Why I left a $200,000 job in big law. | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

After years of working in Big Law, I realized that I wasn't truly passionate about patent law nor fulfilling my personal goals, which led me to transition into a new area of law that aligned with my interests and values.

Key Insights

• 🍉 Finding fulfillment and aligning personal values with a career path is crucial for long-term career satisfaction.
• 💦 Initial enthusiasm and proficiency in a certain area of work may not indicate long-term passion or compatibility.
• 🪡 A shift in priorities and interests can happen at any stage of a legal career, prompting the need for exploration and change.
• 🤗 Being open to new opportunities and taking risks can lead to unexpected and fulfilling career paths.
• 💌 External circumstances, such as being let go from a job, can provide the push needed to make a desired career change.
• 🤳 Balancing personal and professional goals requires honesty, self-reflection, and the willingness to step outside of one's comfort zone.
• 😊 Pursuing passions and interests outside of work, such as pro bono cases, can contribute to overall career satisfaction.

Transcript

I left Big Law because I didn't have the guts  to quit. Let me explain. When I started out   in big law, I was the exact type of person  they were looking for. I was 26 years old,   I was an A student, I had come into  law school straight from college,   I was single with no kids, and my career  was my number one priority in life. In other words, I... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What were the author's initial reasons for working in Big Law?

The author initially joined Big Law as a 26-year-old A student because she was single, had no children, and saw her career as her top priority. She enjoyed the long hours and meticulous work, thinking it would lead to career success and financial rewards.

Q: What made the author realize that she wasn't truly passionate about patent law?

As the author gained more experience and seniority in the law firm, she became more familiar with the underlying content of patent litigation. She noticed that her colleagues were genuinely interested in patent law outside of work, while she had no inclination to research or learn about it in her free time, indicating her lack of passion.

Q: Why did the author consider transitioning into human rights litigation?

The author's interest in human rights litigation stemmed from her first-year internship experience at a human rights organization. She initially planned to take on pro bono cases related to asylum while working at the law firm but found herself unable to prioritize it due to work conflicts.

Q: What combination of circumstances led the author to leave Big Law?

The author's realization that she wasn't passionate about patent law, her interest in human rights litigation, and the completion of a significant trial sparked the realization that she was ready for a change. Coincidentally, she was let go from her job due to a slowdown in the patent group, which provided both relief and a new opportunity for her to pursue a different area of law.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The author initially enjoyed the long hours and detail-oriented work of being a junior associate in Big Law but eventually realized that it didn't align with her North Star of living life with no regrets.

• She discovered that she wasn't passionate about patent law and didn't have a genuine interest in the subject matter, unlike her colleagues who were dedicated to it.

• The author also recognized her interest in human rights litigation and realized that she hadn't pursued pro bono cases in this area as initially planned, indicating a need for a change in her career path.

• The combination of these realizations and being let go from her job gave her the opportunity to make the leap and pursue a new area of law that aligned with her passions.