. Most experience in managing and reporting sustainability programs, expanding and strengthening stakeholder engagements, and driving win-win policy solutions
LinkedIn: mahakagrawal2505
Email: ma4100@coumbia.edu
Sustainable art on IG: mahak.agrawal
More Posts
Rising Star
Is a move to PE from MBB worth it?
Bain & Company Can someone recommend a good starting point on how to go around solving case interviews? What frameworks should I follow? I am kinda new to case interview and want to develop skills to solve them. Any books, online sources would be really appreciable. Deloitte EY-Parthenon Strategy& McKinsey & Company Boston Consulting Group Bain & Company
Additional Posts in Big Law
Enthusiast
Mentor
How are hours at Simpson Thacher LA?
Mentor
Enthusiast
Thoughts on Quinn Emanuel in Houston or Dallas?
New to Fishbowl?
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
I have a buddy who left to go in-house, hated the particular gig, and ended up getting recruited hard by former firm to come back. Ended up way better for it. Not saying that’ll always be the result, but just want to widen your aperture. You’re extremely valuable in this market. Go do what you want. No reason to act from a place of fear when you have power and value in the market.
And am pretty sure I don’t want to pursue partnership and am done with biglaw generally (have been at two large firms) and am looking to go in-house but wanted to know options if it turns out I don’t enjoy in-house life albeit I’m sure I’ll develop new skill sets and new perspectives that would be super awesome and helpful if I came back to a firm.
Coach
Your statements seem inconsistent (if it’s not a monolith, which I don’t dispute, how do you know this person will have smart colleagues or otherwise wind up in a good situation)?
Subject Expert
It really depends. I went back to my firm after being COVID laid off, but I had a hard time getting other offers (as compared to pre-pandemic - I still got a couple of biglaw offers below what I was making previously, but pre-pandemic I would have had no issues/wait time getting multiple biglaw offers I think). But I had great relationships at my pre-in-house biglaw firm so ended up back there eventually.
It’s a combination of factors: midlevels are hot, but seniors are not. No one was trying to hire for my field in the peak of covid. I’m pretty niche, so when the niche is doing well, I’m super in demand, but when it’s not, crickets.
I would consider too - it’s not so much a grass is not greener situation as in-house can be volatile and there’s not as much of a standard market for how layoffs work. Also new in-house jobs can take a year or more to find (including months of interviews), as compared to firms where they’ll hire you in a week if they want. You can certainly move from one in-house job to another but it’s not like lateral moves between law firms where it’s all quick and easy and standard. If you don’t like your in-house job and start looking, you may be stuck there a year or more trying to find your next in-house job. You’re probably unlikely to want to go back to a firm but if you’re in a layoff situation it may be your best option and will definitely be harder than right now but not impossible.
Just don’t be a flake. You need at least 5 years before going back unless your practice area is crazy short of staff
Definitely aiming for at least 3-4 years because agreed, don’t want to be a flake and also, I think it will take some years to grow into an in-house mindset and get the full lay of the land on whether it’s better or not. Judging on the first year when the learning curve may be steeper due to transitioning from law firm to in house but then get a lot better. No issues with 5 years. Practice area wise mine may be one of the top hottest in demand as a corporate associate but I also know it might be the total opposite some time down the line and I’m fine with that risk
Are you worried hours won’t be less or something? (While still getting less pay)?
Coach
I have a “boundary setter” on the team who does that at the (great) expense of that person’s colleagues and me. Screws us constantly. Trying to just get more people to help make up for it, which is fine, but in the interim, it is creating major morale issues for everyone else and causing us to miss deadlines and piss people off. The stuff that tests boundaries doesn’t come from sadistic partners looking to make lives difficult, but instead from clients who pay a lot of money and increasingly demand insane levels of service (if we don’t, our competitor does), and the asks don’t disappear magically if you set boundaries. Someone still has to deal with the ask to do stuff on the weekend or that interferes with movie night or organizing your collectibles or whatever. None of this is to say someone can’t set some reasonable boundaries, but one needs some common sense, too.
Are you specializing in house? I literarily had no big law experience, did compliance for 2 years and worked in house for 1 year. I just got two offers from a big law firm and I start next month. Idk if that’s true. It might be tough but not impossible.
Wow, it sounds like we have identical backgrounds. I started in compliance and I’ve been in my in-house role for 5 years. I got an offer at biglaw and I’m taking it.
To OP’s original question: In-house is great, but it can be boring at times and I feel like I’m not really practicing law most days. I can’t comment on going from firm to in-house and back to firm, but I’ve seen some colleagues do it, so it’s not impossible.