<p>Thank you for all the responses so far – I’ll respond broadly to the questions posed. When I started this search about a year ago – my goal was exactly what’s been said here – to leverage my corporate litigation experience and finance background into a corporate counsel type of in-house position so that I could diversify out my background and possibly even step into a corporate (non-legal) role eventually. Well that hasn’t worked out; most companies see a litigator as a litigator, regardless of how commercial your background may be. Some companies see litigation on your resume and won’t even interview you unless they have a pure litigation opening; others have granted a courtesy interview or said the whole “we really think financial litigators are quick can get up to speed on anything corporate” but at the end of the day, they hire a corporate associate. There are enough people out there with the exact right skillset for any job that no one is willing to buy the fact that I am capable of learning the job - when they have candidates who already know it.</p>
<p>I have been selling the Wharton thing and in the processes where I have gotten really far – I feel like that and my ease with quantitative concepts is what has differentiated me from other candidates.</p>
<p>In terms of geography – I would love to move out of NYC and live a “normal” life so I have been looking at suburban companies too, but I do have to stay on the Boston to Northern Virginia corridor for family/personal reasons; I could consider Charlotte or Atlanta possibly but I am not in a position where I could move to a regional firm in Tulsa (nor do I think they would buy any reason for me wanting to be there).</p>
<p>I guess when you’ve been in biglaw in the partner race for so long, you see this whole thing as a race – must make partner; if I don’t make partner, must make a quick move to another firm where I can make it etc. There has never been a moment to stop and breathe.</p>
<p>While I am feeling desperate to get out (terrible morale as you’d imagine) and maybe should be willing to take ANYTHING – I feel like I at least want a job that I will somewhat enjoy – i.e. one that uses my business/financial/commercial skill set. Those are really the only parts of law that I enjoy, and I really don’t find a lot of things interesting/enjoyable/tolerable that other people do so I can’t even bring myself to apply for non-commercial positions. </p>
<p>Anyone survived a long job search? It’s exhausting between networking, finding things to apply for, applying, prepping for interviews, interviewing, and getting rejected. I so just want to take a break, but I find myself not even being able to take a weekend off (at least from poking around for opportunities) because when I do I feel like “the clock is ticking, I’m wasting time.” </p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts so far. Definitely happy to hear more.</p>