Originally published on July 12, 2010 in our free BigLaw newsletter.
If you're a biglaw attorney, privately threatening to quit your job at least once a day is pretty much standard. And why wouldn't you? Who wants to deal with the long hours, demanding clients, and office jerks? Fantasizing about leaving, formulating exit strategies, and implementing five-year plans are as endemic to biglaw as all-nighters and free meals. Of course, threatening to quit and quitting are quite different. How can you tell when it's really time to go? Whether your inner compass is broken or you already have one foot out the door, read on to learn about the four tell-tale signs that it's time to say sayonara to biglaw.1. You No Longer Buy Into Work-Related Emergencies
Biglaw is as famous for its "work-related emergencies" as it is for its paychecks. There are 3 am due diligence emergencies, IPO pricing day emergencies, injunction emergencies, deadline emergencies, emergency memos, panicked phone calls, phantom emergencies, and thousands of other legal crises that are just as (if not more) serious than saving lives.
If you don't believe it, or otherwise no longer feel a sense of urgency about your work, it may be time to throw in the towel. Part of surviving biglaw is buying into the self-important culture. Once you stop believing, you're on your way out.
2. You're Trying to Get Them to Fire You
Biglaw attorneys may not get tattoos or odd piercings (visible ones at least), but if you secretly want to leave, you may find yourself testing the limits of acceptable office decorum in other ways. Maybe you wear money sign earrings to work (I did once) or browse the Web too often for too long. Perhaps you leave "Regards" off of your email signature or don't bother to proof the final version of the agreement.
These aren't just signs of laziness — you're also tempting fate. Take a cue from your passive-aggressive behavior and take a hike. Don't make them fire you. Quit while you're ahead (but wait for your year-end bonus if you think you'll receive one).
3. Your Sunday Night Blues Are Killer — Literally
Very few people in the world rip off the covers on Monday mornings, do a tap dance, and then head into work beaming. Everybody dreads their job a little bit ... especially on Sunday nights when another work week looms. But if you find yourself inconsolable at the prospect of going into the office the next morning, spend half of Sunday evening trolling eBay for guns, or find yourself seriously depressed on Friday night at the prospect of having only two weekend nights left, it may be time to leave biglaw.
4. Work Is Destroying Everything, Including You
Your significant other has left you and your kids hate you. You're on antidepressants, you don't have time for your hobbies, and you've gotten fat. When biglaw has robbed you of all of your joy, it's time to quit.
Many lawyers are so wrapped up in the day-to-day of their jobs they don't realize how miserable they are. Take stock of your life. If work has left you with no room for family, friends, or meaningful extracurricular activities, it has taken over. You may think you need the biglaw paycheck to be happy, but no fancy toy or expensive vacation can make you less miserable (although science is getting close with plastic surgery). Trust me — you'll become much richer when you take a pay cut to get your life back.
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