Law career | Imamother

amother

↑ DarkKhaki

Mon, Dec 02 2024, 6:42 pm

amother OP wrote:

Dh left biglaw and went in house a few years ago. Was just unsustainable. Too many all nighters and insane partners. But now we feel like maybe the field isn’t worth it for a man if you’re not going to go big law partner route. In house is amazing for female lawyers who are moms and are looking for life balance but the money isn’t really enough if your the main breadwinner.

How much is your husband making now?

amother

Green ↓

Mon, Dec 02 2024, 6:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

What about him opening his own business?

amother

Ultramarine

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 12:20 pm

Was going to say most frum people I know do big law for a bunch of years to cover the loans and buy a house, and then open there own practice.

The money is better then in house, and there is less pressure then Big law, you can take less clients at stressful times.....

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 1:57 pm

amother Ultramarine wrote:

I know almost no one who was in big law who voluntarily left to open a private practice. Usually it’s because they have no other option (ie termination with no other offers). It’s a lot of money to leave on the table-and it takes a lot of time to build up your practice. also biglaw work like m & a litigation or securitization rarely translates to hanging up your own shingle. You would be extremely overqualified.

amother

Latte ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:10 pm

DH is in Big law. NYC. Made partner 7 years in. BH very very high salary. Hours are insane and always have been. 12-14 hour workdays are normal. Motz Shabbos and Sunday too. Never really off, even when officially “on vacation “ , always has work to do and people to answer to (in the early days it was the partners , now it’s the big clients directly ). Constant stress. DH and I are grateful for his job , BH we can buy what we need and help our marrieds and our siblings . And give a lot of tzedakah. Just realize there is a cost to everything, big law salary by definition comes with big law expectations on life.

amother

↑ Green

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:10 pm

amother Latte wrote:

Wow

Sounds like a lot

Did he ever consider going out on his own?

amother

↑ Latte ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:12 pm

amother Green wrote:

Wow

Sounds like a lot

Did he ever consider going out on his own?

His experience and expertise is not transferable to going out on his own. Clients are huge companies who need big law firms.

amother

Blushpink

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:16 pm

My mom is counsel at big law. No idea how much she makes but yes definitely works till the last minute Friday and then logs back on right after Shabbos. Pulls all nighters etc

I don't know how people do it

She looked into going in house at one point but ultimately decided that it was a career dead end and she would also lose her flexibility (but the flexibility comes along with never truly being off)

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:18 pm

amother Latte wrote:

Another important point to be aware of is the extremely high tax rate.

lol it’s for anyone who makes a lot of money. When you’re driven it’s hardly a deterrent.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:21 pm

amother Latte wrote:

Dh left the firm he was in because the pressure was just too much. It was unsustainable. He ultimately got hired by his secondment and has been in house since then. Great hours and benefits. Bh we have evenings and weekends. He’s at the top of the band for in house (above 500k) but there’s not much more that he can achieve at this level. It’s hard to know at the stage of life we’re in (children starting shidduchim) if he made the right move. And by that I mean going to law school in the first place. I guess it’s all bashert but I wonder if all the hard work was worth the effort.

amother

Teal

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 2:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

Your dh makes over 500k and you say it's not enough for a main breadwinner?

amother

Forestgreen ↓

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 3:25 pm

amother OP wrote:

Those are specific areas of law that are harder to transfer to opening your own firm.

amother

Myrtle

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 3:50 pm

My husband went to big law right after law school. Pushed through it for 7/8 years then and switched to a big 4 and made partner after a few years. That was part of the plan, and he was on a partner track. BH BH makes very good income, higher then counsel at big law and as much as some big law partners

Large OOT city.

Hatzlacha!

amother

Iris

Tue, Dec 03 2024, 6:12 pm

Lawyer at a public interest firm. I make a fraction of the stated salaries and work very hard. However, I am passionate about my work. I get reasonable vacation time and decent benefits. Weekend work is rare, but I often work 10 or 11 hour days. There are definitely pros to this type of work, but it would be nice to make more money and to feel passionate about the work.

amother

↑ Hosta

Wed, Dec 04 2024, 4:56 pm

amother DarkYellow wrote:

I’m not the ima you were asking but in general NY BigLaw jobs have long unpredictable hours. 12 hour days + commute is common. Working on the weekends is almost expected.

Love how everyone assumes it’s my husband. It’s actually me Wink

A lot of hours. Not an easy life. But the pay is very good so it’s hard to leave.