Potential job change; Massive pay cut - Corporate City Lawyer to in-house lawyer HELP!

[Deeperthanathousandcuts]

I have three kids and a most wonderful fiancé whom I love dearly, however, I work for a very prestigious City law firm that pays very very well. The downside is that I work around the clock and it is really impacting my family life, my previous husband was a lawyer also so he 'got it' but my fiancé works in a different field where he enjoys a healthy work/life balance. He's urged me to look at alternatives so that I can spend more time with him and my 3 children. Here's the issue: my salary would be cut in half if I take an in-house position and the work/life balance would be better but would still have me working like a dog. We've also looked at working for a charity but the money is even less but I'm hearing great things about flexibility and the ability to do pretty much 9-5.

Have any of you made the switch from a very well paid job (400k) and taken a job which pays far less in my case around 80k, if so, are you glad you made the move, is it hard to adjust; is it still very rewarding?

Be careful moving to public sector or charities. It may drive you bonkers. I did a secondment in-house at a County Council on a PFI project and know I would never be able to leave private practice on a permanent basis.

Some people were great and worked hard but some literally sat at their desks and would not start until dead on 9, and left before 5. They were very set in their ways - not my job, not my hours, not my problem. There was little or no support staff or ict support or any of the other types of support networks you would encounter in your current role.

I also have friends who went to to much lower paid job to find it wasn't actually any less stressful.

Which city are you based in (outside London?) or do you live in London. Depending on the City I may have ideas.