What to Do And Not to Do When Leaving a Legal Job

What to Do And Not to Do When Leaving a Legal JobWhat to Do And Not to Do When Leaving a Legal JobIn any legal career, inevitably, youll eventually leave a job. Maybe youll move on for a better opportunity, perhaps youll decide the law isnt for you and move to a new career, or perhaps youll need to take some time off for personal reasons or to figure out your next step. Whatever your reason for leaving your job, its important to do it correctly so that you keep your reputation intact and dont burn any bridges Here are some suggestions on what to do, and not to do, when youre leaving a legal job. What to Do Its normal to feel anxious or guilty about leaving a job, but theres no need to stress out needlessly. Follow ansicht tips, and youll leave on the best possible terms. Just Do It If you want to quit, and youre sure its the right choice, dont needlessly delay. People can tell when youre not engaged, and no one wants a deadweight employee hanging on for months or years on end. Ye s, leaving can be scary, but its better to pull the plug and move on if this isnt the right job for you any longer. Everyone will be better off, in the end, and every day you delay is another day that your employer is relying on you and giving you additional work to do Wrap Things up Properly Typically, youll provide some notice when you quit (two weeks is traditional, but some other period might be more appropriate in your situation). Theres rarely going to be a good time to quit a legal employer, but if youre at trial, or working on a huge deal, do your best to leave after the case is finished. In any case, be sure youve documented any processes that need to be documented and left notes in any files you were working on, to help orientate your replacement. If you can, its often appreciated to offer to be informally on-call for a few days or weeks after your official departure, just in case any major questions come up. Even if no one calls, it makes you look responsible and helpful . Say Your Goodbyes Personally When you decide to leave, ja will probably spread quickly, so think about who needs to know ASAP. Is there a partner you worked with frequently? Place a courtesy call (or drop by in person) as soon as youve given notice. Yes, it might be easier to let HR spread the word, but people do appreciate a personal heads-up when youve had a close working relationship. In the same vein, be sure to have personal conversations with the people you care about in the firm, from the receptionist you say Hello to every day, to your coworkers and assistants. Dont bad mouth anyone (see below), but taking a few moments to express your gratitude for their ongoing support can help smooth your departure and lead everyone to think of you fondly after you go. What Not to Do Now, here are some things you really ought not to do when leaving a legal job Dont Delete Your Email If youre working in a legal context, chances are good all of your emails are being automatically bac ked up, so deleting it wont do much good. And you totenstill shouldnt do it Deleting your email en masse makes it look like youve got something to hide, and might be a violation of your employers data retention policy. Check with your employer about what, if anything, they want you to clean up in your files or email, and strictly comply with the instructions youre given. Anything else just looks suspicious (and probably wont even do any good if youre trying to hide something). Dont Bad Mouth Anyone in Your Exit Interview The exit interview, should you be subjected to one, is not the place to express your true grievances. Its a formality, and you should treat it as such. Say nice, vague things about your employer and your boss, and get out of there as quickly as possible. Youre quitting for a reason, but no good can come of being honest in the exit interview The word always gets around, and you might need these connections later, even if it doesnt seem like it at the time. Express ap preciation for all youve learned, and move on. Dont Be Unprofessional Even if you hate the job youre leaving, go graciously. (Theres a funny photo of me looking gleeful as I cleaned out my law firm office for the final time, but I did that late at night so no one at the firm would see it) Have an elevator pitch ready to go when people ask you why youre moving on. Something along the lines of, Ive enjoyed my time here, and Ive learned a lot, but Id like to do more client-facing work, is sufficient. No one cares about your reasons unless you make a big deal out of how miserable you were, and how happy you are to be leaving. A little tact goes a long way