Author Topic: Young lawyer looking for career change- need advice from other lawyers  (Read 2136 times)

greengardens

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I am a 4th year associate at a small, general practice firm. While I love the small community I practice in I have no desire to become a partner at the firm and dislike most of my day to day work. I've recently been offered what I would call a J.D. preferred position in a different town. It seems like an intriguing position, with better hours, benefits and comparable pay to what I am currently making. I like the position, I think it would be fun, good for my family, and I plan to accept but I have some questions/emotional hangups that I'm hoping neutral third parties can help me with, namely:

-  am I stunting my career by taking a JD preferred position so soon after graduating law school? Having a law degree is a definite plus in this position, and I would be required to keep my license active, but if I hate it will I be able to transition back to private practice? During the interview process I inquired about career progression and it sounds like there is definitely room for me to grow and advance but I'm concerned in 20 years I'll look back and wonder why I wasted the time and money on this degree. I'm also concerned about earning potential, but from the sounds of the growth opportunities I think the difference will be minimal. Plus the better hours would likely make up for any loss of income.

- there is also an irrational, emotional, stupid hangup on not being able to introduce myself as an attorney anymore. I know, I know facepunch me. I'm working on making that a less integral part of my identity. Once I make the jump I don't think it'll be a problem but it is still a hangup I'm currently having.

- i am currently 5 months pregnant. if accepted we'd want to move to be closer to both our jobs (hour+ commute). we just bought our house current house less than year ago and have quite a few projects to do before we can put it on the market. Does anyone have any advice on how to handle starting a new job and moving while pregnant? I'd like to keep my sanity during all that. Also, as we've only bought one house should we try to sell our current house first then find a new one or just jump in and buy a new one so we can move asap? I'm not worried about our current one selling, it is definitely a sellers market in our town.

TLDR: I'm a young lawyer looking to make a career change and move. I like the position and will likely accept but have some emotional hangups and overthinking that I need a neutral third party opinion/facepunch

somers515

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If you have to keep your license active then its my understanding you are still an attorney and certainly could introduce yourself as one.  While I spent most of my career as an assistant prosecutor and not in private practice, so take my advice with a grain of salt, if you are worried that you won't be able to go back to private practice if you hate this new position, then continue to do things to keep active in your field, perhaps some pro bono work and play up the attorney parts of your new job on your resume.

This random guy on the internet says better hours plus more fun position plus comparable pay = no brainer decision for me!

Oh and before I stopped working a year ago I wouldn't ever think of introducing myself as an attorney as a positive! : )

Good luck with your new job, move and upcoming addition to your family!


Trifle

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You have a lot going on greengardens! Congrats on the job offer and your little one on the way!  When would that job start, and will this be your first child?  The answer to those two things will make a difference on your decisions about the move. 

Regarding your first question, if you keep your license active you will be able to find some type of legal work should you ever want to.  It probably won't be partner-track, but then you probably don't want that anyway, right?   As for losing the 'cachet' of being a lawyer -- meh.  I went from law firm work to in-house counsel, and then from there to pure managerial work.  It's just a matter of which work fits you best.  I do still maintain my license, with the thought being I could pick up some contract legal work in some future reality.     

greengardens

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Oh and before I stopped working a year ago I wouldn't ever think of introducing myself as an attorney as a positive! : )


Ha! I realize it is silly but it really has been a big part of my identity these last 4 years. Networking and client development is part of my current job so in social situations I always mention that I am an attorney. Plus, before the pregnancy, I looked quite young. Telling people I was an attorney made them realize that I was at least old enough to order a beer :)


You have a lot going on greengardens! Congrats on the job offer and your little one on the way!  When would that job start, and will this be your first child?  The answer to those two things will make a difference on your decisions about the move. 

Regarding your first question, if you keep your license active you will be able to find some type of legal work should you ever want to.  It probably won't be partner-track, but then you probably don't want that anyway, right?   As for losing the 'cachet' of being a lawyer -- meh.  I went from law firm work to in-house counsel, and then from there to pure managerial work.  It's just a matter of which work fits you best.  I do still maintain my license, with the thought being I could pick up some contract legal work in some future reality.     


New job is pretty flexible on my start date, but I am thinking within 4-6 weeks, depending on the needs of my current firm. While I do not enjoy working here, I do have a lot of respect for my firm and do not want to burn any bridges. This is our first child. Ideally we would like to move prior to my due date (mid summer) as it will be easier to sell our current house during that time. Plus neither of us want the hour+ commute each day. We have extended family that would let us stay with them for a few months, but we view that as a last resort option.

meghan88

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Though it's not clear from your original post, does "JD preferred" mean an in-house role for which a JD might not be required?

Can you ask them to change the job title to Legal Counsel?

Personal anecdote:  a few years ago, I wanted out of my then-current in-house gig.  I looked around, and the only two relevant jobs on offer, from two different companies, were titled "Contracts Manager", "Contracts Negotiator" or something along those lines.  I interviewed for both and got an offer from each.  Not just an offer, mind you, but in BOTH cases, a change in job title to Senior Legal Counsel.  And, more $ than what each job would normally pay for a contracts manager.

Can you ask them to change the job title, seeing as you'll be bringing a lot of legal expertise to the role?  And can you maybe even negotiate to work remotely for part of the week?  If they like you enough to hire you, you can try to parlay that into a more suitable title and flex time.

IMO, while not critical, job titles do matter on a CV, if you think you might want other legal gigs in the future.

