Originally published on January 26, 2010 in our free BigLaw newsletter.
2009 was a bad year for large firm associates. A relentless tide of layoffs, widespread salary freezes and deferrals, and an overall shortage of billable hours left many unemployed, facing financial hardship, or consumed by the stress of job insecurity. Or all of the above. Despite these inhospitable conditions, optimists cite the emergence of "green shoots" in 2010. But where can you find them? Faced with this daunting task, former Boies, Schiller, & Flexner associate Samara Anderson found a solution: plant your own.
Anderson, now 36, spent six years toiling as a litigation associate. She worked long hours, traveled "all over the globe," and lived in what she refers to as the "6 minute world." But, says Anderson, while the work was interesting and challenging, she "wasn't passionate about it."
As a student, she had dreamed of working as an environmental lawyer; as an associate, however, her caseload was focused primarily on antitrust and securities litigation. "I hoped to get back to working on environmental issues one day," she explains. "I thought I would eventually leave the big firm world and find a position that would allow me to make a difference, whether as in-house counsel, as a government lawyer, or in some other capacity."
From Big Law to Big Trouble
Last spring, Anderson's long-term plan was derailed when her firm began downsizing. Facing imminent unemployment, Anderson suddenly found herself without the luxury of planning her next career move. Rather than panicking, though, she decided to take a leap of faith. Instead of hitting the job market, Anderson hit the road.
"I am absolutely passionate about being out in nature," she explains, "and I realized that I could use this sudden break as an opportunity to go out and explore some of the most beautiful places in America." So, with the tenacity and organizational skill of an associate, Anderson (along with her partner, Melissa Frenyea) planned a trip that would take them to 10 states and 20 national parks.
Anderson spent more than a month traveling the country and touring the parks on her checklist. A seasoned triathlete, she immersed herself in the experience by running, biking, and hiking wherever she went. "The world is a beautiful place," she says emphatically, "and we have to be cognizant of our natural resources. I firmly believe that the only way to do that is to get out of the car, go to the top of the highest mountain, wade in the water … whatever you have to do to make the connection with nature."
The trip did more than provide Anderson with great vacation memories: it gave her career a new direction. "It was mind-blowing," she says of her journey. "It opened up my perspective, and supported my reasons for leaving the world of law. If not for this experience, I probably would have fallen back into what was familiar, and headed back to firm life. But I realized that I had to be true to myself, and find a career that reflected my passion for environmental issues."
Blazing New Trails
Anderson's next challenge was to figure out how, in a seriously depressed job market, she could make her newly clarified goals into reality. Upon her return, she began networking furiously and searching for work in the environmental field.
Then, at one meeting of a breakfast club focused on environmental issues, she heard speakers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Fascinated by the substance of their presentation, Anderson saw a potential opening — despite the fact that both agencies' legal departments had been decimated by budget cuts and were subject to indefinite hiring freezes.
"I offered to volunteer my services," Anderson explains. Soon, she was spending several afternoons a week working at the DEC, handling several of her own cases. Although she is still a volunteer, the work has already started to pay off. "I'm getting great experience, and learning a tremendous amount," she says. In addition, she may be able to parlay her volunteer position into a full-time job at the DEC.
Most importantly, Anderson appears to have found her calling. "I love what I'm doing," she reports, "and it ties in with everything I want to do." She is thankful for the experience she gained at Boies, Schiller, & Flexner, which she credits for giving her the confidence to face formidable adversaries and handle complex litigation.
But, she says — with evident satisfaction — "I'm so much happier, and I feel so much more fulfilled than I did there. I had a good run, I learned a lot, and now I have the chance to do something I'm truly passionate about." For Samara Anderson, the dark cloud over Big Law did, in fact, have a silver lining.
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