It's been 5 years now for me in a Tier - 1. I originally intended to quit upon making SA but my timeline got extended due to the pandemic. However, the past 1.5 years have been an absolute burnout. My motivation for returning to office now is below zero.
Add to it, the thought of travelling for 1-2 hours everyday, seeing everyone's irritated face at office, eating lunch out of a box, watching people pretend all day, returning home tired and drained every single night and all at the cost of risking your health (especially when I'm experiencing long post-COVID problems) and leaving my parents alone as they grow old - I just cannot take it anymore!
I couldn't give any less f**ks about what any law firm managing partner thinks.
At the same time, I hope this is not an impulsive decision on my part due to the pandemic fatigue. What do you think? Are you under similar circumstances too? What are you planning to do?
1. Your irritation and frustration is real, dont let others dismiss that.
2. There are lots of others with either same level or varying levels of pain. This is a pandemic in itself. Not just in India, but most countries - seen the level of retention bonus announced by U S law firms? Pay is adding up to like half a million for 3rd year associate, which is like EP pay (with 15 pqe).
3. While; I am all for not returning to office, I would still recommend that you return to office and give that a try (assuming that you are mandated to be in office). Because you will give yourself a chance to see if getting back to office is really as dreaded as it seems (if it is, go soon as you believe it wont get better) or maybe the old normal is back and you can cut the client / senior call post 9 pm and not over worry of such actions - you can mentally draw the boundary lines better.
4. As an older person I believe the legal industry will not change. We also enable the toxic behavior and expectations by clients. This one time many many billions of billable hours ago, we did a call on a Friday with a client, client wanted the draft on Monday, senior offers to send it over on the weekend. I wanted to send my resignation letter instead. Answering calls of clients at 10 pm for new work is also us agreeing to not have decently defined boundaries.
5. MP wont even know who you are, will have zero impact on him/her. People who it will impact are the juniors who are left behind in your team, they have now pick your load to their existing overload. So dont see this as a point in your consideration to stick around or not. If it makes you feel any better, they have their own hell to deal with (revenue, competition, anonymous hate message, publicly called out, etc).
I am planning to return to office and give that a try and see if it becomes any less shitty. If it continues to be the same level of shit, then I’m out.
I completely understand where the OP is coming from but a very genuine question - are there sufficient jobs in the legal market which allow us the flexibility to keep WFH forever?
I quit law firms couple of years back, bcoz in addition to work, I also wanted to give time to family, pursue other interests and just have a life. I now have my own set of good clients, good work and I decide my schedule. I of course have time for family, my hobbies and have a much much better life. We fear the unknown, but at times we find our answers in the unknown.
Do you mean to say you went independent? @Guest who now has a much much better life? It has been on my mind but I wonder if that will actually mean less flexibility because you won't have a team per se and would have to run the show yourself.
Yes, I did. It's still a work in progress but I am learning and enjoying and making decent money. I can always get back to firms with my clients so its a win a win.My advice to all lawyers, while in firms focus on building your clients. Build relationships with bankers, clients etc. This has helped me. Imagine if you could get say 5 retainer clients for a lac each per month, do you need a law firm job? Firms will never let you build your brand, and keep you distracted. Focus on yourself pls, money is a way of buying your freedom completely.
Bro just in case if you’re leaving and made up your mind, could you please recommend for an internship since you’re anyways leaving? Might as well help someone with a job, my email id is - durlabhsingh1010@gmail.com. Thanks
Seems, like the unending saga of abusive culture of so-called law firm treating A0s and SAs like shit as slaves & then partners expect junior to treat them with respect, when the fact is they themselves embroiling in with many mental heath and physical health problems.
Add to it, the thought of travelling for 1-2 hours everyday, seeing everyone's irritated face at office, eating lunch out of a box, watching people pretend all day, returning home tired and drained every single night and all at the cost of risking your health (especially when I'm experiencing long post-COVID problems) and leaving my parents alone as they grow old - I just cannot take it anymore!
I couldn't give any less f**ks about what any law firm managing partner thinks.
At the same time, I hope this is not an impulsive decision on my part due to the pandemic fatigue. What do you think? Are you under similar circumstances too? What are you planning to do?
2. There are lots of others with either same level or varying levels of pain. This is a pandemic in itself. Not just in India, but most countries - seen the level of retention bonus announced by U S law firms? Pay is adding up to like half a million for 3rd year associate, which is like EP pay (with 15 pqe).
3. While; I am all for not returning to office, I would still recommend that you return to office and give that a try (assuming that you are mandated to be in office). Because you will give yourself a chance to see if getting back to office is really as dreaded as it seems (if it is, go soon as you believe it wont get better) or maybe the old normal is back and you can cut the client / senior call post 9 pm and not over worry of such actions - you can mentally draw the boundary lines better.
4. As an older person I believe the legal industry will not change. We also enable the toxic behavior and expectations by clients. This one time many many billions of billable hours ago, we did a call on a Friday with a client, client wanted the draft on Monday, senior offers to send it over on the weekend. I wanted to send my resignation letter instead. Answering calls of clients at 10 pm for new work is also us agreeing to not have decently defined boundaries.
5. MP wont even know who you are, will have zero impact on him/her. People who it will impact are the juniors who are left behind in your team, they have now pick your load to their existing overload. So dont see this as a point in your consideration to stick around or not. If it makes you feel any better, they have their own hell to deal with (revenue, competition, anonymous hate message, publicly called out, etc).
I am planning to return to office and give that a try and see if it becomes any less shitty. If it continues to be the same level of shit, then I’m out.