Trifle

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OK, wow, you've got three major life changes that are hitting at once -- selling/moving, starting a new job, and having your first baby.   I have done all three of those things multiple times, just not all at the same time. :)  Any one of those can be enough to send the stress-o-meter up to the max, and that's if nothing goes wrong. 

My advice in one word is simplify.   if it were me, I would get your current house sold as fast as humanly possible.  I would hop on those to-do items today and get that sucker listed and sold, and off your plate.  Once you are working in a new city and having a baby, the very last thing you will want to do is travel back to the first house to finish up repairs, or whatever. 

I would try to move to the new town as fast as you can as well.  You won't want to be moving when you are 8+ months pregnant.  Nor right after the baby comes.  So if it were me -- I would try to do the sell and the move in tandem, both ASAP.  If you can't find a great house in the new town right away, just rent for a year.  Don't worry about whether your new house is just the way you want it.  Just get moved in and set up essential furniture. 

Once you are in the new town, if all goes well with the pregnancy you will hopefully have a couple months to start the new job and get settled in there before the baby comes.  And then hopefully you can take at least 6-8 weeks' maternity leave?   You will want it, if at all possible.  The first child's arrival is your 'miracle time'; you literally step through a curtain from one life to another life.  It only happens once, so really -- enjoy it.   Don't worry about whether you are perfectly ready.  Babies are usually a straightforward proposition, and do not need a lot of stuff.   When we brought our first home from the hospital we had almost nothing -- just a few articles of baby clothes and a car seat.  We stopped at the store on the way home from the hospital to buy diapers.  It worked out fine.   

With all that said -- buckle your seat belt for a potentially bumpy ride this year.  Hopefully all will go well, but things could and might go wrong with any one of these life changes.  So my advice would be to move fast, simplifying things as much as you can.   Good luck!  Exciting times.

MrThatsDifferent

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Congrats on all of the awesome life changes! You’d be surprised at the number of people in careers ex-practicing attorneys have. You won’t be looking back on that life and your ego will shift to whatever your latest career is and your family. You’ll be happy that you escaped. Most lawyers are miserable and for good reasons. Better to parlay that education into something else. And you’ll find, no matter what you do, those legal skills will come in handy. Good luck.

greengardens

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Though it's not clear from your original post, does "JD preferred" mean an in-house role for which a JD might not be required?


While I would be working with the General Counsel, this is not technically an "in-house" legal position, it is more "legal adjacent". My legal degree gives me a definite leg up but if I had X years of experience in the industry the JD would not necessarily be required for this position. The other attorneys on the team do not have legal counsel in their title so it seems unlikely that I would be able to negotiate that.

OK, wow, you've got three major life changes that are hitting at once -- selling/moving, starting a new job, and having your first baby.   I have done all three of those things multiple times, just not all at the same time. :)  Any one of those can be enough to send the stress-o-meter up to the max, and that's if nothing goes wrong. 

My advice in one word is simplify.   if it were me, I would get your current house sold as fast as humanly possible.  I would hop on those to-do items today and get that sucker listed and sold, and off your plate.  Once you are working in a new city and having a baby, the very last thing you will want to do is travel back to the first house to finish up repairs, or whatever. 

I would try to move to the new town as fast as you can as well.  You won't want to be moving when you are 8+ months pregnant.  Nor right after the baby comes.  So if it were me -- I would try to do the sell and the move in tandem, both ASAP.  If you can't find a great house in the new town right away, just rent for a year.  Don't worry about whether your new house is just the way you want it.  Just get moved in and set up essential furniture. 

Once you are in the new town, if all goes well with the pregnancy you will hopefully have a couple months to start the new job and get settled in there before the baby comes.  And then hopefully you can take at least 6-8 weeks' maternity leave?   You will want it, if at all possible.  The first child's arrival is your 'miracle time'; you literally step through a curtain from one life to another life.  It only happens once, so really -- enjoy it.   Don't worry about whether you are perfectly ready.  Babies are usually a straightforward proposition, and do not need a lot of stuff.   When we brought our first home from the hospital we had almost nothing -- just a few articles of baby clothes and a car seat.  We stopped at the store on the way home from the hospital to buy diapers.  It worked out fine.   

With all that said -- buckle your seat belt for a potentially bumpy ride this year.  Hopefully all will go well, but things could and might go wrong with any one of these life changes.  So my advice would be to move fast, simplifying things as much as you can.   Good luck!  Exciting times.

Yes! Simplify is DH and my new mantra. Though if I'm being honest DH and I seem to cram large life events together; I moved across the state the day after I took the bar exam and then a few weeks before our wedding DH and I moved across the state again. We are currently making a list of projects in order of most important to least. After I put in my notice at my current job we plan to contact our realtor to see if she has any insight on what projects we must get done and which we can skip. We would be able to sell our house pretty quickly without completing any of the projects, but we'd likely take a loss. Since we've only had the house for less than a year (yes, a face punchable financial move) we would really, really like to get some of our down payment back after expenses.

Congrats on all of the awesome life changes! You’d be surprised at the number of people in careers ex-practicing attorneys have. You won’t be looking back on that life and your ego will shift to whatever your latest career is and your family. You’ll be happy that you escaped. Most lawyers are miserable and for good reasons. Better to parlay that education into something else. And you’ll find, no matter what you do, those legal skills will come in handy. Good luck.

Thank you! While I enjoy a good portion of my private practice, I realized as I was interviewing for other private practice jobs that I was dreading a lateral move. The intellectual problem solving I like, the daily grind, not so much. So while I'm not 100% sold on this new position I am excited to give something different a try. Plus I think the new hours will be better for my growing family.