Has anyone moved from in house to a private practice (law firm) role?

[OnlyFangs]

I know people mainly talk about moving the other way, particularly post children, but I ended up in house straight after qualifying (after doing a secondment as part of my TC) and have had a great in house career that fitted around my children. They are older (teens) now and I am mulling over a move to private practice but I am not sure whether I am mad to contemplate it

What’s your field of practice? And what level are you at? And are you on London or somewhere else? You aren’t, for example, going to be able to walk into partnership anywhere unless you are delivering your current employer as a client who will provide massive amounts of work.

I’m speaking as someone who has spent my whole career in private practice so I think there is an element of the grass is always greener, but things to consider are: billing every minute of your time and having to have at least 7 hours a day recorded every day; having to hit the deadlines the client sets, irrespective of what’s going on in your personal life and even if you think there is no need for the deadlines; a lot of evening events/socialising to do business development; the constant pressure to win and keep clients; and above all the “up or out” pressure to either make partner or leave.

Out of curiosity, what are you considering moving to private practice rather than finding a new in house role if you are bored with your current one?