Leaving corporate law

Would be interested to know if you did go in house. I’m in the same boat but in litigation for an international firm in a regional office. I took a big pay cut and dropped to a 4 day week but the workload remained the same. I don’t get any time to myself and the work is high pressured and deadline driven. I quite often come home stressed and miserable and quite frankly think my husband is sick of it. My firm is also very demanding in terms of business development and attending client events often out of hours that may include overnight stays. The mum guilt that comes with this is awful. I also want another child soon as i’m not getting any younger but my first pregnancy while working was absolutely awful. I was sick 24/7 including after a work christmas dinner on the street. The brain fog was also something else that really affected my work so much so that i was called into a meeting to be told that several team members had complained about the quality of my work and why this was happening. This was even though everyone was very aware of my pregnancy related issues. I ended up taking an earlier mat leave. So i am very reluctant to go through that again.

Hi lovely you will work this out somehow someway.
If you take a 2nd mat leave what some people do is save the extra money so they don’t have to go back. And some firms whatever their policy, don’t always enforce the paying back.
Can DH step up more? Can you get more help at home?
I am a PSL in the city. You absolutely do not need to be 10y+. Speak to some recruiters (they are all over LinkedIn).
It is a bad period when they are small and no sleep. Brutal. I promise it will get better. Mine are older and I am now gearing up again.

If your DH is a low earner then it’s a pity to be tied to London because of his job (unless you have other ties eg family). I can see being tied to London if he was earning loads but if you’re the main earner then it’s different.

Life in the regions can be much more affordable. Eg loads of government lawyers and good regional firms with lower key corporate departments in Leeds for example. Corporate lawyers certainly work part time in my firm!

Sorry but if DH is a low earner and it is all on you, you are not tied to London for his job. No other advice than that.

Consider in house compliance. I earn more than double what you do and WFH nearly every day. I don’t live in London or the SE either as there’s no need to.

I still manage to do all the nursery and school runs. I’ve never had a better work life balance.

Can you go in-house?

Yes, this. Your DH needs to make your life easier particularly I you are being tied to London for him and picking up the costs to enable what he does.

Not all in house roles are 8-7 at least not consistently but maybe this is the casein your sub specialism particularly if in house direct equivalent means investment banking. What do you earn now and what do you “need” to earn? That will drive options.

How much do they pay you and what type of pay cut will you take?

I became a PSL at 6PQE. 9-5, low stress, lovely team.

I’m on mat leave and will be going back 3.5 days, 1 day in the office.

Highly recommend!

Edited to add I earn over £120k FTE. I took a big pay cut from fee earning but it’s been 100% worth it for the better life!

Government lawyer here. And have been for my entire professional life. Yeah the money is terrible but the quality of work is superb and the work life balance great. The culture is such that you never have to pretend you don’t have kids and disappearing for this and that is always fine. Highly recommend.

Why are you putting DS to bed if you’re the higher earner? If DH is the lower earner then he does that and most of the domestic grind and you focus on your job.

This is how men would think.

Never went back. International finance at magic circle firm I worked day and night.

Took 7 years off as sahm Dh supported us. Set up my own business totally different area of law but still law last year I out earned Dh.

I managed two small children, the nursery and school juggle, I never miss bedtime and I’m quite senior now. It’s enjoyable too!

Definitely don't assume that you need to stay anywhere near your current area of expertise if you go in-house; all sorts of financial services firms (for example) will be very interested in a lawyer with decent private practice corporate experience as you'll have a ton of transferable skills. I know lots of people who have done exactly this - quite a few to insurers for whatever reason - and I'm not sure I know any who do 8-7 as a matter of course, usually nowhere near. Yes the pay will be less but corporate private practice is a straightforward deal with the devil - stick at it, make partner and you could retire comfortably in your 40s. You might look and feel 60 though, with a high chance of having become divorced and not really knowing your kids.

Have a think about Risk and Compliance OP. Better hours, really interesting, flexible roles available. Some jobs pay really quite well for the hours, especially senior roles in London. They would bite your hand off for transactional experience if they have any sense. The market is absolutely thriving and my team have roles spare!

there are some specialist recruiters it might be worth talking too - you can google them.

loads of people in risk have pivoted from private practice.

worth a look as public sector has its own drawbacks.

Yes it depends on your specialism ultimately. Some in house jobs are pretty chilled but I was in-house at an investment bank for quite some time and that was not an easy ride.

What is your area within Corporate, and have you worked out how big a pay cut you could accept? I was an M&A lawyer, went in house after my first child and never regretted it. I still have a good salary, though its taken a while to get it back up to what I left. I also have great flexibility, wfh etc. It is possible to find. Do you have any secondment experience? Any industry specialism within Corporate? What's your PQE? All those things influence the speed and ease with which you could find something.

Fair enough. 12 months is a v long time to wait!!

Sorry to hear about your sickness, that’s awful. If your team can’t accommodate you at a slower pace during pregnancy then 100% it sounds like the right decision to get out now.

Good luck with your decision!

If you can take a pay cut, can you downgrade to a PA role. I worked 30 odd years as a lawyer in high street firm. Left 3 years ago for corporate legal PA role. Best thing i ever did. Massive pay cut but benefits and just working til 4pm and having wfh and flexi time really makes up for loss of money. I log off and don't have to think about work until I log in the next day

But, I'm only 10 years from retirement so could take the loss

Corperate FE work is brutal

How about the FCA? For what it's worth I've just secured a part time transactional role but I am 12PQE (counsel level)

It depends I guess on how much you care about maintaining your higher private practice salary. Do you need the cash?

Also if you’re planning another child if might be worth waiting it out to get the maternity pay round 2. You’ll then be more senior in PQE terms which could open up more opportunities for PSL or in house roles.

Yes I work in local government legal, changed after 20 years private practice. So I work for a large council, but know people who work for government legal.
You’ll have transferable skills just make sure you meet essential criteria.
Cons are pay is absolutely dire. Pros very flexible, I’m in office once a week, lots of flexibility around childcare if need that, varied and interesting work. I also like the feeling like I’m making a difference to my community.
National Highways specifically look for returners after a career break.