ourmaninthenorth – yep, nail on the head.

I've always had an exit strategy in mind, I just can't see myself carrying on like this if I want a family. Plus, I'm realistic – despite the equities taking home in excess of £1m, I know what I'd have to give up to get there, much more than I'm willing to do for cash.

I can't wait to get out of PP to be honest. I like working in the law, but want a more commercial role. I work in a very niche area which has it's advantages and disavantages in terms of trying to find an in house role.

I've been offered 2 roles in the last year that have really interested me, but I'm trying to hang on until I've taken as much knowledge/experience as I can from my current firm, the work at the moment is extremely valuable to my career and I would be crazy to pass it up.

How did you find the transition in house? I deal almost exclusivly with in house legal teams, and the one thing that often worries me is that I would lack the resources/colleagues that I rely on for what is a relatively complex area of law. I get quite a few "off the clock" queries about quite basic things from in house clients who clearly don't have anyone else to ask!

peterfile – happy to take offline if you prefer.

In answer to your question about the transition:

Hard to get a job first of all. I figured that, as an M&A lawyer, I had lots of transferable skills. Not so, it seemed, to employers who were looking for people with good commercial contracts experience.

I was told by recruiters that it would take a good 6 months to find the right role (right for me and the employer) and I would say they were right. It was made harder through doing all this during the massive employment slump of 2009. I interviewd for this role at the end of Feb and started here at the end of April (4 months' notice agreeably cut down to get me off the budget..!).

The transition to what I do now (telecoms – network side) has been and continues to be a steep learning curve. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't shown in interview that, although I don't know it, I can learn it. That was the key, but all roles will differ.

Resource is a challenge, but what I have found is that there are others in the team and wider business who can help out – I am one of three lawyers in the division I work in, and one of around a dozen across the business (a small number for the size of the business and the sector).

The role is decidedly more commercial – people donn't want to know the legal ins and outs, they just want to know that you know, and that you understand what they do. It's all about adding value – I try to describe my role as not one of obstructing entrepreneurial activities, but supplementing them by helping to lower the big risks. Seems to be working so far.

Sure, I'll never make the money I could have done in PP (but, like I say, the likelihood of being made up seemed so remote for several reasons) and I will have to move at some point for career advancement, but I'm a grown up and can handle that.

Tom

The long hours thing is crap. I once saw a guy promoted due to his "commitment" to work due to the long hours.

He was coming in early and leaving late so he could study. He was doing a correspondence degree and found it easier to study at work for an hour before and after work.

Everyone knew that, except the boss who promoted him for it.

Walk through a graveyard and count the memorials put up by employers.

Family are the most important part of your life, and you can't get lost time back.

Walk through a graveyard and count the memorials put up by employers.

Quote of the week.

Family are the most important part of your life, and you can't get lost time back.

There's alot to be said for devoting a small part of your life to preserving the financial stability of your family for years to come.